I would like to know where is the folder of temporary files in system. For example, in Windows is the folder:
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrador\Configuración local\Temp
asked Jun 26, 2013 at 14:08
4 Answers
OS X generates a programmatic directory stored in /private/var and defines the $TMPDIR environment variable for locating the system temporary folder.
Using Terminal.app, type echo $TMPDIR or open $TMPDIR (to open Finder on that folder).
There you will find temp files stored by the Applications running.
Source: https://superuser.com/questions/581347/where-is-the-temp-folder-inos-x
Since OS X is based on UNIX, there are several types of temporary directories, in addition the the "system" one where it stores things.
- $TMPDIR which is generated like
/var/folders/xl/84p38nhj405frmrkdpqb3v9c0000gn/T/ /private/tmp/private/var/tmp/private/var/at/tmp/private/var/spool/cups/tmp
answered May 18, 2014 at 1:08
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1If you run a
ls -la /you will see thatvar -> private/var. My answer is from 2014, so I can't really tell if that was the case back then. Still/varis just a link to real folder/private/var, probably to fulfill unix's conventions. Commented Mar 4, 2022 at 14:29
Your question has a false premise that there IS a "temp" folder. This isn't Windows, and the Unix architecture of Mac OS X is entirely different. Temp folder for what? For some low level junk, there's /tmp and /var/tmp. For Application preferences there's ~/Library/Preferences, for Application caches and temp files, there's ~/Library/Application\ Support.
A clearer answer would be possible if you specified the particular task you're trying to accomplish.
answered Jun 26, 2013 at 16:41
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17I think the OP is not trying to accomplish any task but rather wants to understand how OS X works. He's specifically asking for the equivalent of
%USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Temp(%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Tempon Vista and newer), not%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Temporary Internet Filesor the like. That's probably/tmp(symlink to/private/tmp) and/var/tmp, the difference being that/tmpgets wiped clean at startup. I wouldn't say~/Library/Application Supportand~/Library/Preferencesare temp folders as apps use them to save persistent data like state and settings.– jaumeCommented Jun 27, 2013 at 10:02 -
Are you saying that there isn't a temp folder? Your answer would be refuted by this superuser.com/questions/581347/where-is-the-temp-folder-in-os-x which also makes this question a duplicate.– AllanCommented Mar 10, 2016 at 18:54
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3@Alexander No need to be condescending towards new users. As you've listed out many examples of what a program might use a temporary directory for, you might as well list them all out in a style like lucasarruda's answer.– Ky -Commented Feb 28, 2018 at 15:25
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/tmp is the general location for temporary files in Mac OS X, as well as most UNIX-like systems.
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$TMPDIRis an environment variable that points to a temporary directory like/tmp, not a temporary directory itself. You can set$TMPDIRto any value you want (and it will work as long as the directory exists and has the sticky bit set).– jaumeCommented Jun 27, 2013 at 10:21
The temporary directory for user specific temp files is given by the environment variable TMPDIR. This is under /var/tmp On my Yosemite login it is TMPDIR=/var/folders/11/d839g3h52m55ps0l8f621b8m0000gp/T/
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1Note that this also changes periodically. I haven't found any consistent behavior, which I suppose is good, if what you're storing in these folders truly is ephemeral.– Ky -Commented Feb 28, 2018 at 15:26
launchdand some other daemons use/private/tmp/and/var/tmpfor temporary files and sockets./tmpis a symlink to/private/tmp./tmpis wiped upon reboot, while/var/tmpis not.