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Shared Device Alias

This Hint outlines a simple process to create a Desktop Alias to connect to a shared Drive/Folder. Most users connect to a shared device via the Finder's Go menu. This requires that the user selects the Connect to Server option, selects in the new window the folder/drive from the Favorite Servers list and clicks the Connect button. A total of 4 steps, by following the process outlined below this can be reduced to a simple double-click action.

Before starting we need to check the Finder’s Preference Settings to make sure that the Show Connected servers on the Desktop option is selected:

Now, connect to your shared drive/folder via the Finder's Go menu. After being connected you should have a Shared Device icon on the desktop like this one:

Now do a CTRL Click (holding down the CTRL key and clicking) on the GroupShare Desktop icon to open the context menu. Select (click) on the Make Alias option.

Note: If you have a two button mouse, instead of the CTRL click do a right mouse button click.

You will now have a additional Desktop icon labeled GroupShare alias. You can tell by the alias indicator (bend arrow ) at the bottom left side of the new icon that it is a alias.

We could stop here, however I don't like the name ending in "alias", it just does not tell me what I really want this for. Therefore I will rename it. To do so do a CTRL (or mouse right) click on the new GroupShare alias and select the Get Info option:

The Info window for the GroupShare alias will open:

To change the name we have to open the Name and Extension section by clicking on the triangle to the left of the section header:

We will replace GroupShare alias with Connect to GroupShare. When done we click on the red circle (bubble) in the top-left corner of our Info window.

Our alias icon will now have the new name we entered:

As a final step, let's clean up the desktop. We first do a CTRL (or mouse right) click on the new GroupShare icon and select the Eject "GroupShare" option:

With the GroupShare icon gone we can now move the Connect to GroupShare icon to is permanent position on our desktop.

That's it, we are done. Now each time we want to connect to the GroupShare folder all we have to do is double-click on the Connect to GroupShare Desktop icon.

If you like to have the Connect to GroupShare icon in your dock instead on the Desktop, check out my other hint Shared Device in Dock.