Adding a permanent favorite to Safari and adding a document to desktop or dock.

[dmitchell]

There is a document my IT director needs pushed to all computers. I was thinking about putting the link in Safari and either adding the document or shortcut to the dock or desktop. I am not quite sure how to accomplish this, I only have experience creating app packages and deploying them. Is this done under a configuration profile or policy?

[jared_f · Accepted solution]

Great Question! You can create an application via free software that loads to a webpage (make a document available via link in Google Drive or another file editor/ viewer you prefer, remember to make it viewable not editable). You could distribute this via a package (made in "Composer") to all you computers (install it or via Self Service). You can permanently attach it to the dock (once it is installed on the computers) using a configuration profile for the Mac Doc.

[You can make a Web Clip but, users can remove it from the dock permanently.]

Here is the software to create web apps for Mac:

http://fluidapp.com

Let me know if it works,
Jared

[JKingsnorth]

Is the IT Director trying to push a Document (File) or a Webpage?

[jared_f]

@JKingsnorth I think he is referring to a document file. You could upload it to something like Google Drive or Dropbox and get a viewable link. He could use a web clip but, users can easily remove it and I does not re-apply itself when a user checks-in to Casper. When making an application and pushing it it is much harder to remove (if they do not have admin privileges).

[JKingsnorth]

If it's going to a Mac you can create a DMG using Composer. Put the file in somewhere like /Users/Shared and make sure "Everyone" has at least Read access to it.

Then from there you can add a Dock Item in Casper Admin if you want it to show in the dock.

Finally just make a Policy to run all of these.

This is how I do Webloc's in Docks which is essentially just a file.

[jared_f]

@JKingsnorth Yes. But, can users still remove it?

[JKingsnorth]

@JaredFlitt Remove it from the Device or Dock?

Dock, yes and no, depends on the Policy settings.

Device, depends on permissions and if people know where it is stored.

[jared_f]

@JKingsnorth I will give that a test next time I have to make a document available. Thanks.

[dmitchell]

@JKingsnorth I am not sure yet, I sounds like a link but I have yet to find out the details. @JaredFlitt Even if users remove it, wouldn't it just get pushed back every time the Mac checks in to Casper? We have auto check-in every 30 minutes and also every time the Mac is logged into.

[JKingsnorth]

@dmitchell Yes, if you have it setup as On Going it will always readd to the Dock at the next Check In. Thats a nice way to still let people manage their own apps in the dock.

If it's a Link/Webpage you can just create a Webloc using the same method.

[bentoms]

@dmitchell Why not a Self Service URL plugin?

[dmitchell]

@bentoms I will find out more information but they are really hell bent on having this document appear on the desktop, for Windows anyway. I have to do it for Mac. It's some OSHA documents. I am waiting to hear back if we can put it in a public spot like Sharepoint but for some reason or another they want it on the desktop.

[bentoms]

@dmitchell Been there.

I used to deploy a custom safari toolbar, but Apple read my posts & closed that door (I got CVE credit in Safari 9's security notes though).

Having a links page accessible from the homepage (also on Sharepoint), seemed unreasonable. (Why? Idk).

So... We went the Self Service Plugin route.

You can also create an AppleScript app that opens the page & has an icon etc & can be added to a Dock. (I need to post up that).

But, really... Self Service plugins worked very well in the end.

[dmitchell]

Thanks everyone for the help! I got it to work.

[jared_f]

@dmitchell Just wondering which method you used? Did you use a profile to keep it in the dock?

[jared_f]

@dmitchell To answer your question above about it being replaced, It wouldn't. . . our setup (using Meraki and OS X Server) doesn't re-apply the Web Clip. It was always a hassle when someone removed it and we would have to re-enroll them to get it back.

[jared_f]

@bentoms I just read your post about that script. Can you post it?

[dmitchell]

@JaredFlitt I used fluidapp, created a dmg, used composer to take a snapshot, put it in users/shared/, created a dock item, created a policy to push the .dmg and the dock item to my test machine, worked perfectly.

[jared_f]

@dmitchell Glad I could help. If you want to lock that onto the dock you can use a configuration profile.

[obi-k]

@JaredFlitt What I used for AppleScript. Just change to desired website.

Choose File, Export, File Format is Application, Save.

[jared_f]

@mvu Thanks so much for this. I actually have decided to move one of our "web apps" over to this because the method I mentioned above has issues when the site involves downloading something. My question is: Is there any way to make this show just the website? Not the search bar above?

Thanks,
Jared