Connecting to Your iDisk


If you're using Mac OS X, there are a few ways of connecting to your iDisk, depending on what version of Mac OS X you're running. If you're using Mac OS 9, you'll need additional software to connect to your iDisk (see the sidebar "When David Met Goliath," later in this chapter). Your iDisk uses a network protocol called WebDAV, which simply means that it uses some of the same kinds of connections you'd use to load a Web page in a browser. Since WebDAV is a cross-platform protocol, you can connect to your iDisk using a Macs running Mac OS X and Mac OS 9, as well as a Windows machines running Windows XP, Windows 2000, or Windows 98.

Windows XP uses an Apple-created utility to connect to an iDisk; you can download it from your .Mac account. The utility is somewhat similar to Goliath, except that it requires more work to install. Windows 2000, however, has built-in support for connecting to WebDAV-based online storage accounts (much like Mac OS X), and it does not need Goliath to do the job.

To Connect to iDisk using Mac OS X v10.3 or Later

1.

From the Go menu, choose iDisk > My iDisk (Command-Shift-I) (Figure 3.2).

Figure 3.2. Since iDisk access is built into recent versions of Mac OS X, connecting to your iDisk is as easy as choosing Go > iDisk > My iDisk (Command-Shift-I).


If you've already entered your .Mac member name and password in System Preferences, your iDisk mounts automatically on your Desktop. Otherwise, the Connect To iDisk dialog opens, asking for that information (Figure 3.3).

Figure 3.3. To connect to your iDisk (if you haven't entered your iDisk information in System Preferences), enter your .Mac member name and password, and click Connect.


2.

Enter your .Mac member name and password, and click Connect.

Your iDisk, which looks like a small globe with your .Mac member name underneath it, mounts on your Desktop, and you can use it like any other volume using a Finder window (Figure 3.4). The connection to your iDisk is maintained until you disconnect it or shut down your computer.

Figure 3.4. Once you've connected to your iDisk, you can use it as you would any other network volume. It shows up in the sidebar and on the Desktop, and you can browse it using any viewlist, icon, or column.


Tips

  • You can also click the iDisk icon in the sidebar of a Finder window (Figure 3.4) to connect to your iDisk, if you've already entered your .Mac information in System Preferences.

  • Connecting to an iDisk with a slow or high-latency Internet link can be very trying. If you're using dial-up or satellite to get to the Internet, be sure that no one else (and no other application on your Mac) is using the connection before you connect to your iDisk.

  • If you're using a version of Mac OS X earlier than 10.3, you can still connect to your iDisk by choosing Go > iDisk and entering your .Mac member name and password. After you do that, your iDisk will mount on your Desktop.

  • Rememberyou remain connected to your iDisk until you disconnect or shut down. To disconnect your iDisk, drag its icon to the Trash.


When David Met Goliath

A third-party program called Goliath makes it possible for you to connect to your iDisk using Mac OS 9, which is handy if you haven't yet upgraded to Mac OS X.

To connect to your iDisk using Mac OS 9:

1.

Using a Web browser, go to www.webdav.org/goliath and download Goliath, created by Tom Bednarz (Figure 3.5). The software downloads to your hard drive in the form of a compressed file. You'll find it wherever your browser normally downloads files (often, that's on the Desktop).

Figure 3.5. The cutely named homepage for Goliath contains links to Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X versions of the Goliath WebDAV application, as well as some valuable WebDAV information.


2.

Double-click the compressed Goliath file to decompress it using Allume Systems's StuffIt Expander. Adisk-image file appears on your Desktop, or wherever you normally download files (Figure 3.6).

Figure 3.6. When you decompress Goliath, a simple diskimage file icon appears on your Desktop.


3.

Mount the disk image by doubleclicking it, and then copy Goliath to your Mac's Applications (Mac OS 9) folder.

4.

Double-click the Goliath program icon to run Goliath.

The New WebDAV Connection dialog opens and asks you to enter some WebDAV information (Figure 3.7).

Figure 3.7. You can use this dialog to make a WebDAV connection, but Goliath has a better way to connect to an iDisk.


5.

Click Cancelwe'll be taking a different approach to connecting.

The dialog closes.

6.

From the File menu, choose Open iDisk Connection (Figure 3.8).

Figure 3.8. From Goliath's File menu, choose Open iDisk Connection to open a connection to your iDisk.


The Open an iDisk Connection dialog opens (Figure 3.9).

Figure 3.9. When you use Goliath to request an iDisk connection, you'll be asked for your .Mac member name and password.


7.

Enter your .Mac member name and password (Figure 3.10).

Figure 3.10. Type your .Mac member name in the User Name field and type your password in the Password field. Click OK.


8.

Click OK.

Your iDisk opens in a new Goliath window that looks significantly like a Finder window (Figure 3.11).

Figure 3.11. Once you've made your connection using Goliath, you're presented with an iDisk window that looks almost exactly like a Finder window.


Besides making it possible for Mac OS 9 machines to connect to an iDisk, Goliath is a slick utility developed to allow Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X users to take advantage of WebDAV online storage accounts in a friendly and Mac-like way. It's especially good for the following:

  • It allows you to connect to other WebDAV-based online storage accounts, so if you have a WebDAVbased account in addition to your iDisk, you can use the same program to access them both.

  • It works very well with high-latency connections (such as satellite Internet), so if regular iDisk performance in Mac OS X seems sluggish, try using Goliath as an alternative.


To Connect to iDisk using Windows XP

1.

Using a Web browser, log in to your .Mac account and download iDisk Utility for Windows XP from the Member Centeral page (iDiskUtility_WindowsXP.zip) (Figure 3.12).

Figure 3.12. iDisk Utility for Windows is available for download from the .Mac Member Central page.


The file downloads to your hard drive, but it's compressed, so you'll need to decompress it before you can install it.

2.

Unzip iDisk Utility (Figure 3.13).

Figure 3.13. Once downloaded, iDisk Utility for Windows appears in its compressed form.


The iDisk Utility installer is decompressed, and a folder that contains it appears in the location where you normally download files, ready for installation (Figure 3.14).

Figure 3.14. iDisk Utility for Windows, once uncompressed, resides in its own folder.


3.

Install iDisk Utility for Windows by double-clicking the iDisk Utility installer icon

The welcome pane opens.

4.

Read the welcome message and copyright warning, and then click Next (Figure 3.15).

Figure 3.15. The first step when installing iDisk Utility for Windows XP is to read the welcome and copyright warning message.


The license agreement opens.

5.

After reading the license agreement, click the I Agree radio button and then click Next (Figure 3.16).

Figure 3.16. To proceed with the installation, read the license agreement and click the I Agree radio button.


6.

If the default installation location is acceptable, click Next (Figure 3.17). The Confirm Installation pane opens.

Figure 3.17. When installing iDisk Utility for Windows, you're given a default installation location and the option to install it for everyone who uses the computer or just for yourself. The default settings are fine for most people; feel free to change them if you need to.


7.

To begin the installation, click Next (Figure 3.18).

Figure 3.18. Click Next in the Confirm Installation pane to install iDisk Utility for Windows XP.


The Installing iDisk Utility for Windows pane opens, and a progress bar shows the installation of the software. It takes only a short timeless than a minuteand you don't have to do anything during the process.

8.

When the Installation Complete pane appears, click the Close button.

iDisk Utility for Windows XP has been installed and is ready to use.

9.

From the Start menu, choose All Programs > .Mac Utilities > iDisk Utility for Windows > iDisk Utility for Windows (Figure 3.19).

Figure 3.19. Choose Start > All Programs > .Mac Utilities > iDisk Utility for Windows > iDisk Utilty for Windows.


iDisk Utility opens, and the iDisk Utility for XP login dialog opens (Figure 3.20).

Figure 3.20. To connect to an iDisk using iDisk Utility for Windows XP, you'll need to enter your .Mac member name in the "iDisk account" field, enter your password in the Password field, and choose the drive to which your iDisk gets mounted.


10.

In the "iDisk account" field, enter your .Mac member name.

11.

In the Password field, enter your .Mac password.

12.

Select the iDisk radio button.

13.

From the Drive pop-up menu, choose a drive to which to mount your iDisk.

14.

Click the Mount iDisk button.

Your iDisk is mounted as a network drive (Figure 3.21).

Figure 3.21. Once mounted, your iDisk appears like any other network drive in your My Computer window.


Tips

  • Windows may give you a warning stating that it can't identify who created the installer, but this is OKit's simply a security measure to keep you from installing any bad software, and if you've downloaded the software from Apple's site, you're safe. Follow the installer's instructions.

  • The first time you run the utility, Windows will tell you that iDisk Utility will modify something called the Hosts filepart of Windows that looks up servers across the Internet. This is OK.


To Connect using Windows 2000

1.

Double-click the My Computer icon. The My Computer window opens (Figure 3.22).

Figure 3.22. In Windows 2000, you'll need to open a new window to access the Tools menu. Here, we've chosen to do this from the My Computer window, but it can be done from just about any window, such as the My Documents window.


2.

From the Tools menu, choose Map Network Drive (Figure 3.23).

Figure 3.23. From the Tools menu in Windows 2000, choose Map Network Drive to connect to your iDisk.


The Map Network Drive dialog opens.

3.

At the bottom of the dialog, click "Create a shortcut to a Web folder or FTP site" (Figure 3.24).

Figure 3.24. Near the bottom of the Map Network Drive dialog, click "Create a shortcut to a Web folder or FTP site."


The Add Network Place Wizard dialog opens (Figure 3.25)

Figure 3.25. In the opening pane of the Add Network Place Wizard, type your iDisk URL (which looks like http://idisk.mac.com/membername, replacing membername with your .Mac member name).


Connecting to Someone Else's Public Folder Using Mac OS 9

Remember Goliath, the little utility that could? (If not, see the sidebar "When David met Goliath," earlier in this chapter.) Mixed-up metaphors aside, you can also use Goliath to connect to someone else's Public folder when you're running Mac OS 9.

Simply run Goliath by double-clicking its icon and typing http://idisk.mac.com/membername-Public, replacing membername with the member name for the Public folder to which you're connecting. Note that the "P" in Public must be capitalized for this URL to work.

If a password has been set for the Public folder, type public in the User Name field, and the password that was set for the Public folder in the Password field.

The Public folder opens in a new Goliath window, and you can upload and download files to and from it.


4.

In the field labeled "Type the location of the Network Place," type http://idisk.mac.com/membername (replacing membername with your .Mac member name), and click Next (Figure 3.26).

Figure 3.26. This is what a properly formed iDisk URL should look like. This one, of course, is the one I use to connect to my iDisk, so it won't work so well for you.


The Enter Network Password dialog opens.

5.

In the "User name" and Password fields, enter your .Mac member name and password, and click OK (Figure 3.27).

Figure 3.27. To set up the connection to your iDisk, you need to provide your .Mac member name and password in the "User name" and Password fields, respectively.


The Add Network Place Wizard dialog opens, asking you to name your new Network PlaceWindows fills this in for you.

6.

If you don't like the Network Place name that Windows provided, type a new name for your Network Place (such as My iDisk), and click Finish (Figure 3.28).

Figure 3.28. The final thing you need to do when creating your iDisk connection is to give it a name. This is the name that will appear under the icon in your My Network Places folder.


Your iDisk opens in a new window (Figure 3.29).

Figure 3.29. When you open your iDisk in Windows, it looks very much like any other storage device, complete with files and folders.


Tips

  • You can use the same steps to connect to someone else's iDisk, provided you know his or her member name and password.

  • To access your iDisk later, open My Network Places from the Windows desktop, and your saved iDisk location will appear in a new window. Double-click it to open your iDisk.


Buying More iDisk Storage

So, you've outgrown the relatively generous 1 GB of online storage provided with a standard .Mac account? To add some digital room to your iDisk, you can open the .Mac pane of System Preferences, click the iDisk tab, and then click the Buy More button.

This opens your Web browser and guides you through a three-step upgrade process in which you indicate that you want to buy more iDisk storage, provide payment (the system remembers the credit card you used to subscribe to .Mac), and confirm your purchase.

Your new iDisk capacity should be available within a few minutes of making the purchase.





.Mac with iWeb Visual QuickStart Guide Series
.Mac with iWeb, Second Edition
ISBN: 0321442288
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2006
Pages: 113

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