Regarding 'Shut Down' and AFP users warning

May 09, '06 07:30:00AM

Contributed by: WilliamServator

If you're like me, you work with files on networked computers a lot. Recently, I noticed that the warning at shut down (telling you that other people are connected to your computer) had disappeared. After a little research, I realized that Mac OS has two shutdowns.

The first is accessed by holding Option and selecting Shut Down from the Apple menu, or by pressing Control-Eject and selecting Shutdown from the dialog. In this shut down mode, there are no error messages.

The second is accessed by selecting Shut Down from the Apple menu, without the use of the Option key. If you shut down this way, your computer will make sure no one is connected to it before shutting down. It's a shame there isn't a hotkey (like control-eject) for the second type of shut down.

[robg adds: The Option key method forces an immediate shut down, without the dialog (you can tell this by the way the ellipsis (…) vanishes when the Option key is depressed). And it is possible to assign a keyboard shortcut for the 'normal' shut down mode. Just open the Keyboard & Mouse System Preferences panel, and go to the Keyboard Shortcuts tab. Hit the plus sign to add a new shortcut. Set the Application pop-up to All Applications, and enter Shut Down... as the Menu Title, then assign whatever shortcut you want to use.

You'll have to relaunch each application (or just logout and login) to see the change. But after doing such, you'll see your new Shut Down... command with its keyboard shortcut, as seen at right. The only oddity is that there are now two Shut Down commands in the menu, as the "immediate" (Option key) version gets its own entry, too.]

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