Add SSH Shortcut on Mac OS X to Rackspace Cloud Server

You can add SSH Shortcut on Mac OS X to Rackspace Cloud Server for a Direct SSH Login . It uses Apple Binary plist and not safe for all hosts. This is very easy to create and more easy to perform day to day work. But the user must be very advanced user, else; clicking the shortcut if the SSH login happen without password; a simple rm -r * command will work fine <!> to destroy the whole device! This is not suitable for Linode, Amazon, DigitalOcean either due to lack of almost instant restore feature in case of a sudden disaster. Obviously it will work; but it is dangerous for them.

Add SSH Shortcut on Mac OS X to Rackspace Cloud Server : Inspiration

The inspiration came from a Racker’s port :

However, it is too primitive and does not reveal the real scripting part behind how the thing actually works. That is, definitely a good guide; else we could never make it more better. Actually, you need not to add the bookmark, only typing / copy pasting the format on Safari’s address bar and dragging the blue aqua globe icon will work fine :

If you copy paste the IP on Safari’s address bar and hit return key, by default it will launch Terminal and prompt you whether to do the action or not. If you accept, it will launch Terminal and run the command.

When you are creating the shortcut with drag and drop; you are creating a Binary plist file. That is bplist file with the extension .inetloc. Up to this, Jered Heeschen told you on that guide (except explaining the Binary plist part ). As Jered Heeschen is not writing a general purpose blog, that much is great for the users. We have to write something more interesting!

Add SSH Shortcut on Mac OS X to Rackspace Cloud Server : Binary plist Stuffs

TextEdit has a function to make it a Plain Text. The shortcut is LEFT SHIFT + COMMAND + T – this actually toggles and has more functions depending on situation. By default, after creating a new document hitting LEFT SHIFT + COMMAND + T makes a plain text file. The content of the file to do SSH is like this :

Copy Pasting will not work, because that is not the way to create a Binary plist file executable. If you use the drag and drop method, usually right click / command click > Get Info thing will offer you lot of options to become happy. So, it is not a Safari Bookmark (it is better to avoid for the sake of ownership, permission etc.).

Actually there is complex method involved behind – it is depended on X Forwarding, else UNIX will become like vulnerable Microsoft Windows. Eventually, it might not work at all after a time – UNIX Wheel Group will stop you. We provided you the IP – 173.203.44.122 – only clicking the file can provoke such behavior.

Instead of SOOOOOO much fighting, I guess the easy way is to create a hyperlinked HTML file like this :

and save as any name.html file on desktop. If you double click this file, a HTML file will open on your fav browser. You will see a clickable link. If you click the hyperlink the action performed will be exactly like the Binary plist file. If you have 5 servers, then you can create an unordered list. Here is an example HTML file’s image :

The file and GitHub repo is here :