How to add Spotlight comments to the bundled OS X apps?

Question

I'd like to add a Spotlight comment to TextEdit.app. Is that possible?

What I've done:

Open Finder
Browse to /Applications/
Select TextEdit
Press ⌘ + I (Get Info)
Click the lock icon to unlock the dialog
Click on Spotlight comment text field
Nothing happens. Even cut, copy and paste options are disabled in the context menu.

This seems to be the case for all the other OS X bundled apps as well (Font Book, iChat, iCal, …)

I could create an alias of the app and give comments to it, but are there any other ways?

You could also run Finder as root or use xattr.
– Lri
Commented Sep 25, 2012 at 11:49 — Lri, Commented Sep 25, 2012 at 11:49

JRobert · Accepted Answer · 2011-07-09 14:37:01Z

2

You need to have write permission for the bundle. After you open the lock:

answered Jul 9, 2011 at 14:37

JRobert

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1

You could also try to set them as root rather than changing permissions. Something like sudo xattr -w com.apple.metadata:kMDItemFinderComment "shazam" /Applications/Text\ Edit.app should do the trick
– bmike ♦
Commented Jul 9, 2011 at 16:21
@bmike, say, first time I'd like to flag a comment as "Not a comment — This was posted as a comment but it does answer the question. It should possibly be an answer." if I could :-D
– Jari Keinänen
Commented Jul 10, 2011 at 7:51
I didn't have time to test it well - xattr isn't the best documented or stable command on OS X so I wanted it as a comment. If I can test I'll answer this later, but feel free to answer it yourself with xattr - your thanks is all the reward I need.
– bmike ♦
Commented Jul 10, 2011 at 16:39

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