Stanford Desktop Tools (SDT) checks for updates to Stanford site-licensed software on a schedule that you specify. You can launch SDT at your convenience and install the updates from within the tool.

SDT Pro is an advanced version of Stanford Desktop Tools that keeps your applications up-to date automatically. You are not prompted to update your software in most cases. After your install Stanford Desktop Tools, you can upgrade to SDT Pro from with the tool. BigFix is required for SDT Pro.

You can also authenticate to Kerberos and access Stanford OpenAFS functions, if the applications are installed, via the Stanford Desktop Tools shortcut menu.

Install Stanford Desktop Tools

1. Download and run the Stanford Desktop Tools installer.
2. At the Welcome window, click Continue.
   
   
3. If you wish, read the release notes, print them, or save them. Then, click Continue.
   
   
4. Read the license agreement and click Continue. Then, click Agree.
   
   
5. Select your hard drive as the destination for installing the software and then click Continue.
   
   
6. Click Install to begin the installation.
   
   
7. When prompted, enter your administrator password for the Mac and click OK.
   
   
8. At the prompt, click Continue Installation to acknowledge that you need to restart your computer after the software finishes installing.
   
   
9. When the installation has completed, click Restart.
   
   
10. After your computer restarts, the Stanford Desktop Tools icon appears in the dock.
    Note: If the icon is not displayed in the dock, you can launch Stanford Desktop Tools by by navigating to the Applications > Stanford > STD folder and clicking Stanford Desktop Tools.

Stanford Desktop Tools vs SDT Pro

After installing the software, you can set your update preferences for Stanford Desktop Tools or you can upgrade to SDT Pro. The main reason for upgrading to SDT Pro is that your software is kept up-to-date automatically — installation and updates happen in the background. With Stanford Desktop Tools, you are notified of updates but you are responsible for launching SDT and installing them.

SDT Pro

Upgrade to SDT Pro

1. The first time you install Stanford Desktop Tools, the Setup Assistant opens automatically. If Setup Assistant opens, click Next to display the list of software you want to keep updated.
   
   Otherwise, click the SDT icon in the dock to open Stanford Desktop Tools and then click the Manage Subscriptions link.
2. On the software updates screen, click Upgrade to SDT Pro.
   
   
3. If BigFix is not installed you will be prompted to install it before continuing with the upgrade to SDT Pro.
   Note: See the BigFix Client Installation for Mac OS X page for more information.
4. A message displays saying that your computer needs to be restarted after the update. Click Yes to continue.
   
   
5. Enter your administrator password for the Mac and click OK.
   
   
6. A message displays asking you to restart your computer. Click Yes to restart now.
   
   

Notes about SDT Pro

• When you upgrade to SDT Pro, Stanford Desktop Tools no longer downloads or installs the subscribed software. This is now done by BigFix.
• After upgrading, if you launch SDT Pro before BigFix has finished its initial configuration you'll see a message asking you to try again later. Typically, it can take one to two hours for the configuration file to download.
  
  
• Applications that are installed on your computer and managed by SDT are automatically kept up-to-date. The only way to not keep an application up-to-date is to uninstall it. (In SDT Pro, the Unsubscribe button turns into Uninstall.)
• When you upgrade to SDT Pro, the color of the SDT icon in the dock changes from red to gold .
• Applications that are identified with a red circle cannot be uninstalled.

Downgrade from SDT Pro

If you would like to return to Stanford Desktop Tools, you can downgrade from SDT Pro. The process is similar to upgrading. You need to restart your computer for the upgrade to take effect.

1. Open Stanford Desktop Tools and click the Manage Subscriptions link.
2. Click Downgrade from SDT Pro.
3. A message displays saying that your computer needs to be restarted after the update. Click Yes to continue.
4. Enter your administrator password for the Mac and click OK.
5. A message displays asking you to restart your computer. Click Yes to restart now.
6. After your computer restarts, the color of the SDT icon in the dock changes from gold to red .

Stanford Desktop Tools

Stanford Desktop Tools lets you select which applications you want to be notified about when updates are available. You can specify how often you want STD to check for updates. You can then launch Stanford Desktop Tools at your convenience and install the updates from within the tool.

Configure update preferences

The Setup Assistant opens automatically the first time you install Stanford Desktop Tools. It walks you through the process of setting up your software update preferences.

You can change your preference settings any time by launching Stanford Desktop Tools and clicking the Manage Subscriptions link.

1. Configure the following options:
   • Launch Stanford Desktop Tools at login: check this box if you want to have the Stanford Desktop Tools icon available in the dock (default). If this box is not checked, you can launch Stanford Desktop Tools by navigating to the Applications > Stanford > SDT folder and clicking Stanford Desktop Tools.
   • Sounds to play when updates become available: if you want to be notified by sound when updates become available, click the Non-critical updates and/or Critical updates arrow and choose Default. Or, choose your own sound by using the Browse button to locate a .WAV file on your computer. To preview the sound you have selected, click the Play arrow.
      
   
2. Click Next.
3. Select the software you want to keep updated:
   • To add a program to the list of software you are keeping updated with Stanford Desktop Tools, click a program in the list of available applications on the left and then click Subscribe.
   • To remove a program from your list of subscriptions, click a program in the list of selected applications on the right and then click Unsubscribe.
   Note: Recommended software for all Stanford computers is indicated by a red circle .
   
   
4. Click Next to continue.
5. To automatically check for updates to the programs to which you have subscribed, click the Automatically check for updates box and specify the frequency (once per day, per week, or per month). The default is to check for updates weekly.
   
   
6. Click Finish to save your preferences and close the Setup Assistant.

Install software

After installing Stanford Desktop Tools and configuring your preferences, check to see whether there are any programs or updates to install.

1. Open Stanford Desktop Tools by clicking the SDT icon in the dock.
   (You can also open Stanford Desktop Tools by navigating to the Applications > Stanford > SDT folder and clicking Stanford Desktop Tools.)
2. To install a program to which you have subscribed, click the corresponding Not Installed link. To update a program, click the Update Required link.
   
   Note: You can subscribe or unsubscribe to software by clicking the Manage Subscriptions link.
   
   
3. A dialog box telling you what software will be installed is displayed. Click OK to begin the installation.
   Note: During installation, the SDT icon changes to an installation in progress icon in the dock.
   
   
4. If you are prompted to authenticate, enter your administrator password for the Mac.
5. When you are finished updating your software, click Close.

Check for software updates

Stanford Desktop Tools automatically checks for software updates according to the schedule you set in the preferences. If updates are available for any of your software subscriptions, you will be notified.

1. When Stanford Desktop Tools automatically checks for updates, a yellow triangle is displayed on top of the the SDT icon in the dock if updates are available
   
   Note: If an update is urgent, typically to address security vulnerabilities, the yellow triangle remains visible until the urgent update is installed.
2. Click the SDT update available icon to display a message describing the available updates.
   
   
3. Click OK to open Stanford Desktop Tools.
4. Click the link in the Program Status column to update your software.
   
   
5. If you want to check for updates manually, click the Stanford Desktop tools icon in the dock. Alternatively, you can right-click (or CONTROL + click) the Stanford Desktop Tools icon and then click Check for Software Updates in the pop-up menu.
   
   
6. A message displays letting you know whether or not software updates are available.
   
   

Access other applications through Stanford Desktop Tools

You can authenticate to Kerberos and access OpenAFS from the SDT shortcut menu. To access these functions, right-click (or CONTROL + click) the Stanford Desktop Tools icon to display the menu.

Authenticate to Kerberos

Some services at Stanford, such as Stanford OpenAFS, use Kerberos for authentication. You can authenticate to Kerberos at any time using the Stanford Desktop Tools shortcut menu. See Authenticating to Kerberos for more information.

Access Stanford OpenAFS

You can access Stanford OpenAFS functions to mount AFS volumes and manage pts groups from the Stanford Desktop Tools shortcut menu. See Install Stanford OpenAFS on Macintosh for more information.

More information

If you have a specific question about Stanford Desktop Tools, try using the Stanford IT Services knowledge base, Stanford Answers.

If you encounter problems or need assistance, please submit a HelpSU request.