Alan Siu's Blog

Tag: scripts

  • How to read from and write to .plist files using Python

    Python and Macs Python is a popular tool among Mac Admins. You can find a fairly comprehensive (and long) list of Python-based Mac Admin tools at Python Macadmin Tools, so it’s a handy thing to be able to throw together a Python script every now and then. .plist files A lot of settings in Mac…

  • Automatically enroll or bulk-enroll Munki clients in individual manifests

    You may manage your Munki clients using a general manifest (e.g., support_staff), but you sometimes want some more control over also managing installations for individual users without always specifying the serial number as a condition in a manifest. The most popular tool for this is Munki Enroll, which automatically creates individual manifests with the larger…

  • Script to copy a Munki generic icon

    Munki is fairly good at extracting icons from applications. Sometimes, though, you have items in your Munki catalog that aren’t exactly easily icon-able, so you may want to attach a generic icon to it instead. I wrote a Python script that will copy a generic icon to any of the Munki repository items missing an…

  • Using Outset to deploy scripts to Mac clients

    Why this guide? Okay, this isn’t terribly groundbreaking stuff for seasoned Mac Admins, but for the beginners and intermediates among us, I’m trying to write the layperson’s guide to Outset. What is Outset? Outset is basically a set of launch daemons (to run at boot) and launch agents (to run at user login) that will…

  • Disable auto-updates for Firefox when deploying using Munki and AutoPkg

    Note before you begin Acknowledgements Why you should do this The actual procedure Caveat Thunderbird The CCK2 method Note before you begin If you know nothing about Munki or AutoPkg, then this page will be of little use to you. If you’re interested in a basic setup tutorial, check out the Absolute beginner’s guide to…

  • Running a post-uninstall script for a Munki package

    Much as I love editing text files and entering commands into Terminal.app, I do also appreciate a good GUI frontend. Apart from munkiimport, I mainly manage Munki using MunkiAdmin, as I referenced in Absolute beginner’s guide to setting up Munki (not monkey). Of course, I got a bit too comfortable with the GUI frontend, and…