Check software update status at Terminal launch

Feb 13, '04 10:46:00AM

Contributed by: z4ph0d

This tip can be nice for those that doesen't have remote GUI control over their computer. Add this line to your .profile file, in your home directory:

softwareupdate --list
When you log in, you'll see:
Welcome to Darwin!
Software Update Tool
Copyright 2002-2003 Apple Computer, Inc.

Your software is up to date.
www:~
To install an update if softwareupdate finds out-of-date packages, type softwareupdate -install packagename

The only drawback is that it will run each time you open the terminal, locally or remotely. Alternatively you can just run the command in the shell if it gets too annoying. Works on both 10.3 server and client. For further description of this tool, type man softwareupdate.

[robg adds: We covered the basic softwareupdate command in an earlier hint ... this hint works just fine on non-server, too. i ]

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Mac OS X Hints
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