Some Advice Please

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I downloaded Open Office and for some reason it doesn't seem to be installed in my apps. There is the little Chicklette looking icon on the desk top that when I try to delete it I get a message the program is in use. What do I have to do to make sure it is installed correctly? Here's what's on my desk top
Thanks guys

screenshot20110329at523.png
 

robduckyworth


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you have to drag the open office (the blue icon) on the right into applications folder. that installs it. then eject the disk image in finder (the thing on the desktop) before you delete it.
 

RavingMac

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The first time you do this it is so obvious that its hard to believe this is what you really do, but you should:

1) Click in the righthand window that says OpenOffice. Click and hold on the OpenOffice Icon and drag it to the right in the window and drop it on top of the Applications Folder Icon. The program will then install.
2) When you are done and have closed APPs and Folders. Drag the 'Chicklet' to the trash and it will eject and you are done.
 
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Man, you guys are so awesome at responding with answers to stuff like this. I somehow have installed other things in a round about way, but this makes it a lot simpler. thanks so much.
 
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Darn. I thought I had it, but it won't let me eject or trash the chicklet because it says it's being used. Why would Open Office Be using it when I don't have it open? I did drag the blue icon into apps, then tried ejecting the chicklet. Good Grief. Now what?
screenshot20110329at328.png
 

robduckyworth


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is it open? if so close it. you have an alias for the disk image in your applications folder you might want to delete. if that doesnt work, try rebooting the computer, then deleting.
 

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It seems that somehow you made a shortcut to the OpenOffice.org virtual disk and put it in your Applications folder. See that white icon next to the blue OpenOffice.org icon? The one that says "OpenOffice.org 3.3"? Get rid of that - drag it to the trash and then empty the trash. Then you should be good to go.
 
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OK, I re booted and it's gone. It's like it was installed right, but the dam icon had a brain fart and didn't want to go away. Thanks for the help guys.
 

cwa107


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OK, I re booted and it's gone. It's like it was installed right, but the dam icon had a brain fart and didn't want to go away. Thanks for the help guys.

I want to make sure you fully understand what's going on here - because once you fully grok it, it becomes second nature.

Mac software as downloaded from the Internet typically comes in DMG files. DMG files are "disk images", that is, they're like a snapshot of a CD/DVD. When you double-click the DMG file, your computer "mounts" it, much like when you insert a CD into the drive.

This is why the icon for most mounted DMG files kind-of looks like a disk drive.

So, once it's mounted, double-click on it just like you would any other disk. Inside you'll find the program that is stored on the virtual disk. At this point, you'll typically want to drag the program to your Applications folder and drop it there. The program is installed once this is done and you can eject the virtual disk (and delete the original DMG file if you so choose).

Now, some programs (like OpenOffice) have a handy little guide with a link to your Applications folder. A link is kind of like a shortcut on Windows, it's not the Applications folder itself, just a pointer to it (this is why you have a little arrow symbol at the bottom corner of the Applications icon).

So, when you drag the program icon to the Applications link, it's redirected right into your Applications folder.

That was kind of a mouthful, hope you're still with me :) ....

Once your Application has arrived safely into the Applications folder, it can live there permanently. You can either open your Applications stack from the Dock and find the program and run it, or you can open the Finder, browse to the Applications folder and run it from there.

Now, another cool trick is this - if this is an application you're going to want to access a lot, you can drag it from the Applications folder and drop it onto the Dock. There it will live for as long as you so choose. If you want to get rid of it, just drag it out of the dock (it's still in your Applications folder, don't worry).

Hope that helps. It's a little abstract if you're coming from the Windows world of complex installers and zip files, but it makes sense once you "get it".
 
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My way of explaining it to Windows users is that a Mac .dmg file is similar to a Windows .exe files. You download it in order to install the program that's contained inside, but once it's installed you throw the container away.
 

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