Google Apps for Education / Work: Life Saver

Today's post takes a step back to look at a recent solution we discovered for managing our Chromebooks at current employer.  We currently have 900+ devices scattered through many organization units (OUs).

We recently received an order of 140 units that were to be white gloved from a new vendor.  We were looking for a way to quickly move and update this lot at one time.

From a recent post on GAFE Admin (https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/114001660438094131273?cfem=1) lead us to a Google Add-On: Chromebookinventory (http://cloudlab.newvisions.org/add-ons/chromebookinventory)

Chromebook Inventory allows you to pull chromebooks from your Google Domain into a Google Sheet.  You choose time frame based on enrollment.  This in itself is a great benefit.  But the greatest feature of Chromebook Inventory is the ability to push changes in the Google sheet back into your domain.

We were able to use this tool to update the Organization Path, Annotated Location and even add notes to each of the 140 units we received.

Highly recommend this add-on for any Google Apps for Education / Work admin.

Resources:

Chromebookinventory (http://cloudlab.newvisions.org/add-ons/chromebookinventory)
GAFE Admin (https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/114001660438094131273?cfem=1)

Apple Tips and Tricks Vol 4

We are in the midst of deploying 650 Apple MacBook Airs out to our staff so today's post is short and simple.

Below you will find a handy table containing some of the most commonly used Apple Keyboard Commands.

Keyboard Commands	Actions
SHIFT + COMMAND (⌘) + H	Open Finder @ Home Folder
SHIFT + COMMAND (⌘) + L	Open Finder @ Root Level
SHIFT + COMMAND (⌘) + R	Open Air Drop
SHIFT + COMMAND (⌘) + D	Open Desktop
COMMAND (⌘) + K	Open Connect Server (Network Mapping)
SHIFT + COMMAND (⌘) + G	Open Go to Folder
SHIFT + COMMAND (⌘) + O	Open Documents
SHIFT + COMMAND (⌘) + 3	Screen Capture – Whole Screen
SHIFT + COMMAND (⌘) + 4	Screen Capture – Targeted with Mouse
SHIFT + COMMAND (⌘) + SPACEBAR	Screen Capture – Active Window

Apple Tips and Tricks Vol 3

Continuation of Apple Tips and Tricks.  In this volume will be covering Apple File structure (OS X).  This one is a little more in depth as such only topic for this post.

Apple File structure (OS X)

As we deploy more and more Apple devices in our enviroment understanding the file structure has become a huge need.  Understanding Apple OS X is a necessity when deploying software or troubleshooting user issues.

   Structure

• Four (4) key areas or domains to remember
• Per-User (~) / User's home directory: /users
• Contains folder for each user that has been setup on machine
• Per-Machine (local/root): / 
• Top level of hard drive
• Local Area network: /Network
• As it states networked devices / drives
• Apple-provided/managed: /System
• Should only contain Apple files / folders
• Similar to Window's System folder

   Per-User (~) / User Domain

• Location: /users
• Folder for each setup user on machine
• Note the use of "~" represents current logged in user
• User's folders consists of: 
• Applications, Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Movies, Music, Pictures, Public
• Similar to Window's Users folders
• Default location for Apple to store user files
• Contains hidden folder that contains user's preference folder: /users/[username]/library
• Two ways to access: 
1. Go To Folder
• Open Finder
• Click "Go" on menu bar
• Click "Go To Folder"
• Enter directory path: /users/[username]/library
• e.g. /users/admin/library
2. Go + Option
• Open Finder
• Click "Go" on menu bar
• Hold down Option key
• Click Library
• Huge thing to remember about User's Preferences (/users/[username]/library/preferences) is it trumps Per-Machine / Network and even System preference lists (plists)
• Apple start plist search here and stops if match is found
• Opposite of Window's Group Policy where Domain trumps local

   Per-Machine / Local Domain

• Location: /
• Top level of hard drive
• Displays contents of hard drive
• Similar to Window's C:\
• Key folder to remember here is the Library
• Just like User folder above contains Preferences folder (plists)
• Remember trumped by user's Preferences but trumps Network and system
• Sometimes referred to as the "Public" Library

   Local Area Network / Network Domain

• Location: /Network
• As it states networked devices / drives
• If present can contain Library folder
• Just like User and Machine folder contains Preferences folder (plists)
• Remember trumped by user's and machine Preferences but trumps system
• Sometimes referred to as the "Public" Library

   System / System Domain

• Location: /System
• Should only contain Apple files / folders
• Similar to Window's System folder

References:

• Basics of the OS X Folder Structure
• http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/basics-of-the-os-x-folder-structure.html

• File System Basics
• https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/FileManagement/Conceptual/FileSystemProgrammingGuide/FileSystemOverview/FileSystemOverview.html

• What happened to my System Folder?
• http://www.mactech.com/articles/mactech/Vol.17/17.08/Aug01MacOSX/index.html

Apple Tips and Tricks Vol 2

Continuation of Apple Tips and Tricks.  In this volume will be covering preferences (plists), display  iPad on Macbook via QuickTime, Hidden User Account

Preferences (plist)

• plists are basically the configuration for applications
• Control all sorts of aspects of applications
• Work in reverse of Windows GPO as first match wins
• Starts at User Library > Root library > Network Library (if present) > System Library
• Apple plist manual definition:
• https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/Darwin/Reference/ManPages/man5/plist.5.html
• Many do not exist until a default value has been changed in the program
• preferences are cached in a process called "cfprefsd"
• Recommend to force quit when trying to fine tune preference imports to ensure fresh pull from plist and not cache
• Exercises
• Safari - Homepage
• [Link to Google Doc with steps]

iPad display on Macbook via QuickTime

• Desire to record or display iPad screen on Macbook to projector or to record video

1. Cable iPad to Macbook
2. Ensure both devices are powered on
3. Open Quicktime on Macbook
4. Start "New Movie Recording"
• File > New Movie Recording
5. Press drop arrow next to record button
6. Select Camer > iPad

Hidden User Account

• Hide management / local admin user on Macbooks
• Prevent confusion and attempts at unauthorized access
• User accounts below 500 are hidden from Users and Groups
• Utilize feature to hide managed accounts and test users

1. System Preferences
2. Users and Groups
3. Create new account (+)
4. Use following settings
• New Account: Administrator
• Full Name: [Friendly Account Name]
• Account Name: [User Name]
• Password: [Desired Password]
• Verify: [Desired Password]
• Password Hint: [Something to remember password by]
5. Click Create User
6. Double-Click or Control-Click on new user
7. Click "Advanced Options"
8. Change User ID to below 500
9. Click "OK"

Apple Tips and Tricks Vol 1

As my current employer moves to a dual platform of Apple and Windows I have found I need to learn Apple shortcuts. Below is list of tips and tricks Vol 1 we use on a regular basis.

• OS X

• Quit Apps (Force Close)

• Option-Command (⌘)-Esc

• Force close stalled / hanging apps

• Screen shots

• MacBooks offer 3 keyboard varieties and a simple program

• Grab (Windows Snipping Tool)

• Allows capturing screen via 4 options

• Allows previewing of capture before saving

• Selection

• Click and drag the selection box to form a rectangle around the desired screen area. Release the mouse cursor to capture the image.

• Window

• Captures any window that you choose

• Screen

• Saves a snapshot of the entire display

• Timed Screen

• Set a time delay before the screen shat is captured. Use this option if you wish to perform a task, such as opening a menu, before capturing the screen shot.

• Keyboard shortcuts

• Command-Shift-3

• Capture a screen shot of the entire screen

• Image is automatically saved to the clipboard

• Command-Shift-4

• Capture a specific area of the screen

• Click and drag the selection box over the desired area, release the mouse cursor to capture the image.

• Command-Shift-Spacebar

• Create a screen shot of an entire window

• Click the window you want to capture