A Mac OS console application used to manage user preferences.
15
votes
5answers
15k views
How to always show menubar with fullscreen apps?
Does anyone know if it is possible to keep the menubar in Mac OS Lion visible for fullscreen apps instead of hidden until hovered over with a mouse or trackpad?
I imagine there's some Terminal ...
9
votes
1answer
707 views
How can I disable the delay + minimum distance when deleting icons from the Dock by dragging in Mountain Lion?
As you all know, Dock icons can be removed by simply clicking them and dragging them out of the Dock. As soon as the “poof” animation appears, you can release the mouse button to remove the icon.
...
6
votes
4answers
3k views
Can I change the default camera app on my iPhone?
In the latest iOS update (5.1) Apple added the camera to the lock screen, so now I don't need to unlock the phone to take a picture.
Is it possible to change which app is used for this?
I realise ...
6
votes
6answers
13k views
Move 'Pictures', 'Documents', 'Movies' etc folders
I would like to move folders like 'Pictures', 'Documents', 'Movies' to a different from default under the root of user's home location, preferably into a sub-folder under the same user's home folder.
...
6
votes
1answer
503 views
Set the default search to current folder?
The Finder's search bar is an integral part of my workflow. I am constantly using it to search the contents of files within various folders.
However, typing into this bar always searches the entire ...
5
votes
3answers
532 views
How do I change the location of screen captures on 10.5?
As a developer, I take a lot of screen captures. I often take a lot to share with StackExchange members on chat. The problem is my desktop is so cluttered with screen captures that they're now ...
5
votes
1answer
2k views
Disable screensaver password requirement from command line
I am trying to enable and disable the screensaver password requirement from the command line.
defaults read com.apple.screensaver
shows a variable askForPassword set to either 0 or 1, depending on ...
4
votes
3answers
1k views
Change the default application (for a file extension) via script/command line?
Is there a way to define the default application for a file extension via an Apple script, command line command (like defaults write [...]).
I know that you can change it manually via the information ...
4
votes
1answer
565 views
How to I set the scroll direction to be “non” natural for any new users created on a Lion machine?
When a new user account is created on a Lion machine, a "helpful" dialog appears to describe "Natural" scrolling.
I want to set the scrolling to be "unnatural" for any new users created - is there a ...
4
votes
2answers
346 views
How does the defaults domain ‘Network’ work? (/Network/Library/Preferences/)
How does the Network preference/defaults domain work on Mac OS? I see it referenced in a lot of Apple documentation, but I don’t understand this particular preference domain.
I get the user defaults ...
4
votes
1answer
202 views
How to specify that cover art for a video in iTunes should be a frame from a specific time in the video?
When I add a movie or other video to iTunes, it appears that iTunes selects a video frame from somewhere near the beginning of the video file as the default cover art — and most of the time this ...
4
votes
2answers
244 views
Change the default action to open executable files in the editor instead of Terminal
When double clicking an executable file (without a file extension) in Finder, it opens in Terminal by default. I can change that to any other application for this single file, but I cannot change the ...
3
votes
3answers
773 views
How to list all available .plist keys on a certain domain application by defaults command?
I want to know all keys (property list) which available on certain domain application, as example i could list available key for com.apple.dock by entering this command:
$ defaults read ...
3
votes
4answers
525 views
How to see all options configurable by “defaults write …”
Many Mac apps have "hidden" configurable options that can be modified in Terminal by using the defaults write ... command. This is straightforward to do if you know the name of the option that you ...
3
votes
1answer
2k views
What are the default permissions on the Applications folder in OS X supposed to be?
I was trying to run VirtualBox on OS X when I got the error:
Failed to open a session for the virtual machine tinyXP.
Failed to load VMMR0.r0 (VERR_SUPLIB_WORLD_WRITABLE).
Unknown error creating VM ...
3
votes
1answer
226 views
Screencapture with zooming
In Snow Leopard when I used a screencapture program (⇧⌃⌘4) on the screen area that was zoomed in (by using ⌃ + mouse wheel) the resulting screen shot has the same zoom factor. Super useful when I ...
2
votes
2answers
83 views
Change default shell from bash to zsh
I've tried to switch my default shell to zsh, using chsh:
chsh -s /bin/zsh
and:
chsh -s `which zsh`
Both commands ended with:
Changing shell for adamatan.
Password for adamatan:
chsh: ...
2
votes
1answer
45 views
Can I enable file removal in the open window on OS X?
Can I enable file removal in the open window on OS X?
The open or save dialogs do not allow you do do many opeations, like removing a file or renaming it.
Is there any hidden defaults preference ...
2
votes
2answers
1k views
How to change tap to click using “defaults write” from command line?
I want to change the trackpad tap-to-click property from the command line. Graphically, I can do it by clicking System Preferences -> Trackpad -> Tap to Click. How can I do it from the command line?
...
2
votes
2answers
683 views
Command Line method to backup using two Time Machine disks
Does anyone know of a command line method to select the active Time Machine disk? I would like to alternate between two backup disks for redundancy. I would like this to be automated, presumably via ...
2
votes
2answers
195 views
Spaces and Expose Overview using the 2nd Monitor
I have two monitors, and 9 (3x3) virtual desktops. When I invoke the Spaces overview mode of expose, everything gets pulled onto the primary display. It creates one overview with 3x3 desktops, ...
2
votes
2answers
200 views
Default background color in Textedit
How do I set default background color in Textedit?
Preferences -> New Document -> Font doesnt help.
That black on white isn't too good in nights.
2
votes
1answer
2k views
How to set default input source in Mac OS X Lion
I use two keyboard layouts (input sources) in my everyday work - the standard US and Russian-PC. In System Preferences/Language & Text/Input Sources I have activated the "Allow different input ...
2
votes
1answer
880 views
How to map the bottom right Trackpad corner to right-click programmatically?
I’m looking for a command (defaults write …) to enable right-click by tapping the bottom right Trackpad corner.
This can be enabled as follows: System Preferences → Trackpad → Point & Click → ...
1
vote
2answers
2k views
Choosing the default application does not stay as default after reboot
When I'm opening .avi files, I want to open them with VLC Media player, when right clicking the item, I see this:
As you can see QuickTime is the default player, I want to change it to VLC, so I ...
1
vote
1answer
31 views
Button “Use as Defaults” are missing in View Options panel (Mountain Lion)
I'm a very new user of Apple and Mac OS - coming straight from Windows so please bear with me if my question is a bit foolished.
I'm looking for a way to set my View Option as a default property ...
1
vote
1answer
26 views
Change default applications
I have somehow managed to replace the default movie player, with my FTP client. I'm not sure how that happened, but now every time I double click a movie file in Finder, my FTP client launches.
Can ...
1
vote
1answer
78 views
How to set default number formatting in Numbers?
In Numbers, I've seen how to change the default cell colour and font, based on table styles.
But how can one change the default number formatting? The default "American" formatting for dates, for ...
1
vote
2answers
151 views
How can I toggle magic mouse one finger swipe pages gesture via terminal?
How can I toggle magic mouse one finger swipe pages gesture via terminal?
The command defaults write -g AppleEnableSwipeNavigateWithScrolls -bool NO triggers checkbox in System Preferences, but ...
1
vote
1answer
690 views
How do you get ipod nano to display the watch face as the default view
Is there way to set the watch face as the default display?
I wear the iPod Nano as a wrist watch and I would like it display the watch face first when I press the power button.
Note: I'm asking ...
1
vote
1answer
39 views
Is there a default location for 'linux too applications'
I recently moved to OS X from Windows 7. In Windows, pretty much everything gets installed to C:\Program Files\[application name] or C:\[application name]. In OS X /Applications seems to be roughly ...
1
vote
1answer
661 views
How do I restore the audio balance to default?
On my iPod Touch, I was playing around with the audio balance setting (settings -> general -> accessibility)
How can I reset the balance setting so that it is precisely at the midpoint (i.e. the ...
1
vote
4answers
5k views
How Do I Restore the Default Settings in Lion?
I love playing with new operating systems, and also love to experience the default behaviour that Those That Be have decreed are the New Best Thing. Up until now, I've always - be it Windows or Mac OS ...
1
vote
1answer
1k views
Is it possible to somehow default the OSX preview window size on open for PDF files?
I have had this bug-bare for a while where preview always opens documents too small, I'm visually impaired and want them to default to open with two options
Default width to nearly 100% of screen, ...
1
vote
1answer
91 views
Set preview.app to default to “content only” view
Is there any way to make (Mountain Lion) Preview's default view 'content only'?
1
vote
1answer
43 views
How do I verify the integrity of my OSX installation? (Files, versions, and preferences)
I want to verify the files, and configuration settings for my OSX installation against a known good reference "base".
Assuming I have two identical Macs (hardware), with one being factory installed ...
1
vote
2answers
396 views
Default list of Quicklook Plugins for a fresh LION install? What QL plugins “should be” in /System/Library/Quicklook/?
This is an easy one for you all. I simply need people to list what Quicklook plugins they have installed in /System/Library/QuickLook.
I ask because I have a QL plugin named: Icon.qlgenerator in my ...
1
vote
1answer
71 views
iCal event invite colors
I receive ical event invites from my boss all time. Once I accept the invite and it goes to the ical on my mac, the color of the event changes into the default blue on my mac. My question is, how do I ...
1
vote
1answer
264 views
How to apply written defaults to a Magic Mouse (com.apple.driver.AppleBluetoothMultitouch.mouse)?
Running OSX 10.7.4
I wrote a script to swap Apple Magic Mouse secondary click.
The following simple bash script do modify the system preferences (can be seen in System Preferences GUI), but the mouse ...
0
votes
4answers
11k views
How do I change my default “from” email address for the iOS Mail app?
I changed my "Default Account" in Mail Preferences:
And this changes my default "from" address when I send an email from (say) the Twitter app
But when I use the Mail app to send an email, it uses ...
0
votes
1answer
138 views
How do I change the global stylesheet of Safari from the command line on OS X?
I am looking for a command line solution to change Safari default stylesheet.
This can be configured manually by going to Safari > Preferences > Advanced > Style sheets.
Still, I need this in order ...
0
votes
2answers
531 views
How to create a binary plist file from the command line on OS X?
I am looking for a solution to create a binary plist file from the command line on OS X?
I want to create the ~/.MacOSX/environment.plist and setup the PATH there.
I know that this plist file has to ...
0
votes
1answer
123 views
Defaults tool equivalent of Ctrl-F7
In OSX one can use Ctrl-F7 to change what the Tab key can move the focus between. By default it is only text boxes and lists but after pressing ctrl-f7 one can move between all ui elements.
I was ...
0
votes
1answer
97 views
Temporarily disable Notification Center in Mountain Lion from command line?
I've been trying to create a script to disable/enable the Notification Center, even if it's temporary. It should do the same as manually sliding the Notification Center, scrolling up, and toggling the ...
0
votes
1answer
71 views
Default chart colors Keynote showroom
I want to find out what are the default colors of a 3D bar chart in Showroom layout on keynote. When you add a new chart, you get this colors:
But I was unable to find them in the colors palette.
0
votes
2answers
41 views
Change the default Dock stack content display style
I love the Dock stacks. But I always use the list view option. I don't really fancy the default "Automatic" option. Do you know if it is possible (maybe using the defaults command?) to set the default ...
0
votes
1answer
110 views
How do I make TextEdit remember last Save As location in Mountain Lion?
First off, I have disabled iCloud as default location for Save As dialogs in TextEdit.app:
defaults write NSGlobalDomain NSDocumentSaveNewDocumentsToCloud -bool false
… But still, I have one ...
0
votes
1answer
108 views
How do I refresh Application metadata - URL handlers, Web browsers - after installing my own AppleScript?
I'm working on an Apple Script that handles URLs. There's a command one can give which re-creates the list that Safari shows to change the default web browser.
Anyone know what this is?
0
votes
1answer
126 views
specify Open With application for stacks
My application preferences were reset, and at which point the 'Open In Finder' arrow on the stacks is now opening iPhoto. Does anybody know how to change this?
0
votes
0answers
38 views
Is there a best / OSX-specific way to force all files created in a directory to have certain group ownership?
Basically I need any file filefoo that is newly created by userfoo or userbar, both members of groupfoo, in /Users/Shared/SpecialDirectory to have the same ownership that would be achieved by that ...
