A “drop box” is basically a folder within your Public folder.
By default, its access is disabled (Write Only).
But you are only a few simple steps away from enabling it.
This tutorial was written based on Leopard.
Users of other platforms may find small differences in navigation.
Alright, let’s get started.
Head to System Preferences.
Check the box next to “File Sharing” to enable local file sharing on your Mac.
You want to control this folder from unauthorized changes.
Your Public folder is your general sharing folder.
Here is where you place anything you want to share with others on your local online grid.
Due to the ‘Read Only’ rights, viewers cannot do anything else with the files here.
Located within the Public Folder is the Drop Box.
This elusive folder is the target of your interest.
To new Mac users, this may deter them from simply dropping files into the folder.
So we enable ‘Read & Write’ rights to make things easier.
To do that, right-tap on the Drop Box folder and select ‘Get Info’.
This will bring up the info window.
Scroll all the way down and choose the lock icon.
You will be asked to bang out your user password for authentication.
Now, you are able to set the rights for “Everyone” to ‘Read & Write’.
I actually find the ‘Write Only’ mode quite irritating.
Other users won’t be able to double-look to see if the file has been transferred.
Turning on ‘Read & Write’ access is much friendlier.
Okay, so your Drop Box has been set up.
Here is where we add notification for this folder.
Right-choose Drop Box and under ‘More’, choose ‘Enable Folder Actions’.
Again, right-punch Drop box and scroll down to ‘More’ but now punch ‘Attach a Folder Action’.
Navigate to/Your HD/Library/Scripts/Folder Action Scriptsand select “add - new item alert.scpt”.
Now whenever anyone adds files to your Drop Box, you will be alerted.
Another option would be to installDropCopyfor Leopard and Tiger.
It provides simple local connection file-sharing.
All you better do is install it on every networked Mac.
Using Bonjour, it finds all Macs on the same web link.
Sadly, this program is limited to work with only 3 machines.
To see DropCopy in action, visit theirwebsite.
