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You are here: MacNN Forums > Software - Troubleshooting and Discussion > macOS > Automate Mac Os X authentication when installing applications

Automate Mac Os X authentication when installing applications
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DevNine
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Apr 1, 2007, 01:24 PM
 
I install a lot of software. I'm continually prompted by Mac Os X for my password. Is there anyway of turning off this feature or of automating this ? Perhaps a 3rd party app would do it?
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Big Mac
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Apr 1, 2007, 01:33 PM
 
None that I know of, other than to launch the installers using sudo or to run as root.

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OreoCookie
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Apr 1, 2007, 01:48 PM
 
No, because if there were such a way, the whole system of authentications would be rendered useless.

I would recommend you create a local Applications directory in your home directory and copy your applications there.
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Brass
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Apr 1, 2007, 05:32 PM
 
Originally Posted by OreoCookie View Post
I would recommend you create a local Applications directory in your home directory and copy your applications there.
I don't get prompted for a password when copying applications to /Applications, because I run as an administrator. So copying into ~/Applications isn't going to make much difference there. I can only guess that the OP's problem is that he's installing software that is bundled as a package and installed by the system Software installation utility, which is prompting for a password.

Or maybe he's just not running as an admin user.
     
DevNine  (op)
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Apr 2, 2007, 03:44 AM
 
Thanks for the replies. I'm running as an admin.Security isn't the issue. The authenticate windows is provided by a an api call. I'm sure there must be an application out there that automatically fills dialog boxes and in this case will fill the password for me. It's just a matter of finding the application
( Last edited by DevNine; Apr 2, 2007 at 05:48 AM. )
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TETENAL
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Apr 2, 2007, 07:01 AM
 
This might be a stupid question, but: Why don't you stop installing software and start using what is already on your computer?
     
DevNine  (op)
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Apr 2, 2007, 07:03 AM
 
haha It's not easy when you have to work with new builds daily.
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OreoCookie
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Apr 2, 2007, 07:05 AM
 
Originally Posted by DevNine View Post
Thanks for the replies. I'm running as an admin.Security isn't the issue. The authenticate windows is provided by a an api call. I'm sure there must be an application out there that automatically fills dialog boxes and in this case will fill the password for me. It's just a matter of finding the application
No, it's a matter of security. I haven't heard of such an app and I hope I never will. Otherwise OS X' security system would be compromised.

E. g. try copy 'n' paste of the password in the security dialog, it won't work (by design).
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DevNine  (op)
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Apr 2, 2007, 07:19 AM
 
I believe the security aspect is irrelevant. Imagine I wasn't talking about this particular dialog box. I want to script a response to a dialog box, that's all. Applications exist on windows that will do this and I'm pretty sure applescript will do it but what im looking for is a daemon that responds to this and automatically fills it in.
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OreoCookie
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Apr 2, 2007, 08:08 AM
 
I gave you the reason why you (probably) can't create such a dialog box: copying and pasting doesn't work with password boxes. They aren't regular dialogs in this respect. So even if there is such a software, it won't work with password (or other secure) dialogs.
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mfbernstein
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Apr 2, 2007, 08:56 AM
 
This is one of the reasons why .dmg drag-n-drop installations are so much nicer than .pkg installations. Any way to convince your app author to use the former?
     
mac128k-1984
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Apr 2, 2007, 11:12 AM
 
Originally Posted by mfbernstein View Post
This is one of the reasons why .dmg drag-n-drop installations are so much nicer than .pkg installations. Any way to convince your app author to use the former?
The problem there is (for what ever reason) the app needs to put object in the ~/library folder or any other folder that requires a security prompt to install. While I agree with you that dragging/dropping is the way to go, I don't think in this day and age of complex software its going to happen.
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Big Mac
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Apr 2, 2007, 11:17 AM
 
Originally Posted by mac128k-1984 View Post
The problem there is (for what ever reason) the app needs to put object in the ~/library folder or any other folder that requires a security prompt to install. While I agree with you that dragging/dropping is the way to go, I don't think in this day and age of complex software its going to happen.
Uh, most software is in drag and drop .app form.

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mfbernstein
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Apr 2, 2007, 04:41 PM
 
Look at how an app like Firefox does it. Essentially, on first run, the app creates (or copies) the necessary files out of the bundle into the user's Library folder (for instance ~/Library/Application Support/Firefox). Unless this app needs to make changes at the system level, it should be able to get away with being copied to /Applications, and keeping it's modifications to users' home directories.
     
mac128k-1984
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Apr 2, 2007, 09:49 PM
 
Originally Posted by Big Mac View Post
Uh, most software is in drag and drop .app form.
Uhh, not all applications. Take, photoshop, or any of the adobe applications. A lot of Apple apps are not drag and drop either for that matter. A lot of utilities require installation too.

I'm not saying that install programs are the wave of the future but there is quite a few applications that use them over drag and drop.
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analogika
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Apr 3, 2007, 05:20 AM
 
An awful lot of those that are currently run through an installer shouldn't need to be, though. In many cases, it seems to me just bad design, or lazy porting.
     
Drizzt
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Apr 5, 2007, 07:39 PM
 
Originally Posted by OreoCookie View Post
I gave you the reason why you (probably) can't create such a dialog box: copying and pasting doesn't work with password boxes. They aren't regular dialogs in this respect. So even if there is such a software, it won't work with password (or other secure) dialogs.
I believe it does not work because that dialog does not run as your current user, and thus the paste board service is not available to it.

I might be wrong though.
     
   
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