Starting certain menubar apps places them to the right of the Spotlight

[retrovertigo]

I'm using Tunnelblick to manage my OpenVPN connection, and when I add it to my login items in my user account it places the icon to the right of the Spotlight, like so:

I tried deleting all my login items and putting Tunnelblick at the top of the list, but I had no luck, the icon still shows up all the way to the right. If I quit it and then start it manually, I can get it to show up where it should (to the left of the Spotlight). Does anyone know a way around this annoyance?

 

[Eniregnat]

I don't use that application. Menubar applications are either statonary, not movable, or repositionable. Non movabale icons can be ordered by their loading order, see below.

Repostionable icons can be moved by command-clicking on the icon, and sliding it sideways. They generaly remember where they are replaced. I would try this first.

It can be a little difficult getting some menubar items to load in the order you want. I wrote a script that loads the the menubar items I use in the order I want.

• *Eniregnat's boot script
  tell application "Finder"
  activate
  open application file "MoofMenu.app" of folder "Applications" of startup disk
  open application file "Check Off.app" of folder "menubar" of folder "Applications" of startup disk
  open application file "BackLight 2.app" of folder "menubar" of folder "Applications" of startup disk
  open application file "Calq.app" of folder "menubar" of folder "Applications" of startup disk
  open application file "coconutWiFi.app" of folder "menubar" of folder "Applications" of startup disk
  open application file "iClip.app" of folder "menubar" of folder "Applications" of startup disk
  end tell

The script still has to be saved as an application, but this allows you to easly change the order, if you use a lot of menubar items. I have a 12" screen, so the order of my menubar items is important, and loading them in a particular order in OSX is difficut, as there is no easy to reorder start up items. This is really over kill, but it works.

From left to right, my menubar has iClip, CheqOff, CoconutWifi, MoofMenu, Calq, Backlite, SlimBatteryMonitor, Airport, SpellCatcher, Time, MenuCalandarClock, and Spotlight. If you notice, some of the menubar items are not part of my script, and that is because to get them in just the right order, they load directly from the Startup Items. I could put a pause in my script so each item loads in order, but this is actualy rather efficent.

 

[retrovertigo]

OK, I'll give that a try. 3 questions, though.

1) Do you write the script in Script Editor?
2) By "save as an application", what do you mean?
3) Where do you run the script, in the ~/.xinitrc?

Thanks.

 

[Eniregnat]

1) Do you write the script in Script Editor?

Yes

2) By "save as an application", what do you mean?

In the AppleScript Editor you can save an application as a script, an application, script bundle, application bundle, and as text. Choose, Application, and uncheck the Startup screen and run only options. Also save as a script. Save it someplace where you will remember it. Add the script to the Startup Items.

3) Where do you run the script, in the ~/.xinitrc?

It will run like any other application. No reason to use the Terminal.

Did you try the command-click to slide it sideways?

 

[retrovertigo]

Yeah, I already knew about Command-Click, it didn't work. Why all icons aren't movable like that, I'll never understand. Hopefully this is something that will be resolved when Leopard is released.

I'll give this a try tonight and post back here with the results. Thanks for the suggestion.