Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with osx

Export iCalendar as Event List

sixswitch — Thu, 23 May 2013 12:36:09 -0800

I would like to take a calendar in iCal and turn it into a list of events with times / locations. Basically turn a schedule that I've built in iCal into format suitable for text distribution to a bunch of different people. Seems simple! But I can't figure it out. Copying and pasting events from iCal into a text document randomizes the order, which is a huge hassle. Help me, hive mind!

Use Exchange. Not too much. Mostly unobtrusively.

michaelh — Thu, 23 May 2013 12:29:05 -0800

I, sadly, have to keep an eye on an Exchange e-mail account. There is no IMAP. Is there a small Mac app that will live in the menu bar and notify me of new e-mail that actually works? Bonus if I can quickly reply to the e-mail when it appears. Things that haven't worked so far:
Anything in the search results for "exchange" in the Mac App Store. They all have one-star reviews, too.
Anything that says "Outlook" -- they either only work for Microsoft's Outlook.com/Live/Hotmail services or are full mail apps.
OWANotifier although I do have access to OWA (Outlook Web Access), this does not work.

If anyone knows a smart way to banish Outlook to the menu bar, that'd be an acceptable alternative.

Turning a PDF photobook into 2-page spread PDF photobook, how?

unSane — Wed, 01 May 2013 06:39:34 -0800

I have a number of (self-published) photobooks which are currently PDFs, with each side on a separate PDF page, as one would normally expect. However, the book is laid out as diptychs, meant to be consumed 2-page spread by 2-page spread. I want to produce a PDF which is the same book, but each page is the 2-page spread. I realize I could laboriously do this in Illustrator or something, but is there a way to (semi?) automate it?

The View>2-Pages thing in Preview is what I'm after, but I can't rely on the recipients to do that for themselves and the images don't make much sense as singletons.

On OS X here with all the Adobe tools etc.

USB interface for vinyl conversion with a mac?

brokeaspoke — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 06:46:28 -0800

What device do I get to connect from preamp out to Mac via USB for better sound quality in converting cassettes and vinyl to digital media using my existing stereo and existing Mac mini? I don't want or need to buy a new sound system or computer. I want to covert vinyl and cassettes to digital formats. I've done this before but it was some time ago and with a completely different computer and audio system setup.

I have a decent amp, preamp, turntable and cassette deck. I have a 2012 Mac Mini computer. I know I can use output from stereo to Mac Mini line/mic input. It seems to me I might get even better quality (eliminating noise form the computer itself, better processing, etc.) if I can find an external USB sound card or other device that has an inbuilt processing that is then sent along to the Mac Mini.

Currently the diagram would look like this:
[turntable]-[preamp]-[mac mini mic/line in]
The future diagram:
[turntable]-[preamp]-[USB sound card / processor device in question]-[mac mini USB port]

What's the mystery device? (Recommendations from family and friends has been Griffin imic, Turtle beach External sound card, Zoom H4N). Ideally the device is USD $100 or less; certainly $200 or less. Bonus points for software recommendations. I've used Audacity and rather like it but would entertain other suggestions.

I've read many questions regarding similar but not the same scenarios. I've also searched google but haven't really found the answer from someone who wasn't biased because they are trying to sell a service or a product. I'm looking for real world users to make comments and suggestions.

Mac Clipboard Manager with "Paste and Remove from History"

backwards guitar — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 14:08:36 -0800

I'm looking for a standalone clipboard manager for OSX that has LaunchBar's "Paste and Remove from History" functionality. With LaunchBar, I'm able to copy 3 items, and paste them into a separate page in reverse order (every time I hit CTRL+CMD+OPTION+V the last item I copied is pasted and deleted from history, so the second to last item I copied is now next in line for pasting).

I'd like this functionality in a standalone clipboard manager, as I'm planning on giving Alfred 2 a try as my launcher.

Paid or free is fine.

Can I force OSX to check for external drives after startup???

2oh1 — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:31:47 -0800

I purchased a massive external drive to serve as my media HD. I use it for iTunes, Aperture, etc. It works like a charm except that it sometimes powers down during a restart, meaning the drive doesn't always show up after a restart. Even worse, iTunes finds the backup of this drive and uses that instead. Obviously, the solution is to always check to make sure the drive mounted after a restart... but that leaves room for human error. Is there an app that checks to make sure certain drives have mounted? Or is there some other trick I can use to make sure all drives have mounted after a startup? I have a total of 3 drives, one being the startup drive. Each of the three has an external backup. I'm open to creative solutions, but I'd like it to be automated.

OS X legal billing software

DavidNYC — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 09:16:59 -0800

Looking for an OS X equivalent of Legal Billing from Chaos Software, or just any good law firm billing software package for Mac. Specific requirements inside. 1) Some sort of clickable timer for keeping track of separate billable matters.

2) A simple interface.

3) Timesheets easily exportable to Excel.

4) Cheap! This is for a paralegal in a solo practitioner's office.

I've used (and liked) Chaos's Legal Billing in the past, but it's Windows-only and I've since made the switch to Mac. Any suggestions for a replacement would be greatly appreciated.

I need Apple Remote Desktop, but for everything else

the matching mole — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 13:57:48 -0800

How do I send a Unix command to a bunch of Red Hat servers at once from Windows 7? I used to manage hundreds of OS X computers with Apple Remote Desktop, and life was good. I could watch the clients, reboot the clients, send Unix commands to the clients, get reports from the clients, and make them dance the limbo if I felt like it. Now I’m working on a Windows 7 workstation managing Windows Server 2008 and Red Hat 5 servers. I need a Windows 7-based tool that will let me remotely manage Windows and RHEL servers with the same functionality as ARD.

I’ve found COTS that gets me pretty close, like VisionApp, and Remote Desktop Manager. Those apps will let me throw PowerShell scripts at Windows boxes all day long.

But here’s what I need the most: the ability to send Unix commands to several RHEL servers at once, and get the output back in one place. From Windows 7.

Yeah, I know, I might be crazy. Does such an application exist?

What version of Windows should I get to run on a new Macbook Air - 10.8?

travis08 — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 09:36:00 -0800

I would like to be able to run windows occasionally on my Macbook Air (probably via parallels), but find all the versions of windows a bit overwhelming. What would be the simplest and cheapest setup that would allow me to run the latest version of internet explorer for testing purposes, and maybe Microsoft Publisher for the random pub file I receive? I am guessing I could get by with Windows 7? Thank You.

Help me put together a class assignment on hardening a computer

jadepearl — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 12:34:18 -0800

I want to teach students good computer security habits. I was a bit startled in class to how many students had no idea of the following:

1) securing their browser;
2) securing their computer;
3) understanding how to install and operate anti-virals;
4) changing their habits or better known as, I clicked the link and got hijacked;
5) securing their phones (android)

The students are a full age range but tend towards their 20's. I make no assumption on technical aptitude based on age, I know better than that. Articles like this and the experience of students to being vulnerable has made me realize that I need to help out the students.

I have a course that allows me to teach good media consumption and so could integrate an assignment on security for prevention and "cure". Here are my questions:

1) Would it be better to just have the students boot in safe mode and then go through Deezil and Samsara's list of software or should I do something else?
2) Would this assignment (safe boot and run anti-virals) be too difficult for students or should I just send them to an online checker, if so, which one?

I admit I am a bit muddled about this, but I am concerned since I get a fair share of infected files from students and I observe behavior that is just going to lead to unhappiness. Basically, how do I help prevent these students, who maybe your relatives, stop calling you for tech support?

Any resources or suggestions welcome.

Should I upgrade to Mountain Lion from Lion in March 2013?

michaelh — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 00:27:33 -0800

I have a late 2008 MBP, 8GB RAM, with an SSD, running Lion without problems. Should I upgrade to Mountain Lion right now? Have the battery life and other issues been resolved? I'd like to upgrade because I've finally encountered a program that requires Mountain Lion and I'd like to use it. The $20 is not a factor; it's purely about the quality of the OS.

Apologies if this has been asked before and I missed it, but due to the way Apple fixes new OSes I think even asking a few months later can result in a different answer.

Also, is there a software equivalent of MacRumor's Buyer's Guide that would be a go-to for questions like this? I haven't found one yet.

ghost skype? malware?

moonmilk — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 07:04:31 -0800

A few minutes ago, my macbook pro (OSX 10.6.8) played what I think was the Skype incoming call chime. I didn't think Skype was running, and as I was Cmd-Tabbing through applications to see if I'd accidentally left Skype turned on, the webcam light briefly flashed. Skype wasn't running, but I double-checked by starting Activity Monitor, and didn't see any processes with Skype in the name. I'm not totally sure it was the skype chime, because I don't use skype often. I do have google chat running in gmail with video chat enabled, but there were no visible notifications in the gmail window. I suppose it could've been a deceptive flash ad in a browser tab, but it's the webcam light that creeps me out. Any ideas what might have happened? Should I find a malware scanner? Is that even a thing? The last ask.metafilter match for "osx malware" is almost 2 years old.

Why does OSX Text to Speech occasionally garble/skip words on me?

carabiner — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 16:41:32 -0800

In order to reduce eyestrain when on the computer, I use the basic OSX (10.6.8) Text to Speech (System Prefs -> Speech -> Text to Speech) software for the computer to read out long-form articles found online. This works great! Except....sometimes when I ask "Alex" to read out to me it will skip or garble words from the highlighted article, usually one word per sentence or after x number of words. Why? If I stop the software while it's reading, I can usually get it to not skip words after highlighting the article again. I know it's not a word-recognition issue since Alex spells out the word if it's unknown, and it happens if I use the the print version of the articles or straight from the source. Again, it usually stops skipping words on the second go-around so I don't think it's 'reading' code from the websites. Why does it do this and what can I do to fix this? I don't need a fancy-pants speech software like JAWS since I only use this for long articles.

Macbook Pro will not connect to Thunderbolt display

digitalprimate — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 11:26:19 -0800

MPB late 2011, Thunderbolt native running 10.8.2 will not light up Thunderbolt display I bought today at the Apple Store. The basic problem seems to be that under System Preferences -> Display the "Arrangement" tab does not appear.

The Thunderbolt display has power (fan on lower left corner blowing, will power both MBP and external drive). I have zapped the PRAM, reset the SMC, run everything imaginable under Onyx, disconnected and reconnected every thing (Thunderbolt, power, etc.) from both the MBP and the display in every possible iteration.

I had a third party app called "airdisplay" running at first, but I've nuked it.

Applecare in the US had no idea and suggested I just take it back to the apple store in Amsterdam where I bought it today. This is less than convenient. I've tried googling, the Apple support forums and stackoverflow...Help?

Vectoring from Cairo to Kinshasa.

mykescipark — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 11:12:00 -0800

I'd like to produce an offset-print-quality map, modeled after airline flight path maps, which graphically reproduces hundreds of point-to-point connections: in this specific case, between radio transmitters and reception locations. What software is capable of producing some variation on this, perhaps by putting in GPS coordinates? (OS X please.)

Consistently connecting to an external monitor

roofus — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 08:25:09 -0800

Is there a correct sequence for turning on, and plugging in, my MacBook Air, to make it play nicely with a generic HP external display? My Setup: 2011 MacBook Air, with an HP L1910 external monitor, connected via the thunderbolt port with a mini-dvi to VGA adapter. I like the external display as an extension of the MacBook screen, not a mirror.

The Problem: When I plug the mini-dvi adapter in, the MacBook display fades blue and fades back again as it changes screen resolution, but the external display does not consistently "turn on". I end up in a frustrating roundabout of unplugging and replugging the mini-dvi adapter, repeatedly hitting "Detect Displays", trying to adjust the screen resolution, and turning the external display on and off. Some or all of these things are usually eventually effective, but I am not clear what it is that eventually makes the external display spring to life.

The Question: Is this a screen resolution problem, or something about the sequence of switching on / unsleeping the laptop or the display, or related to the timing of plugging in the connector? Or are these connections just flaky?

Load Runner for modern Mac OS?

LizardOfDoom — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 07:44:52 -0800

Hi all, I have a project I'd like to do that involves the use of Broderbund's Load Runner game. I have a 4 year old Macbook Pro running Mountain Lion. I have found various sites to download the game, but so far none of the downloads work. I do have an older pre-unix Macbook that is still (barely) functional, but I'd rather use the MBP if at all possible.

I am open to a clone or other very similar game; graphics are less important than actual gameplay in similarity.

"N" is a superfun game, but will not work for this project.

The project is just for my own use playing around with physical computing and alternate control mechanisms.

Thanks!

How to sync oracle calendar with iCloud?

Philosopher Dirtbike — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 09:39:35 -0800

I have a Mac with OSX Mountain Lion. My university uses Oracle Calendar 9.0.4. In the past, I have set up syncing to my iCloud calendar using my iPad with SyncML pro, so I know I can do this, in principle. What I'd like to do is find a way of syncing to my iCloud calendar without an iOS device - preferably an OSX application. Why is this so hard to figure out how to do? I do not want to give my password over to a third-party website, so no solutions like that please. Also, I only need to pull FROM the Oracle calendar, not push to.

PowerPC G4 OSX-native kids games

BeeDo — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 11:56:48 -0800

What are the available OSX native educational kids games that will run on an iMac G4 (I have the 400mhz one)? I bought the Jumpstart games off ebay, but those seem to be ClassicOS games that they just slapped a wrapper on, and as such they don't work very well. 640x480 in a tiny window not-well, for instance. The kids are 6 and 3, but I'm fine giving them high-school age games if that is what is available. The 6 year old can read, so the sky is the limit. Thanks!

I get a check on Friday, but it's already spent.

hanov3r — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 12:44:07 -0800

I'm desperately trying to become an adult (finally!), but I can't wrap my head around 'classic' budgeting software. Suggestions and tips to find what I really need? I have... very poor money management skills. And, by 'very poor', I pretty much mean 'non-existent'. I really need to get a better handle on what I'm doing, since living paycheck-to-paycheck (and only barely making it) just isn't cutting it in the face of turning 46, an owned home, and a toddler.

I've got a pretty decent income, so there's part of me that says this shouldn't be hard. But it is. I'm not managing to save very much money although, for the first time in forever, I'm keeping up with my bills, at least.

Most of the budgeting software I've seen is great at reminding me that I have bills due, and great at telling me what I've spent (and, possibly, what I've spent it on). None of them (to me) have been good at helping me *plan* my spending. I'm hoping to find something that isn't a Google Docs spreadsheet where I can say "I get paid on every other Friday for the foreseeable future starting next week, my net each paycheck is $DOLLAR_AMOUNT, and I have bills A, B, and C due on days X, Y, and Z every month" and have it spit out an estimate of what I should have left over. I can then refine that with additional "oh, and I want to add $25 to my Starbucks card every paycheck, and I want to put $50 in this savings account" kind of things to get me on track with being financially aware.

So... does something like that exist for OSX or the iPhone? Am I just missing the obvious? Thanks, all!

Note: I'm not looking, in this thread, for tips on how to save money or spend more wisely - please don't berate me for my Starbucks example above.

I can SEE that this is a burned disk.

gauche — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 08:05:35 -0800

DVD-R data archives from an old computer are showing up as blank disks on all the new computers I've tried them with. What can I do to get my data? A long time ago, I burned a bunch of documents and other data to three DVD-R discs and put them in a jewel case for safekeeping. I burned them using the SuperDrive from a 2003 15" Apple TiBook. I now have a 2010 Aluminum MacBook Pro, as well as access to a HP laptop and a Lenovo desktop.

The DVD drives on all of these computers indicate that these disks are blank. A quick google searching of this problem suggests multiple solutions including, on the Windows side, deleting and reinstalling DVD player drivers, and lens cleaner / compressed air / purchase of an external drive on the Mac side.

I guess my question is, before I futz with the drivers on my work computer, or buy an external drive for my Mac, does anybody have any ideas what's going on or how to troubleshoot this? Many, many thanks in advance.

Apple Mail w/ multiple accounts

xmutex — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 11:23:49 -0800

I use Apple's Mail app with three mail accounts and I would like somehow to differentiate emails other than the tiny little label they show. So it does say "Inbox - Account A", etc, but that's a tiny little label. Can you color each item according to its account? Any tips/tricks/hacks?

Thanks.

Help me prepare for a complete reinstall of OS X

philosophygeek — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 09:37:40 -0800

I need to do a complete reinstall of OS X on my iMac, and I'm looking for advice on how to back up to make sure that I don't accidentally lose anything in the reinstall process. I'm running Lion 10.7.4, and I have an external drive doing Time Machine backups. What should I check before going back to square one? And do I need to do anything special with apps that required online activation (I'm thinking specifically of Microsoft Office or Adobe Creative Suite)?

xml files: how to see and search them under OS X?

zadcat — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 10:59:14 -0800

I need a way to see and do a simple search on two large xml files under OS X. I've been blogging multiple times a day since 2001. There was a break and restart in 2006 and then I changed from Blogger to Wordpress in 2010.

Everything is peachy with the Wordpress blog. This question concerns the old posts from Blogger.

I have two chunks of xml from Blogger – one 10.4MB (5,974 posts) and one 12.5MB (7,594 posts). The files also still exist within Blogger but lately when I've tried to look things up I'm getting more intrusive errors, and the interface for dealing with them has never been great.

There are so many posts that these files have overwhelmed standard scripts for importing into existing blog formats.

I don't want to make the old entries accessible to the public again – this is a news blog so most of the links are dead anyway – but I would love to have an interface here on my own Mac where I could read the old content easily (instead of laboriously post by post with errors popping up as at present) and run a simple word search on it.

Rocket science? Are there tools I'm not thinking of, even ones I may already have?

Trouble free switching to external monitor and back (OSX)

Brockles — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 06:25:00 -0800

OS X has spaces. I can assign programmes to different spaces. What I can't have (it seems) is one of those spaces/second desktops show up on the external monitor, it is always an extension of the desktop I am using. So I get a double-wide desktop A (Mac + monitor), then swipe across and get a double wide desktop B (Mac + Monitor) when I go to a different Space. I want A on my Macbook and B on my monitor. I have a Macbook Pro (2010) and use an external monitor with it (non-apple, if that is relevant). The behaviour when plugging in the external monitor is annoying and I want to know if it is fixable. I'll try and be clear...

Is having each space show up on a different monitor even possible? Or is the second monitor always an extension of your current desktop. What drives me crazy is having to move all the windows onto the second monitor ever time I plug it in - there seems to be no 'position memory' when the monitor is plugged in and as soon as I use the Macbook without the monitor everything is reset. Using spaces seems to be the most logical method of doing this and I had assumed when I first started using the OS that it was a way of modelling having external monitors anyway.

Am I missing something obvious or is this just the way it is?