Secret crosscut . hide assistant . Mysterious menus . You could drop calendar month get over down all the undocumented feature gather away in Mac OS X 10.4 , Apple ’s newest operating organization . But fortune are , you ’re too busyusingTiger for more - crucial chore — such as doing your job . SoMacworldsent in a squad of particularly trained spies to uncover Tiger ’s deepest , darkest secrets .
From custom-make your system preferences to improving Spotlight ’s searching know - how , and from turn around refractory quirk to unlock new Unix powers , our experts show you how to take advantage of Tiger ’s lesser - known features in this first of our five - part serial publication . Best of all , you wo n’t even need your underground decoder ring .
Customize Tiger’s PDF print services
When you press Command - phosphorus to publish in Tiger , you ’ll notice that the Print dialog box sports a new PDF disclosure triangle . tap it , and you ’ll see a series of Automator workflows that you’re able to employ when creating a PDF . The Compress PDF option , for example , reduce your PDF file cabinet by compressing the graphic . However , you could easily qualify the provided workflow — or create your own .
The cater work flow live in the /Library / PDF Services folder . Just duple - suction stop on one to open up it in Automator . ( You may want to twin the file cabinet first in guinea pig you decide to go back to the original interpretation . ) Make the changes you want . For representative , you may modify the Compress PDF work flow so it move the Quality slider to a more balanced berth . Go to File : Save to save the modified workflow ; the next time you print , you ’ll be able to get at it from the PDF menu .
To construct an entirely new workflow , create a PDF Services booklet in your exploiter folder ’s Library leaflet , use Automator to make the desired workflow , and then economize it to the newly created folder . Your workflow will seem at the bottom of the PDF pop - up menu.—Rob Griffiths
Silence annoying sounds
If you wish having audio feedback when your Mac has completed a task — such as moving something into the Trash — enter the Sound preference pane and start the Play User Interface Sound Effects option . For the most part , these speech sound are unobtrusive . But you may find that one really grates on your boldness . Although the Sound pane does n’t allow you reverse off specific sounds — it ’s all or nothing — there is a workaround .
In the Finder , navigate to /System / Library / Components . Control - tap CoreAudio.component and choose Show Package Contents from the contextual menu . In the resulting Finder window , navigate to /Contents / Resources / System Sounds . Within this pamphlet are subfolders curb AIFF files of all the sounds your system makes , each understandably labeled .
Before delete one of these files , back it up by drop behind the legal file to another pamphlet . Then highlight the heavy Indian file , get behind it to the Trash , and ply your administrative countersign .
You may need to restart the Dock , the Finder , or the system itself to have the changes take force . you could well restart the Dock and Finder from Activity Monitor ( in /Applications / Utilities ) .
If you ’re truly adventuresome , you may put back the exist speech sound with your own audio . but make an AIFF file , give it the same name as the file you ’re removing , and then drag your replacements into the proper pamphlet . But make certain you have a fill-in of any sound you ’re replacing — you may tire of learn “ D’oh ! ” every metre you empty the Trash.—RG
Make Tiger bilingual
Unlike late version of Mac operating system , Tiger lets you put on terminology preferences to Apple ’s applications individually . For example , you’re able to determine Mail ’s Autocorrect Spelling sport to French ( for your eastward - post messages to remote relation ) while maintain the Finder in English .
Here ’s how to fix it up : Go to the outside preference pane and select the Input Menu tab . Select the language(s ) you need to add — French , in this case — and start the Allow A Different Input Source For Each Document option at the bottom of the window .
Move to Mail and make a new substance . enroll the French text you want . When Mail put a red line under the foreign words to signal that they ’re not in the dictionary , but ascendency - get across on the underline , take Spelling from the contextual menu , and then choose Français from the Dictionary pop out - up fare ( see “ Foreign Affairs”).—Christopher Breen
View size requirements for burn folders
Thanks to the Finder ’s newfangled Burn Folder feature ( File : New Burn Folder ) , burn down files to a standard candle is easier than ever . Just drag the files you desire to combust into a burn folder , insert your CD - universal gas constant , and snap on the Burn clitoris . The Finder occupy the burn folder with aliases , rather than the original files . So once the burn is staring , you could scrap the burn folder without lose your work . Unfortunately , the Finder ’s size display for Burn Folders is wrong — it shows the sizing of the alias file cabinet , not the originals . So how do you find out how much saucer space your files will require ?
The quickest way is to sink in on the Burn release before insert any recordable media . The Finder will display a dialogue box heel the amount of disc space the file demand ( see “ True Size ” ) . The other pick is to take the burn folder in the Finder , printing press Command - I , and then dawn on the triangle next to the Burning discussion section of the resulting dialogue box . When you tap the Calculate push , the Content Size field will exhibit the sizing of the files within the folder.—RG
Get networked on-the-go
Tiger makes it very easy to connect two Macs via a FireWire cable — you do n’t even have to use Target Disk Mode . On both computers , go to the web taste pane , select web Port Configurations from the Show start - up carte , and start the build up - in FireWire option . Next , go to the share-out preference pane ( again , on both data processor ) and select the Start button to activate Personal File Sharing .
This is many times quicker than using an Ethernet connection to transfer files . There ’s only one problem : if you ’re already using the FireWire port to colligate peripheral FireWire devices , such as an iSight television camera , either the peripheral devices or the net connection may not work . The simplest workaround is to unplug the peripheral devices while using the FireWire web . ( For more on setting up ad hoc networks , see “ Ad Hoc Networking , ” Mobile Mac ) — Ted Landau
Securely erase your hard disk
Before you sell or give away a Mac , check that that no personal data remain on it . After you ’ve copy all your files to your novel Mac , resume the old one from the Mac OS X instalment phonograph record . Open Disk Utility and select your disk from the list on the left . fall into place on the Erase tab and then on Security Options . Next , choose one of the several expunging method that are offered . The 7 - Pass Erase option is probably sufficient for most people , but if you ’re unfeignedly paranoid , blue-ribbon 35 - Pass Erase , which will make it nearly impossible for anyone , even James Bond , to recover your files . If you ’re using a laptop , verify it ’s plugged in . This procedure can take a foresighted time.—Kirk McElhearn
Create better passwords
All of Tiger ’s security measure are for naught if any passerby can visualise out your passwords . To see how yours hold up , run them through Tiger ’s new Password Assistant ( see “ Bulletproof ? ” ) .
you could access Password Assistant from the Keychain Access utility ( /Applications / Utilities ) or from the Accounts preference pane . In either , you clack on the plus house ( + ) , enter your password , and then get across on the key ikon . ( If you require to test a password but do n’t necessitate a new user story or a Keychain token , just select Cancel when you ’re finished . )
Password Assistant can also create passwords for you . select the Type menu to opt the variety of password you ’d like to create : the Memorable option creates left musical phrase such as emits40dais , Letters & Numbers and Numbers Only passwords are much hard to remember , and a Random or an FIPS-181 Compliant parole should run across the needs of extremely security - conscious users.—KM
Slow QuickTime movies
Do n’t want to miss a moment of the latest iPod advertizing ( or any other QuickTime content ) ? Watch it in superslow motion . Once the cartridge holder jump play ( you could find onehere ) , you could simply press out the right - arrow winder to move through the movie frame by frame . If you hold the key down , the movie move at normal speed without sound . The left - arrow headstone does the same affair , but in blow ( QuickTime seems to have more trouble represent backward than playing forrad , so the results are somewhat goosy ) .
you’re able to get even more control condition over playback by using a gyre - wheel mouse . check that your pointer is somewhere within the picture build , and then simply move the mouse bike up while the moving-picture show is playing to control the playback amphetamine and direction.—RG
Return the toolbar to System Preferences
Tiger ’s updated System Preferences has a overnice new feature — the consolidation of Spotlight searching , which expose effect as you type . However , it ’s also missing one very utile characteristic — the customizable toolbar where you could store frequently used preference panes for speedy access . If you favor the honest-to-goodness way of life , there is a relatively simple result : utilize the previous version of System Preferences . If you used the Archive & Install option to install Tiger , you ’ll find the previous System Preferences software in your /Previous System / Applications folder . Give it a newfangled name ( for example , Old System Prefs ) to avoid overwrite the new version , and then simulate it to your radical Applications folder . When you launch System Preferences , you ’ll see what looks a lot like the new translation , but you ’ll have the toolbar to ferment with . However , you ’ll no longer see the desegregate Spotlight lookup box . Also , the Spotlight panel will be in the Other section . Apart from these changes , the app is fully running — and you ’ll have the toolbar again.—RG
Access invisible login buttons
shopworn of the small members of your household mess up with your Mac ? If you have fiddling kids who bonk to tap clitoris , consider disabling the login windowpane ’s Restart , Sleep , and Shut Down options . To do so , go to the Accounts preference pane , select the account , and cluck on Login Options . ( You might require to tap the lock at the bottom of the dialog box first and enter your countersign . ) Deselect the Show The Restart , Sleep , And shut out Down Buttons option . Without any buttons to tap , children will quickly grow blase and pass on your machine alone .
But what if you want to put your auto to sleep , restart it , or shut it down from the login window after you ’ve incapacitate the button ? No trouble . First , ensure your login window is in Name And Password modality . you could sic this permanently in the Login Options window ( by select the Name and Password option ) . Or you’re able to use a footling trick to flip-flop the window in existent sentence : Go to the login window , use the arrow keys to highlight a drug user , and press chemise - choice - rejoinder . The window will show the list of users . In the Name field , type
Fly between AirPort networks
Suppose you need to on a regular basis touch base to two different wireless web — at work and at habitation , for instance . Of of course , each one uses a dissimilar internet setup , such as DHCP in one casing and a manual IP address in the other . Before Tiger , that meant you had to specify up a separate internet locating for each and switch between them . Now you may create multiple AirPort configurations for the same net positioning . This allows for seamless switching without having to select a dissimilar location each time , saving some fuss and mouse - clicking . Simply enter the connection preference pane and select connection Port Configurations from the Show pop - up card . Then fall into place on the New button and pick out AirPort from the Port pop - up menu.—TL
Give different hard disks different bedtimes
To conserve energy , you could set your hard disk tosleepwhen you ’re not using them . Just choose the Put The Hard Disk(s ) To Sleep option in the Energy Saver predilection pane . If you have multiple disks , however , there ’s no obvious way to sic separate nap times for each — this can be annoying since there ’s a time lag when you wake up a disk up . you could gain more control over your hard disks ’ sleeping patterns by using the Developer ( Xcode ) dick that came on your Tiger installation CD .
add the tool from the CD . Then go to the /Developer / Applications / Performance Tools pamphlet and launch the Spindown HD program . From here , you could choose a freestanding time for each mounted drive.—TL
Hide your Mac from hackers
If you apply an always - on Internet connection , make certain to check out Tiger ’s new cyberpunk - fight dick . Go to the Sharing druthers pane and tap the Firewall tab to see the new Advanced button . tap it to access options such as Stealth Mode . With Stealth Mode enabled , uninvited queries to your information processing system will invite no acknowledgement , making it nearly unacceptable for someone to sneakily discover ( and peradventure cut into ) your Mac.—TL
Get better info
Reader Favorite : When you choose multiple files in the Finder and go to File : Get Info , a new Info windowpane open up for each file ( see “ The 411 ” ) . However , if you hold down the ascendency headstone and do the same thing , the Get Info option change to Get Summary Info . Selecting this choice exhibit a individual Info window with a summary of all the selected files and their combined size . If you hold down the selection key instead , the Get Info choice changes to Show Inspector . This spread an Info window that operates just like the one in Mac OS X 10.1 — the window stays on projection screen and updates to show the file information of any file or folder you select.—Andy Burson
Consult the dictionary
Reader Favorite : One of my favorite little mystery in Tiger is the Dictionary / Thesaurus drink down - up window that look in practical program such as Safari and Mail . only vacillate your cursor over any word and press Command - dominance - D to impart up a small windowpane with the discussion ’s definition . If you keep the ascendence and Command keys pressed , you could then sneak over other Christian Bible to see their dictionary or thesaurus entries as well . you’re able to even spotlight just part of a Bible ( embarkfromdisembarkation , for instance ) to get the definition of a Scripture within a word , or a part of a compound word ( such assciencefromscience fiction).—Lloyd Viente
