Downloads and Additions

By: Mike Kimball - Revised: 2008-03-31 richard

Introduction

Download RevRdist, RevRdist documentation, and our basic and advanced RevRdist templates. Get information about and download additions to RevRdist.


RevRdist Downloads

Download RevRdist (current version 1.6.25): Purdue U
Download RevRdist documentation: Purdue U


AppleScript

AppleScript IconAppleScript has become more useful to us as more of the System supports it (i.e. is AppleScriptable). At the moment, its uses concerning RevRdist are to connect to the server and run RevRdist (the script attempts connection through different network protocols if any of them fail, starting with IP and eventually trying AppleTalk if necessary; the script also mounts two server volumes in one lab that requires this), and to post a note at startup, on the bottom of the screen, which notifies us of the last RevRdist run date (basically it's a folder with no icon, named "RevRdist ran xxx xx, xxxx" - this allows us to check machines daily, letting us know briefly and quickly if a machine needs attention).

For more info about sample AppleScripts and downloads, see Using RevRdist with AppleScript.

We have additional AppleScript info and downloads on the PSU AppleScript & RevRdist Theory page.

Auto Power On/Off

Auto Power On/Off is an Apple control panel whose functionality was replaced by Energy Saver, but can be useful for setting the startup and shutdown times on machines that cannot use Energy Saver (i.e. Power Mac 7100).

BootpNamer

BootpNamer IconBootpNamer, by Secure Design, sets the Owner Name of the machine according to its DNS name (using the machine IP address). Now that we use the Volume Name "Hard Disk" on every machine, we had to find another utility to set the Owner Name for identification in our print queue, as well as for logging in to the file server. The item is placed in the Startup Items folder.

Download BootpNamer: Secure Design
Download BootpNamer: U of U Mac – HQX-File, 100.9 KB

Crond

Crond IconCrond is a background application which runs other applications at scheduled times. We use it to run RevRdist, rather than using the Prefs Mod Time - this way we can run RevRdist on demand anytime, as well as automatically every 24 hours. Simply place the Crond application in your Startup Items folder, and the Cron Preferences folder in your Preferences folder. Inside the Cron Preferences folder, there is a Crond document called "Min Hr Date Month Day" which indicates the way that items are scheduled (example times):
31-59 23 * * 0
11:31pm to 11:59pm, Sundays, any date and month

0-30 3 * * *
3:00am to 3:30am, every day date and month

* * * * *
every minute, every hour, every day, every date, every month
See below:

Here, we have our AppleScript (which runs RevRdist) named "0-30 3 * * *", so Cron will trigger it. We have an extra copy of RevRdist and its prefs file in the Cron Preferences folder (in addition to the root of the System Folder) for added redundancy (the script will look in both places if it can't find the one it defaults to).

Other pointers
Because of our numbers, our machine groups have different run times for network and server load balancing (i.e. only 15-20 machines run at once). As for the 0-30 Minute setting, it ensures that RevRdist will run at its proper time (allowing for delays in startup time, etc), but also means if it runs and restarts before the time window expires, it will run again (and again...and again...) Recently we shortened this to "0-8" because newer machines could run in a much shorter time period.

Download Crond – HQX-File, 19.7 KB

Energy Saver

Energy Saver IconEnergy Saver is an Apple control panel which we use to turn the machines on or off at specified times (as well as setting the sleep time to "never"). The machines that support it are Power Macintosh 7500 or newer, running Mac OS 8 or newer. Typically the power on time is about five minutes prior to the corresponding RevRdist run time in the Cron Preferences folder. This ensures that the machines are powered on and ready for RevRdist to run.

Incognito

Incognito IconSome applications are coded to broadcast their serial numbers across the network, and detect if another copy of the application with the same serial number is already in use. Good for software licensing enforcement, bad for multiple client administration. Imagine having a lab of thirty machines, all requiring the installation of a distinct, individual copy of QuarkXPress. What a PITA.

Incognito is comprised of a control panel and preferences file. It scrambles the serial number being broadcast by the application from the individual client machine, so as to be unintelligible to other machines on the network. This way, we can use RevRdist to distribute the same copy of QuarkXPress (Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.) to all the machines, making our job of maintaining software integrity much less complicated.

We use Keyserver to protect against licensing infringement or illegal copying of software. As with Keyserver, Incognito is intended for lawful uses only.

Download Incognito – HQX-File, 177.5 KB

LockBootVolName INIT

LockBootVolName IconLockBootVolName is an INIT which prevents the startup volume from being renamed. We used to set RRHelper to use the volume name to set the Owner Name, so that the machine would identify itself in our print queue. Now, it's useful to keep all of the startup volumes named "Hard Disk", for programs that use absolute paths to their components (e.g. MS Office, Lightwave).

Download LockBootVolName INIT – HQX-File, 2.5 KB

Network Time

Network Time IconNetwork Time is a control panel which sets the clock of the machine against the time of a specified IP address (presumably a server). Pretty simple - it ensures that the clock of the machine is set accurately so that its functions (Crond, RevRdist) are carried out at the proper time. We continue to use this because of problems with Time Synchronizer's accuracy.

Enter the domain name or IP address of a machine on your network that is running the Network Time Protocol (RFC 1305) server or the UDP Time Protocol (RFC 868) server. Using a Network Time Protocol server is the preferred method.

Download Network Time: U Texas
Download Network Time: U of U Mac – HQX-File, 209.3 KB

RR Helper

RRHelper IconRRHelper (short for RevRdist Helper) is an INIT which sets many configurations not handled by RevRdist. The INIT is created using a HyperCard stack called Build RRHelper. It sets the following: Workstation number, 32-bit mode, Alarm clock, AppleShare startup options, AppleTalk node number, Beep sound, Computer name, Desktop pattern, Disk cache size, Finder window, General PRAM settings, Highlight color, Internationalization, Keyboard speed, MacTCP settings, Map location, Mouse controls, Network selection, Owner name, Printer selection, RAM disk, Sound volume, Startup disk, Video setup, Virtual memory, Volume name, Window colors.

In some environments, it may be desirable to set the "Suppress Restart" on, because in some instances the RRHelper can put the machine into a restart loop, such as if the network goes down. If left long enough, a restart loop can cause corrupted PRAM.

RRHelper has not been updated in several years, and many of its settings do not work in OS 8, and more settings do not work with OS 9. Currently RRHelper is still a useful part of our setup, but most of its functions can be accomplished with AppleScript (and we are working toward this).

Download Build RRHelper: Purdue U

!ShowStartup/!HideStartup

!ShowStartup IconShowStartup is an INIT which reveals the Startup Items folder, allowing its items to be loaded properly on startup; HideStartup is a document to be put in the Startup Items folder, to hide it again. Many items in the Startup Items folder are essential to maintaining the stability and functionality of each machine, which is the reason for hiding it from sneaky, curious, meddling users ;).

Download !ShowStartup – HQX-File, 4.0 KB
Download !HideStartup – HQX-File, 4.8 KB