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Switcher question on app installing
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Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Aug 2005
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So I just got my first Mac a few days ago and I'm having a bit of trouble understanding the paradigm for installing programs. You download a .dmg file which mounts itself to a virtual drive. Within the virtual drive, you drag the program icon to your Applications folder and it's installed. I got that far.
But how come some applications, such as TinkerTool, want you to run them from the mounted drive? And Firefox's install instructions say specifically not to do this. I'm guessing it just means that if you run it from a mounted drive, the program doesn't actually get installed. Is that correct?
When would you want to do this? For instance, I have the MacJanitor disk image on my desktop now, and I'm not sure which way I should run it.
Appreciate the help. It's a great OS and I'm loving it, but some things are definitely different (even if they're simpler).
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Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: FFM
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Apps don't want to run from the mounted drive. After you copied them to the Applications folder (or where you want to keep them) you unmount the disk image and trash the .dmg file.
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Las Vegas, NV
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Although, some apps have stuff they need to do that would require an installer. In this case I THINK that its a .pkg file that does an installie thingie. One of the apps that does this is Final Cut Pro.
Some apps do the install thing where it is not necessary, but you'll just have to bear with them I guess. Drag & Drop is much nicer, imo.
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"In a world without walls or fences, what need have we for windows or gates?"
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Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Aug 2005
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Ok, thanks. So in general, just drag and drop every app unless it has an installer (i.e. MS Office) or it tells me not to (i.e. Tinkertool).
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Administrator  Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: California
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TinkerTool does not need to be run from a disk image. Drag a copy off to where you want it to be.
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Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Huh?
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In general, yes, just drag and drop, just like you said. Any other files that need to be created (i.e. pref files) will be created on their own when you first launch the app. If an installer is provided though, use that instead since some apps require additional files (other than prefs) to be put in place. Usually those are library files or some other such file type. For instance, take a look in your ~/Library/Application Support directory and you might see that some apps have already installed things in there already.
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"The captured hunter hunts your mind."
Profanity is the tool of the illiterate.
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