Use a stand-alone URL downloader
Have you ever wished for a quick way to download somethingwithoutwaiting for your internet browser app to launch first ? For instance , perhaps you , like me , get a lot of e - mail messages that admit URL for downloading software . In Mac OS X 10.4.7 or later , there ’s a built - in way to skip the launching timeandkeep track of everything you ’ve downloaded ; it ’s a stand - alone covering that does nothing more than accept hale URLs and download file cabinet to your screen background .
In the Finder , voyage to /System / Library/ CoreServices , and then scroll down until you see the curriculum nominate VerifiedDownloadAgent . Now drag that lotion to another spot on your backbreaking crusade — the Applications brochure , or anywhere else you ’d like to stash away a written matter . Your user account does n’t have the necessary right to modify the System folder , so the Finder will mechanically make a written matter of the software when you drag it . The original will remain safely in its current location .
When Apple updates this lotion ( currently at version 1 ) , you ’ll have to copy it again to get the newest translation . To forefend that scuffle , you could make an false name instead ( program line - option - drag the original single file to a new localisation to create an alias ) .
Now go to the spot where you saved your transcript and rename VerifiedDownloadAgent something more well-disposed — I call mine Downloader . If you need to get fancy , you could glue in a custom icon in place of the generic one the app uses . I used the Downloads Folder icon from the Iconfactory ’s freeAmora picture ingathering . Once you ’re done , drag the app to the Dock or to the Finder ’s sidebar or toolbar so it ’s easily approachable . Launch it and leave it run all the time ; then drag and overlook any download URLs you receive into its window or onto its Dock icon for quick downloading without set in motion your Web web browser .
Delete stubborn files
We ’ve all encountered a stubborn file that just wo n’t delete . Yes , there are third - party program you could use , such as Marco Balestra ’s handy and gratuitous Super Empty Trash . Or you could plunge into Terminal and use the
bug out by creating a fresh drug user in the Accounts preference pane . It does n’t really matter what name or access level you give the new account ; it ’s going to have a very forgetful life . Once the account is make , move the troublesome file from the Trash into the /Users / Shared folder .
Now go to the Apple menu and choose Log Outuser nameand then lumber in as the new drug user . start the /Users / Shared folder , and move the troublesome file into the Modern substance abuser ’s Trash . ( You might have to type your administrator name and password . )
Now leave of the new account and then enter to your chief account . Return to the Accounts preference pane , select the story you just created , and press the negative sign ( - ) , or just press the delete key . A dialog boxful will seem , asking you if you ’re sure you need to do this . Of the three options — Cancel , OK , and Delete directly — select Delete Immediately .
The troublesome filing cabinet ( along with the new drug user account and the disc space it used ) will disappear . ( If you had pressed fine alternatively , the files from the deleted user account would continue to reside on your drive . )
iTunes Store time-savers
The iTunes Store is basically a custom-make World Wide Web web browser within the iTunes programme . When you chatter on an object in the store , you ’re clicking on a hyperlink on a Web page . But the store has some restrictions that make it not quite as nice to employ as a regular browser app . For example , you ca n’t utilize tabs to open up multiple iTunes Store pages at once . Nor can you make bookmarks to substance that you ’d care to revisit regularly .
Despite these limitations , there are some web web browser - comparable thing you may do to deliver sentence while shopping . you may , for illustration , drag and drop a link from the iTunes windowpane into another program ’s windowpane — iChat , for exercise — to quickly make a connection to that object in the store . you could even do the puff - and - driblet prank with the navigational chit at the top of the iTunes window ( see “ charge - Away Tabs ” ) .
And here ’s one more trick — you may chop-chop jump back ( or forward ) through the highlights of your crop history by clicking on and holding either the left or right arrow button at the top of the iTunes Store windowpane . When you do , a pop - up window appears , from which you could quickly stick out to any of the major page between the store ’s dwelling house page and the presently view varlet .
This feature of speech lay down it gentle to leap around within the store without having to move back or forward a screenland at a time .
Peek into Zip archives
What do downloads from MacUpdate.com and VersionTracker.com have in mutual with compendium of files you get from far - flung coworkers ? They all are probably compressed with the Zip compression algorithm . You may want to look into these archivesbeforeyou expand them , on the off chance , for example , that a coworker accidentally sent you 1,500 files rather of 150 . you’re able to do this by using third - political party tool , such as Allume System ’s $ 80StuffIt Deluxe 11or Dragan Milic ’s $ 18Springy . But you may also do it yourself for complimentary .
Start by launching Automator ( /Applications ) . You ’re live to create a fairly simple four - stair Automator workflow that will name the contents of Zip archives without expanding them ( see “ X - ray Vision ” ) . press Finder in the Library column . Then select Get Selected Finder Items in the Action column and sweep it to the workflow blank space . Next , tick on Automator in the Library pillar . Then press Run Shell Script in the Action column and drag it to the workflow below Get select Finder Items . Set the action ’s Shell pop - up carte to /bin / bang . Set the Pass Input pop - up menu to As Arguments . Erase any text in the natural process ’s body of work area , and then type this command ( or copy and paste it fromhere ):
you’re able to supplant the path and file name , but do n’t switch any codification to the left field of those . Here ’s what the code does : The
Next , select Finder in Automator ’s Library column . take the Get Specified Finder Items in the Action column and drag it below the Run Shell Script activeness . alternate to Terminal ( /Applications / Utilities ) and typewrite
tap Finder in the Library chromatography column . Select Open Finder Items in the Action column and trail it to the terminal of the workflow . allow the Open With pop - up carte set to Default software .
Select File : Save As Plug - in . In the duologue box that appears , embark a name for your work flow . Make trusted that the Plug - in For soda - up menu is ready to Finder , and then penetrate on Save . Now control - select any Zip archive in the Finder and choose Automator : Show Zip Contents from the contextual card . This workflow can be used on only one file at a time — it wo n’t work if you have two or more Zip archives select . Feel complimentary to cancel the zip_peek.txt file cabinet . The workflow will create it when necessary .
