Mac OS X Managed Client: How to prevent Dashboard access

If you need to prevent someone from accessing Dashboard, there are several ways to do this. For purpose of this article, a "locally managed" client is one managed via Parental Controls settings in the Accounts preference pane; and a "networked managed" client is one managed via Workgroup Manager.

Locally-managed clients

To prevent Dashboard from opening when selected, enter this command in Terminal at a client computer:

defaults write com.apple.dashboard mcx-disabled -boolean YES

Network-managed clients

For network-managed clients, you have a choice of two ways to do this. The first method is preferred.

Method 1: Prevent all access to Dashboard

You can configure this setting using the Preference Editor in Workgroup Manager by following these steps:

1. Execute the above command on a system (if you haven't already), which will generate a plist file needed for a later step.
2. Open Workgroup Manager and select a user, group, or computer list.
3. Select Preferences.
4. Click the Details tab.
5. Click the Add button, then navigate to the plist file:
   

   /Users/User_Name/Library/Preferences/com.apple.dashboard.plist

   
   
   Note: If desired, you can edit the preference file and move this setting to the Always section. By default, Workgroup Manager will import it into the Often section. Use these steps:
   1. Select the com.apple.dashboard preference item.
   2. Click the Edit button.
   3. Click the disclosure triangle next to Often to reveal its contents.
   4. Delete all of the keys by selecting each key and then clicking the Delete button above.
   5. Click the disclosure triangle next to Always to reveal its contents (it will be empty by default).
   6. Add the following key by selecting "Always" and pressing the New Key button above:
      
      

      Name		Type	Value
      mcx-disabled	boolean	true

6. Click the Apply Now button.
7. Click the Done button to dismiss the sheet.

Dashboard will still appear in the Dock as an active application, but it won't open when someone selects it.

Method 2: Disable the sub-launching option in Workgroup Manager

This method will prevent access to all Dashboard widgets. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Open Workgroup Manager and select a user, group, or computer list.
2. Select Preferences, then Applications.
3. Deselect the "Allow approved applications to launch non-approved applications" option to disable sub-launching.

This allows Dashboard to display, but you won't be able to open any widgets. Any currently open widgets will close automatically.