Network Drive Launcher

Connecting Overview


The purpose of the Network Drive Launcher

Network Drive Launcher helps avoid the annoyances of the sometimes blank and unresponsive Network browser in the Finder and the associated broken network aliases.

Avoid the blank Network browser, you know your computers are there on the network, you just have to wait for it to refresh and show up eventually, well not anymore get Network Drive Launcher.

Picture of the blank Network Browser in the Mac Os X finder, none of the shared volumes are showing up

Also avoid the broken network aliases, which are unreliable with Mac OS X v10.4, you don't want to see this when you just want to connect to your PC, etc.

Image of the Fix alias dialog box for someones networked PC

The idea with Network Drive Launcher is that you connect the long way the first time. When Network Browser eventually starts working the shared systems will appear allowing you to connect as pictured below.

Showing an picture of the Network browser populated with PC and a dialog of connecting to a volumn on that PC

At this point you start up Network Drive Launcher, select the Drive you want to be able to quickly connect to. Then Name it and Decide if you want this volume to connect at login. Click create and save it where you want and your done.

Step 1 Pick volume

Showing an image of the Network Drive Laucher main window.

Step 2 create quick launcher

Showing a picture of the Create quick launcher window of the Network Drive Launcher Application, showing the custom name options and connecte drive at login options

The end result is this nice little AppleScript Application is created, in other words a quick launcher that is dedicated to connecting to the volume you designated. This will work as long as the network and hardware is working properly, regardless of the status of the Network Browser in the Finder. Now networked volumes will connect as quickly as possible when using a quick launcher.

A quick launcher AppleScript Application on the desktop with the custom name.

Now, with quick launchers, connecting to a networked drive is as easy as opening a Mac OS X application, simply double click or single click if its placed in the dock and you are on your way to being connected in just a few seconds.

What are you waiting for? Give Network Drive Launcher a try today.

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