Lion Applications.pdf

7/30/2019 Lion Applications.pdf

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/25/12 service.info.apple.com/service_training/en/063/en/Lion_Applications/index.php?page=printer

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OS X Lion: ApplicationsIntroduction

This course covers applications and the related resources that support them. Knowing how thetogether with Mac OS X will help you troubleshoot and resolve application issues.

Course Overview

Course Objectives

Explain what applications are and what they doDescribe the various ways applications can be installedIdentify resources that can support applicationsDetermine and resolve common application issues

What is an Application?

An application (or "app" for short) is a computer program that gives users the tools to accomplitasks. The term arises from the fact that the software 'applies' the computer's processing powetask for the user.

Applications range from simple utilities, designed for a single function (such as Activity Monitoones with many controls (such as Final Cut Pro).

When you launch an application in Mac OS X, it may display:

Audience

Technicians who wish totroubleshoot and service

Mac computers

Prerequisites

OS X Lion: Basics,Installation, Startup, File

System

Time Required

60 minutes

You wi

OS X LiMac comp

and Intern

OS X Lion: Applications

Introduction

Course Overview

What is an Application?

PowerPC Applications

Installing Applications

Related Resources

Advanced Resources

Symptoms & Fixes

Troubleshooting Practice

Learning Resources

Contact Us

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a new document window

palettes, tool bar, or other interface components

or it could display nothing at all - until you open or create a new file

Learning Resources

"Intel-based Mac: How to tell if an application is Universal" (TA23896)

"Intel-based Mac: Learn about device drivers" (TA23898)

"Intel-based Mac: Some migrated applications may need to be updated" (TS1963)

"Intel-based Macs: Forcing a Universal application to run with Rosetta" (HT1730)

"Mac 101: Set your preferences" (HT2490)

"Mac OS X: How to quit an unresponsive application using Force Quit" (HT3411)

"Mac OS X: Reading system memory usage in Activity Monitor" (HT1342)

"Mac OS X: Starting up in Safe Mode" (HT1455)

"Mac OS X: What is Safe Boot, Safe Mode?" (HT1564)

"Software Installation Quick Assist" (HT1148)

"Useful Mac OS X Terms: What are Frameworks?" (TA25631)

PowerPC Applications

Older applications designed for PowerPC-based Macs will not work in OS X Lion. Previously, thecould run on Intel-based Mac using a dynamic translator called Rosetta. Rosetta is no longer suX Lion.

This prohibitory sign over an application indicates that that it is a PowerPC application:

Need to run these older applications?

If an updated version of the application is not available and the user wishes torunning these older applications, consider creating a dual boot configurationSnow Leopard (10.6) on one partition and OS X (10.7) on another.

Incompatible Software Folder


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While upgrading to OS X Lion, the installer will identify and move PowerPC appfolder named "Incompatible Software".

Installing Applications

In addition to the applications that come with Mac OS X, there are thousands of others to choosInstallation methods include:

Use the Installer Package

If an application is designed to be installed with an installer package, copyingone computer to another is not recommended. Necessary components and renot be copied over!

Who's the application for?

On a Mac, applications can be installed for all users or for a specific user.

For all users, install into the root level Applications folder.(/Applications)

For a specific user, install into their Home Application folder.(~/Applications)

Learning Activity

Familiarize yourself with the Mac App Store by purchasing a free app.

Related Resources

Resources specify how applications should function. Using common resources, we can tell the

we prefer to work.

Application Preferences

Users can share applications found in the root level applications folder (/Applications). These a


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typically have settings that can be adjusted by each user. When adjustments are made, the appldoesn't change. Instead "preferences" customize the working environment for that specific user

Example: Safari will store Homepage, security, and other default preferences for each

Mac OS X and the application work together to save customized settings separately for each usaffect any other users' configuration of that application.

System Preferences

The System Preferences pane controls system-wide settings ("global" settings), and is availablemenu at the upper-left corner of the screen. System Preferences lets you to adjust things like yresolution, keyboard and mouse control, sound, and more

Preferences are grouped in these categories: Personal, Hardware, Internet and Wireless and Systpreference pane may appear when adding third-party software or hardware:

Applications that might add preferences to the system preference window include utilities, suitapps), or enterprise-specific or proprietary software.


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Plist Files

Special resource files called plist (short for "property list") store a user's application preferencesuser's Library folder (/User/~/Library/Preferences/) they allow each user to have their own setand system preferences.

Apple provides developers with guidelines to ensure plist file names are unique to each develoconvention is each software developers unique domain name followed by the application or libexample, the Finder uses the identifier com.apple.finder so Finder preferences are saved incom.apple.finder.plist.

Don't Modify Plist Files

Although plist files can be opened using a text editor, they should not be modcorrupt the file causing problems with the associated application. Instead, useassociated application's Preferences menu(s) to customize settings.

Corrupted Plist Files = Strange Application Behavior

If an application starts exhibiting strange behavior, it might have been causedimproper shut down or disk corruption. Try temporarily moving or renaming prestarting the application. The application will create new plist files.

Advanced Resources

Frameworks

A framework is a dynamic (loaded only when used) shared software library (similar to the sharedynamically-linked libraries (DLLs) in Windows). Framework files reside at /System/Library/Fra

Frameworks contain code that can be shared by multiple applications as well Mac OS X. This coshared among different parts of the operating system or applications. For instance, if a manufaa suite of productivity software, applications can share the common code. Another example: ap(regardless of the manufacturer) that author render HTML web pages typically use the "WebKit"

Framework Mismatch


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,'downgrade' a framework needed by another application. This will result in theapplication not to launch. Refer to Symptom #1 in the Symptoms and Resolutithis course to learn how to correct the problem.

Kernel Extensions

Kernel extensions are software drivers that attach themselves to the Mac OS X kernel (the coresystem). Kernel extensions provide driver support for hardware, networking, and peripherals. Eand unload automatically, so there is little need to manage extensions as is common in other osystems.

Kernel extensions are generally supplied by the manufacturer of the device. Some generic devicincluded with Mac OS X, but most manufacturers make their own drivers in order to customizeavailable through their product.

Kernel extension files in Mac OS X typically use the ".kext" file name suffix, so they are also knoThese files are installed in /System/Library/Extensions.

Is a kernel extension causing problems?

If you suspect that a faulty kernel extension is causing problems, use Safe Boo

all third-party kernel extensions and allowing you to isolate the problem. RefeTroubleshooting Tools course for more information on this procedure.

Symptoms and Fixes

Here are frequent problems reported by users when using applications. Follow steps in the ordbelow to resolve the issue.

Information that can help troubleshoot application proble

OS X Lion records valuable diagnostic information about applications, from romessages to detailed errors and warnings. Use Console (Applications > Utilitieto review these logs.

Symptom #1: Application doesn't launchSymptom #2: Application opens briefly, but crashes or is unresponsive ("hangs")Symptom #3: Document doesn't open

Symptom #1: Application doesn't launch

Summary

You click an application in the Dock; it bounces once or twice and stops. It doesn't launch. (Thisymptom of a framework mismatch.)

Resolution

1. After reinstalling Mac OS X or reinstalling/installing a new application, run Software Update(This ensures that the Mac has the most recent versions of application and OS frameworks


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2. For third party applications, download updates from the vendor's website and install.

Note: The order in which software is installed and updated does matter. A good order to follow

1. Install OS2. Update OS using Software Update3. Install applications4. Update applications5. Update OS again using Software Update

Back to top of page

Symptom #2: Application opens briefly, but crashes or is unresponsive

Summary

Application appears to launch and appears briefly. It then disappears, unexpectedly quits or is

Resolution

1. Reinstall the application.2. Run Software Update. It will update the operating system (and Apple applications).

3. For third party applications, download updates from the vendor's website and install.

Back to top of page

Symptom #3: Document doesn't open

Summary

A document or file doesn't open with the application you'd expect it to.

Resolution

Isolate the cause of the problem.

1. Try opening a different document within the application.2. Try opening the document from another application that supports the same document type3. Try logging in as a different user.

If the problem disappears, the problem could be improper preference settings or applicatioin the other user account. If the problem still appears, the application or its support files ccorrupted. Try the following:

4. Try removing the applications files from the Application Support folders in /Library and ~/5. Instead of deleting these files during troubleshooting, first move them to an alternate locat

this helps resolve the problem.

If the problem still appears, move the files back to their original location and proceed.

6. Try deleting and reinstalling the application to restore the resource files that might have bor deleted.

Where is the user's Library folder?

The user's Library folder is deliberately hidden in OS X Lion to protect againsttampering.

1. Go to the User's Home Folder2. Hold down the Option key3. Go to: Finder > Go Menu > Library


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Troubleshooting Practice

Taken from the experiences of Apple service personnel, here is a troubleshooting scenario invoconcepts presented in this course.

Scenario #1: Missing Settings

A customer reports that she is having problems with her photo editing application. In the three

has owned her Mac, everything has always worked fine until this morning. Now, when she openapplication, color palettes, favorite filters and brushes are missing. She was going to edit photoof yesterday's lightening storms that caused widespread power outages.

The customer has not recently installed or updated any applications; or upgraded the operating

Why is her application is behaving this way?

Click here to view answer

Documents

Lion Applications.pdf