Disable Mission Control for client computers

[nbarrett]

I want to be able to disable Mission Control for client computers. We are a school with a 1:1 computer setup and it is too easy for the kids to swipe their desktop away when a teacher walks by. Any thoughts?

[AntonioRocco]

Hi

 

There's a number of ways you can do this. If you have ARD handy you can send this terminal command:

 

chmod 700 /Applications/Mission\ Control.app/

 

Send the command as root. Now whenever anyone (including the local admin account) clicks on the App in the Dock nothing will happen. To reverse the command use:

 

chmod 755 /Applications/Mission\ Control.app/

 

Another way (again using ARD) is to simply move the application from the top level Applications folder to the local administrator's Desktop. Use this terminal command:

 

mv /Applications/Mission\ Control.app/ /Users/localadmin/Desktop/

 

Again send the command as root. Now when anyone but the local administrator clicks on the Icon in the Dock nothing will happen. Users will simply see a ghostly question mark. To reverse the command simply reverse the paths.

 

You could also use whichever Apple specific deployment tools you have to either apply a retrospective workflow or build an image that has the application removed, disabled or locked away.

 

HTH?

 

Antonio Rocco (ACSA)

Edited August 23, 2012 by AntonioRocco

[nbarrett]

Thanks for the info. I figured out a different route just now. I have mission control disabled in workgroup manager for the computer group. Then I sent a terminal command to all the client computers to turn off Mission control. That will take care of turning it off and then it is disabled in system preferences so they are unable to turn it back on. If they start learning terminal commands then I will go up a step further with what you suggested. Do you see and flaws that I may be overlooking in my plan of attack?

[nbarrett]

Okay, I ran into a problem that doesn't work for any of the solution mention (mine included). The gestures still work. I am not opposed to un-ticking the box in trackpad and disabling it in workgroup manager, but is there a terminal command that I can use to do it remotely. I don't want to have to touch all of our computers to get it done. I haven't been able to find one. Any thoughts?

[nbarrett]

Okay. Nevermind. I ran into a typo in my original terminal command.

[AntonioRocco]

Hi

 

You can 'fine-tune' access to the Trackpad options with these commands:

 

chmod 700 /System/Library/PreferencePanes/Trackpad.prefPane/Contents/Resources/moregestures.xml

chmod 700 /System/Library/PreferencePanes/Trackpad.prefPane/Contents/Resources/pointclickgestures.xml

chmod 700 /System/Library/PreferencePanes/Trackpad.prefPane/Contents/Resources/scrollzoomgestures.xml

 

The result of any of these commands will be to completely disable (hide) the options in the Trackpad Preferences Pane.

 

HTH?

 

Antonio Rocco (ACSA)

[nbarrett]

When trying chmod 700 /System/Library/PreferencePanes/Trackpad.prefPane/Contents/Resources/moregestures.xml It disables the whole trackpad preferencePane not just the more gestures tab. Does that sound correct?

[AntonioRocco]

Hi

 

It only disables the More Gestures part of the Trackpad Preferences Pane. Point & Click, Scroll & Zoom are unaffected as is the Trackpad Preferences Pane as a whole. I've tried this on a number of Macs and it works as described. You should not have to restart either as the effects of the commands are immediate. Maybe there's something else going on or a deeper underlying issue?

 

HTH?

 

Antonio Rocco 9ACSA)