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macOS Hiding an App's Toolbar... Permanently?

F

fatrushets

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 10, 2010
5
0
Hello!

I'd like to begin by saying that I don't know anything about programming on a mac. I've modified some applications in terms of GUI and some minor behavior but I've done this mostly by following the steps of guides I find online.

My question: Is it possible to hide the toolbar in an application permanently? I use an app that has the clear button on the upper right hand corner of the window to toggle the visibility of the app's toolbar. The thing is that once the app is closed and reopened, the toolbar becomes visible again. Does anyone know if it is possible to prevent it from reappearing every time the app is launched? Maybe through adding a plist key?

It would be so awesome if you could help me! Thanks in advance!
 
fatrushets said:
Hello!

I'd like to begin by saying that I don't know anything about programming on a mac. I've modified some applications in terms of GUI and some minor behavior but I've done this mostly by following the steps of guides I find online.

My question: Is it possible to hide the toolbar in an application permanently? I use an app that has the clear button on the upper right hand corner of the window to toggle the visibility of the app's toolbar. The thing is that once the app is closed and reopened, the toolbar becomes visible again. Does anyone know if it is possible to prevent it from reappearing every time the app is launched? Maybe through adding a plist key?

It would be so awesome if you could help me! Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

You can use this function to hide the toolbar when the app starts(before the user can see it):
-(void)awakeFromNib
Click to expand...

You would have to edit code. PM me and I would be glad to help you on iChat or MSN.
 
Thanks for your response Fernando! I have never modified the actual code of any application. Do you think it would be a difficult or risky process? Is it even possible with an already existing app (as in downloaded over the internet)?

The application in question is AppCleaner, by the way. It would be incredibly useful if you could download it (or already have it) so you can see what I mean. I hope something can be done... Being a minimalist, I think the application looks a thousand times better with no tool bar, hehe!

Thank you very much in advance, brother!
 
fatrushets said:
Thanks for your response Fernando! I have never modified the actual code of any application. Do you think it would be a difficult or risky process? Is it even possible with an already existing app (as in downloaded over the internet)?

The application in question is AppCleaner, by the way. It would be incredibly useful if you could download it (or already have it) so you can see what I mean. I hope something can be done... Being a minimalist, I think the application looks a thousand times better with no tool bar, hehe!

Thank you very much in advance, brother!
Click to expand...

I can't say if it's difficult because it really depends of the written code and of your programming knowledge. If you're talking about modifying compiled apps downloaded from the web without having their source code, you can edit their interface on Interface Builder if the nibs are not compiled. If you want to modify any other part of the application, you must "reverse" the process. I've seen some programs that "decompile" apps written in Java, but I have never seen it for any other language. Editing compiled apps normally done with Assembly(good luck, this is really difficult). Note that it may be ilegal in some countries.

I saw what you want to modify, it can be done if the NIB you need to modify is not compiled. Do you have its source code?
 
Dang... I don't have the source code, and as I said before, I know nothing about mac programming. I'm guessing it would be an impossible mission for me in that case, right? It's fine, though. It was just a minor irritating quirk. No biggie. :)

In any case, thanks a lot, Fernando. I really appreciate your concern and your help! Keep being awesome, man!
 
fatrushets said:
Dang... I don't have the source code, and as I said before, I know nothing about mac programming. I'm guessing it would be an impossible mission for me in that case, right? It's fine, though. It was just a minor irritating quirk. No biggie. :)

In any case, thanks a lot, Fernando. I really appreciate your concern and your help! Keep being awesome, man!
Click to expand...

As I said, you can edit the interface with Interface Builder, which is not dificult. You would just have to delete somethings from the interface. Try this for editing compiled NIBS:

http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20081121083323825

NOTE: I haven't tried it.

You're welcome :)
 
Fernando, I downloaded XCode with Interface Builder. I have been opening some of the nibs I can find in the Resources folder of the app, but I can't figure out where the toolbar is or how to keep it hidden. The nibs I can find under the English.Iproj are:
- About.nib
- History.nib
- MainMenu.nib
- Preferences.nib

Under the MainMenu nib I think I found the main application window. I don't see any reference to the menu, though. Any ideas? Am I looking in the wrong place?
 
fatrushets said:
Fernando, I downloaded XCode with Interface Builder. I have been opening some of the nibs I can find in the Resources folder of the app, but I can't figure out where the toolbar is or how to keep it hidden. The nibs I can find under the English.Iproj are:
- About.nib
- History.nib
- MainMenu.nib
- Preferences.nib

Under the MainMenu nib I think I found the main application window. I don't see any reference to the menu, though. Any ideas? Am I looking in the wrong place?
Click to expand...

I just tried editing it, but I couldn't get it to be displayed the way you want. This is probably done programmatly. If you had the source code, I could help you. Sorry :(
 
Yeah... I've been reading up a bit about toolbar programing, and I figured that would be the problem. The app is not open source so I guess I ran out of options.

Thanks anyway, bro! You've been very helpful :)
 
fatrushets said:
Yeah... I've been reading up a bit about toolbar programing, and I figured that would be the problem. The app is not open source so I guess I ran out of options.

Thanks anyway, bro! You've been very helpful :)
Click to expand...

You haven't ran out of option. You still can decompile it, but this is very hard to do. So, I would say you ran out of options. Sorry, I couldn't solve the problem. :(
 
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