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Quick install trick for drag-and-drop apps on disk images Install
Microsoft Office 98 started the trend of putting a folder on the install CD with the label "drag this folder to your applications folder to install," and since then, many other developers have adopted this method for installing software.

This hint is useful for folks that don't use any kind of intricate filing system for their applications, and are content with letting them all live in the "Applications" folder at the root of your boot disk.

Once you've mounted the disk (and opened its window, if it doesn't auto-open) that contains "drag me.app" (or "drag me folder"), hit Command-B. This will reveal the toolbar in that particular window, and, presuming you haven't customized your toolbar prefs too much, you should see an "Applications" icon. Simply drag the app onto that icon, and boom, it'll be copied into your Applications folder, ready to rock. One step installs without having to open any new windows.

[robg adds: Yes, experts, this is a relatively straightforward hint, but many people don't think to enable the toolbar on disk image windows. Also, if you've enabled pop-up folders, there's no reason this applies to only "simple" filing systems. Just drag and hover (or drag and hit the space bar), and then navigate to whatever spot you want to use. I use a variant of this trick for all my drag installs, except I have a "My Computer" alias at the left edge of my toolbar -- this pops open the Volumes folder, so I can file anything on any drive with a simple drag and pop-up routine...]
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Quick install trick for drag-and-drop apps on disk images | 9 comments | Create New Account
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Quick install trick for drag-and-drop apps on disk images
Authored by: truhe on Jul 18, '03 11:52:14AM

most people forget to *enable* the toolbar in disk images? this means, that there is a way to disable this damn toolbar! how can I do this? Every disk image, cd, trash or the computer-window *always* have this damn toolbar.



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Quick install trick for drag-and-drop apps on disk images
Authored by: dlelash on Jul 18, '03 01:37:49PM

Click the button in the top right corner of the window.



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Quick install trick for drag-and-drop apps on disk images
Authored by: truhe on Jul 19, '03 03:01:09AM

This won't get saved. On Computer and Trash Finder ignores this, maybe because it can't write the .dsstore file. On Disk Images and CDs the Disk Image itself has to bring a .dsstore file, where the toolbar is disabled. I have no way to set this in a way, that the finder really saves this and uses my preferred setting after a relogin.

It only works on folders in my homedir. It's a bit disgusting to have a system which is not able to save the state of the gui, especially if it's a mac.



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Quick install trick for drag-and-drop apps on disk images
Authored by: mclbruce on Jul 18, '03 12:49:04PM

Nice hint. I do a lot of installing and I never thought of this. It will be very helpful to me.



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So obvious...
Authored by: Viridian on Jul 18, '03 02:04:26PM

...it never occurred to me that many people didn't know about it. I've always installed from disk images by dragging to the toolbar, but I'm glad that someone took the time to point this out to those who didn't know. It really is an enormous timesaver, and like robg says, it works perfectly for popping open deeply buried folders.

Truhe,
You need to chill, man. Click on the elongated button (you never wondered what it was for??) in the upper right-hand corner of the title bar, or just press Command-B to show or hide the toolbar.



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Quick install trick for drag-and-drop apps on disk images
Authored by: abowman on Jul 18, '03 05:09:06PM

You can make installation even easier if you know exactly where your program needs to be installed (Applications, or Screen Savers, or whatever).

Create a symbolic link (not an alias!) to the folder where your app/program/whatever needs to be installed. Put the link in your disk image right next to your app, and add "drag here to install" to its name.

Now, all the user has to do to install is drag the app to the folder right next to it, and you've got the easiest and most pain free install the user has ever done.

If you don't want to mess with the Terminal to create symbolic links, feel free to use the free Symbolic Link contextual menu:

http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/17655

Enjoy!



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Quick install trick for drag-and-drop apps on disk images
Authored by: vdubya on Jul 18, '03 10:34:16PM

You can also put the 'EJECT' icon in your toolbar. When the 'drag.app' has finished copying to your Applications folder, just click once inside the disk image window (to select the entire image and not a nested folder or app) and then click the 'EJECT' icon. Not only will this unmount the image, but it will close the window as well!

Of course if you want to use the new app immediately you will have to navigate back to the Applications folder.



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Quick install trick for drag-and-drop apps on disk images
Authored by: russs on Jul 20, '03 01:03:04PM
Another method to eject:
When the 'drag.app' has finished copying to your Applications folder, just Control left mouse button click or right mouse button click inside the background area of the disk-image window (not on an icon) to bring up a contextual menu for that root level of the drive image that includes the Eject menu option. The Eject menu option does not appear in lower subdirectory levels of that drive image but does also appear after right clicking on the drive-image icon before displaying its contents.


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Quick install trick for drag-and-drop apps on disk images
Authored by: russs on Jul 20, '03 01:23:32PM
Another method to eject:
When the 'drag.app' has finished copying to your Applications folder, just Control left mouse button click or right mouse button click inside the background area of the disk-image window (not on an icon) to bring up a contextual menu for that root level of the drive image that includes the Eject menu option. The Eject menu option does not appear in lower subdirectory levels of that drive image but does also appear after right clicking on the drive-image icon before displaying its contents.


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