This document explains how to allow the use of unbundled applications when managing clients. You need to do this when applications open sub-applications which have no bundle ID.
This document applies to the Workgroup Manager component of Mac OS X Server 10.2, when used to manage Mac OS X 10.2 or later clients. For Mac OS X Server 10.3, use the "Allow UNIX tools to run" option, which can be found in the Application Managed Preference section of Workgroup Manager. Mac OS X 10.2 and 10.3 client systems will respect this setting when bound to a 10.3 server. Similarly, 10.2 and 10.3 client systems will respect this setting when bound to a 10.2 server.
Note: This advanced procedure requires manual editing of a value in NetInfo Manager. This is provided for information purposes only. Apple does not provide any further technical support or assistance for performing this task.
About unbundled applications
An unbundled application is an executable that does not have an assigned Type/Creator or Bundle ID. Some applications open (or launch) unbundled application utilities to perform certain tasks. When one application launches another, it is known as "sub-launching."
Unbundled applications cannot be sub-launched if you are managing applications and have deselected the preference for "User can also open all applications on local volumes".
To allow sub-launching in this scenario, you may use the procedure below.
Note: To locate the "User can also open all applications on local volumes" setting discussed here, you would select your managed user or group in Workgroup Manager, then click the Preferences icon, then click the Applications icon. The adjacent setting "Allow approved applications to launch nonapproved applications" is not relevant to unbundled applications.
Part I: Preparing Workgroup Manager and NetInfo Manager
- 1. Open Workgroup Manager (/Applications/Utilities), and connect to your server.
2. Using the Preferences, enable the option to "Allow approved applications to launch nonapproved applications" for each of the Users, Groups, and Computer Lists that you will be allowing unbundled applications to launch within.
3. Apply the changes, and quit Workgroup Manager.
4. Open NetInfo Manager (/Applications/Utilities).
5. Choose Domain > Open By Tag.
6. Enter the host name or IP address of the server that manages the Mac OS X Clients.
7. Enter the NetInfo database tag for that server (Default: network).
8. Click the Open button to connect to the designated server and NetInfo domain.
9. Choose Security > Authenticate.
10. Enter the necessary authentication information, and select OK.
Part II: Locate and Copy mcx_settings
- 1. In NetInfo Manager, navigate to the user, group, or computer list that you will be allowing unbundled applications to launch within. For example, to edit the group "8thgrade", navigate to /groups/8thgrade in NetInfo Manager. To edit the computer list "Macs near me", navigate to "/computer_lists/Macs near me" in NetInfo Manager.
2. Locate the mcx_settings property, and select its value by double-clicking the field to its right. All of the text should be highlighted.
3. Choose Edit > Copy.
Part III: TextEdit
- 1. Open TextEdit (/Applications/). A new, untitled document should appear. If not, create a new document.
2. Choose Format > Make Plain Text.
3. Choose Edit > Paste.
4. Choose File > Save As.
5. Name the file "mcx_settings.org.plist", and click Save.
6. Select the file you just saved in the Finder.
7. Choose File > Duplicate.
8. Name the copy "mcx_settings.plist".
9. Open the mcx_settings.plist file in TextEdit.
10. Locate the AlwaysAllowedList-Raw dictionary (<dict>) under the mcx_preference_settings domain.
Note: If this dictionary is not present, then applications are not being managed for this user, group, or computer list. There may be multiple instances of this dictionary. Only edit the dictionary located under the mcx_preference_settings (Figure 1).
Figure 1 The AlwaysAllowedList-Raw dictionary
11. Add this text just above the AlwaysAllowedList-Raw dictionary, as in Figure 2:
<key>AllowUnbundledApps</key>
<true/>
Figure 2 The AllowUnbundledApps key
12. Save the changes.
Note: You can test the validity of your plist file by attempting to open it in the Plist Editor application (installed with the developer tools, also found on the NetBoot for Mac OS 9 CD). If the file does not open in Plist Editor, there may be an issue with how you added the key.
13. Choose Edit > Select All.
14. Choose Edit > Copy. (You should be copying all contents of the mcx_settings.plist file to the clipboard.)
Part IV: Replacing mcx_settings
- 1. Switch to the NetInfo Manager application.
2. Select the mcx_settings value that you previously copied from NetInfo Manager in Section II.
3. Choose Edit > Paste.
Note: You can use the Up and Down Arrow keys to scroll down and verify that text was successfully pasted.
4. Save the changes in NetInfo Manager.
5. Confirm the modification by clicking the "Update this copy" button.
Part V: Additional Users, Groups, or Computers
Repeat the steps in Part I through Part IV for each additional managed user, group, or computer list you would like to be able to open unbundled applications.
Part VI: Empty the Cache
- 1. Via Workgroup Manager, select your managed computer list(s) and click the Empty the Cache button.
2. Restart your managed client computers.
Upon subsequent logins, the users, groups, and computer lists you edited will now be able launch unbundled applications.
Related Knowledge Base documents:
107539: "Mac OS X Managed Client: Stops Responding During Login When Using Custom Desktop Picture"
25400: "iPhoto, Image Capture: Managed Mac OS X Clients May Not Recognize a Camera"
107410: "Apple Remote Desktop: Managed Clients Become Unavailable"