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.

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 where you want to install Stanford Desktop Tools.
   
   
6. Click Install to begin the installation.
   
   
7. When prompted, enter your administrator password for the Mac and click Install Software.
   
   
8. When the installation has completed, click Close.
   
   
9. The Stanford Desktop Tools icon will now appear 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.app.
10. If you see a message asking whether you want Stanford Desktop Tools to accept incoming network connections, click Allow.
    
    

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.app.
   • 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.app.)
2. To install a program to which you have subscribed, click the corresponding Not Installed or Download 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 University IT knowledge base, Stanford Answers.

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