How do startup items work?

A

aluminum

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I downloaded the excellent system clock replacement, PTHClock. I placed it in my OSX >> LIBRARY >> STARTUPITEMS items folder, but it never launches on start up.

So, I thought I'd move it to OSX >> SYSTEM >> LIBRARY >> STARTUPITEMS but I'm not allowed to modify that directory.

Can anyone explain what the difference between the above two startupitem folders are, and does anyone know how to get PTHClock to launch at startup?
 
Here's how you use Startup Items. In OS X you don't place files in the folder, you use the "Login" Preference Pane.

Launch System Preferences and click the Login button. Click the "Login Items" tab. There's a list in there. Click "Add..." to choose a file or app to launch. You can even rearrange the files order and set them to Hide or such on Log in. MUCH more flexible than the old way.

I currently have 5 items in my list.

WindowShadeX (Hidden)
iTunesHelper (Hidden)
Clock
DesktopCalendar
DragThing 4.2.1

In that order.

At one point I had DragThing at the top but it wouldn't launch correctly, so I moved it to the bottom (Load last) and it works fine now.

Hope that helps. :)

Oh, and I see your Sig says you want a better Dock. Well, I suggest you try DragThing. I bought it and it is VERY cool. Check it out.
 
Ah! Well, there you go. I learned something new!

So, that, of course, leads to the question: "What, exactly, are the startup folder for, then?"

Yea...I'll probably get DragThing sooner or later. I loved my old QuickLaunch bar in Classic. It was like DragThing, but much less bulky GUI wise. The new DragThing is nice functionality-wise, but it relies on the gaudy OSX interface (BIG, shiny, buttons)...which simply does not work very well, IMHO, for mini-app GUIs.

My biggest complaint with the Dock is that it SHOULD have been more like DragThing in the first place. I think Apple should have purchased the rights to DragThing and stuck that down there instead of the pretty--but rather clumsy--dock.
 
OS X's file structure seems to have a lot of folders that don't do anything. I just ignore it. :rolleyes:

DragThing is very customizable. If you WANT big shiny icons, you can have them. You want shadows, turn them on. Don't want them? Turn them off. Want it to be big? Small? Titlebar? Tabs? All customizable. Want it to always float on top like the Dock? You got it. Turn it off if you want.

It's very customizable. I just sent more suggestions ot the coder today.

I recommend it.
 
Actually, the StartupItems folder does do something. You know all of those notifications on startup with the aqua-y progress bar that say "Welcome to Macintosh", "Initializing Network Connection", etc., etc.? Those are startup items, as opposed to login items.

One example of something you put in the StartupItems folder is a little utility called "BroadbandOptimizer".
 
Originally posted by aluminum
Ah! Well, there you go. I learned something new!

So, that, of course, leads to the question: "What, exactly, are the startup folder for, then?"
Click to expand...

For startup items, provided they are packaged according to Apple's specifications (there's a tech note on it). Items in /Library/StartupItems will be launched on boot (not requiring a login, so they can't be e.g. Carbon or have a Mac user interface). Items in ~user/Library/StartupItems will be launched on login of the user.

Broadband Optimizer is an example of how to package a startup item. The item actually executed in it is a Unix shell script, so you can even read the 'source code' of this one.
 
If you want the *huge* howto, go here:
http://www.darwinfo.org/howto/SystemStarter_HOWTO.shtml
this is linked directly off apple's opensource page.

I recomend using the HOWTO only as a reference. Build your own StartupItems by duplicating existing entries and modifying them.

BTW, this is cool, holding down 'shift' during boot disables all but the most essential startup items. über cool, huh?
 
Originally posted by Jasoco


I currently have 5 items in my list.

WindowShadeX (Hidden)
iTunesHelper (Hidden)
Clock
DesktopCalendar
DragThing 4.2.1

In that order.
Click to expand...

What is iTunesHelper? I saw that on my Login too?...
 
Originally posted by alexachucarro
What is iTunesHelper? I saw that on my Login too?...
Click to expand...

I'm not entirely sure. I do know it's an application actually contained inside iTunes.app. I'm guessing it loads at startup and makes it so iTunes doesn't have to do certain things each time it starts or something.

If you remove it, I believe the next time you launch iTunes it will be put back. So I guess you need it if you use iTunes.
 
iTunesHelper allows iTunes to be launched and auto-synch with an iPod when the OS detects that an iPod is plugged in. You can safely remove it from your login items if you don't own an iPod.
 
...but the iTunesHelper application was around WAY before the iPod was even speculated about!

I think it does something else -- I could be mistaken, but I think, maybe in addition to iPod support, it offers some other kind of support or functionality.
 
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