LaunchBox

Version 0.2.1

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Last update: Jan. 25, 2009

The previous version (v.0.1) was released when InnoTek didn’t offer VirtualBox Beta version. The purpose was to provide GUI and a easy way to use VirtualBox OSE. Naturally, the Beta release made LaunchBox change the direction and I’ve released version 0.2 as very simple application as it works on Dock. You can launch a virtual machine (VM) simply from Dock menu using LaunchBox 0.2. You don’t need to run VirtualBox itself.

The goal of LaunchBox is to launch Windows application from OS X (like Parallels) but I don’t think it’s possible to do that right now. I hope there will be a chance when InnoTek release Beta 3 or higher version.

Requirements

  • Mac OS X 10.4 or later (Intel Mac only)
  • VirtualBox 2.1


Download
Please be sure that LaunchBox is freeware but the redistribution is not allowed. While I have no problem with this program so far, I can’t guarantee it in your environment.
If you accept the above condition, please download the following file:

LaunchBox02.zip (48KB)

Installation
Unzip the file and put LaunchBox application into your favorite folder (”Application” folder or so). Run LaunchBox and you can see the icon in the dock. Click right mouse button or control + click the icon and choose “Open at Login”. That’s all. You don’t need any more settings.

Usage
Clicking RMB (control + click) the LaunchBox icon, you can see VMs which you set up using VirtualBox. Choose one of them and you’ll see the VM running. You can’t launch the multiple VMs (the limitation of VirtualBox).

lbox

Notes:
If you registered VirtualBox on your Dock, the icon will turn to VirtualBox’s OS icon when you launch the VM from LaunchBox. If you don’t like this you can remove the VirtualBox icon from Dock because you can run VirtualBox from LaunchBox.

You don’t need restart LaunchBox when you change the settings of VM (including addition and deletion of VM). But LaunchBox doesn’t recognize which VM is running when you run VM from VirtualBox.