alias to 'connect to server'?

[BabaG]

can someone point me to a guide (or just say how) to how
i can put an alias on my desktop that opens the 'connect to
server' dialog?

i'd also like to know how to make such an alias that points
directly to a specific server, rather than this list window,
such that i could click the alias and the server account and
authentication request would open directly.

thanks,
BabaG

 

[72930]

I think in this case its worth using CMD+K

You could open Script Editor (in your Utilities folder) and type in this program:

 tell application "Finder"
   open location (choose URL showing File servers with editable URL)
 end tell

Save it as an application on the desktop, or wherever. You can even copy the "Network" icon from the left most finder column view pane and pasted it over the new app's icon, and name the app "Connect to Server".

Even more interesting, if you remove the "showing file servers" portion of the second line, then you get a new pop-up menu in the dialog. This pop-up menu lists all possible types of connections, which is pretty interesting in itself!

*Thanks Google and MacOSHints

 

[plinden]

i'd also like to know how to make such an alias that points
directly to a specific server, rather than this list window,
such that i could click the alias and the server account and
authentication request would open directly.

There is indeed a way of doing this - I have a shortcut on my desktop to connect to my wife's MacBook. Unfortunately, I'm at work, away from my iMac, and I can't remember off hand how to do it. If I don't get back to you in a few hours, remind me.

 

[72930]

There is indeed a way of doing this - I have a shortcut on my desktop to connect to my wife's MacBook. Unfortunately, I'm at work, away from my iMac, and I can't remember off hand how to do it. If I don't get back to you in a few hours, remind me.

In case you didn't realize, I have already posted a solution

 

[plinden]

In case you didn't realize, I have already posted a solution

Yes, but the way I did it didn't involve any AppleScript.

 

[overanalyzer]

I'm not sure about an alias for the connect window, though command+K is the keyboard shortcut, as another poster mentioned.

But for an alias to a network drive (and I assume any other remote server connection), you can just right-click on a mounted drive and hit "Make Alias". Just tried that on my computer, ejected the drive, and double-clicking the alias reconnected the drive and opened it in Finder.

You can also set remote drives to connect on startup by dragging the mounted drive icon to your startup items, BTW. That's what I do to connect 5 shares at home at 2 shares at work automatically on login.

 

[plinden]

But for an alias to a network drive, you can just right-click on a mounted drive and hit "Make Alias". Just tried that on my computer, ejected the drive, and double-clicking the alias reconnected the drive and opened it in Finder.

That's almost certainly how I did it. I just didn't have access to a Mac to experiment.

 

[BabaG]

thanks everyone for the replies. overanalyzer's solution is the closest
so far. there is one thing a bit odd with it that could be confusing as
well as adding clutter, though. having made the alias, when it is opened
and i log into the share, i get a second icon on the desktop: the actual
shared drive.

in my case, i would like to avoid this if possible as the alias has one
name and the actual drive another. eventually there will be several of
these shared drives and they'll all have the same name. i'd really like
to be able to name the alias and not have the user confused by having
something else open with a different name.

as i think about it, though, it's looking like i'm going to have to recreate
all the accounts on the samba servers to match the names i'm giving
these alias's.

thanks again,
BabaG

 

[plinden]

thanks everyone for the replies. overanalyzer's solution is the closest
so far. there is one thing a bit odd with it that could be confusing as
well as adding clutter, though. having made the alias, when it is opened
and i log into the share, i get a second icon on the desktop: the actual
shared drive.

After creating the alias, you can go into Finder preferences, General tab, and unselect "Connected servers". That way you get only the aliases on the desktop.

Edit: Or, if you don't want to do that, after creating the alias, you can drag it to the dock (to the right of the separator) and then delete the original alias from the desktop.