Easily switch off the Active Corners on your Mac

2010
08.23

Hi again,

This time I like to share a small script called Lava Corners Switch. I have no idea who actually wrote it and the author of the script did not sign it off.
Just open AppleScript Editor (typing it in spotlight) or go to Macintosh HD – Applications – Utilities – AppleScript Editor and paste the following code:

property tl : 1
property tr : 1
property br : 1
property bl : 1
property runs : 0

if runs is 0 then
 set tl to do shell script "defaults read com.apple.dock wvous-tl-corner"
 set tr to do shell script "defaults read com.apple.dock wvous-tr-corner"
 set bl to do shell script "defaults read com.apple.dock wvous-bl-corner"
 set br to do shell script "defaults read com.apple.dock wvous-br-corner"

 do shell script "defaults write com.apple.dock wvous-tl-corner -int 1; defaults write com.apple.dock wvous-br-corner -int 1; defaults write com.apple.dock wvous-bl-corner -int 1; defaults write com.apple.dock wvous-tr-corner -int 1; killall Dock"
 set runs_A to 1
end if

if runs is 1 then
 do shell script ("defaults write com.apple.dock wvous-tl-corner -int " & tl & "; defaults write com.apple.dock wvous-br-corner -int " & br & "; defaults write com.apple.dock wvous-bl-corner -int " & bl & "; defaults write com.apple.dock wvous-tr-corner -int " & tr & "; killall Dock")
 set runs_A to 0
end if

set runs to runs_A

Save the file and drag it into your Dock. After that, just simply click to activate and deactivate accordingly.

/Che

How to change your Mac’s login background to match your own desktop

2010
08.21

Here is a small guide on how to change your login screen background to match your desktop picture in (Snow) Leopard.

First what you need to know is the location of your background pictures.
When you click on System Preferences, under Personal choose Desktop & Screensaver you will see a few folders with desktop pictures.
These folders are linked to the following location on your Macintosh HD:

/Library/Desktop/Pictures/

Now when you get your standard Mac installation, you background is set to Leopard Aurora (in the Nature folder) same as your login background.
After you change your Desktop background, your login background stays the same.

To change that you have to go to the following location on your Macintosh HD:

/System/Library/CoreServices/

In this folder you will find a file called DefaultDesktop.jpg. All you have to do is to copy your current Dekstop background picture found in /Library/Desktop/Pictures/<folder>/…jpg
to this location and rename the file to DefaultDesktop.jpg.

Note: you might need to type in your password to authorize the change.

/Che

Putting your Mac display to sleep without Active Screen Corners

2010
08.15

Hi All,

Hope this blog reaches the people who are looking for a keystroke method to put their display to sleep.
If you have (Snow) Leopard running on your mac, you can specify a corner as “Put Display to Sleep” in Exposé. (System Preferences – Personal – Exposé & Spaces)
But since I regularly switch off Active Screen Corners when I play games, I found out there is a way to put your display to sleep by using the following keystroke combination:

Shift-Control-Eject

I plan do put more of these (for me useful) tips on my blog regarding Mac and Red Hat Linux.
At least I have a central “place for myself to go back to ;-)

Singing off,

/Che