79
votes
How to create a text file in a folder
The simplest version does not require a file or folder to be selected, and adds a keyboard shortcut of your choice.
Part 1: Create a new Quick Action (was Service)
In Automator, create a new Quick ...
- 2,056
73
votes
Accepted
What is the purpose of Docker.raw file on Mac OS Catalina?
Docker for Mac stores Linux containers and images in a single, large file named Docker.raw. To reduce its size, after having pruned the unused docker objects (
https://docs.docker.com/config/pruning/ )...
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51
votes
Accepted
How to create a text file in a folder
If you have the Finder window open, use Spotlight to open TextEdit. When you're ready to save the file, option+drag the text file icon from the title bar of TextEdit into the Finder window where you ...
- 658
42
votes
What is this unknown executable on my boot volume? Is it Malicious?
This is SilverInstaller, adware to download more adware and ‘potentially unwanted programs’. This was likely distributed through fake Flash popups, which someone on the system clicked on, downloaded, ...
grg♦
- 195k
41
votes
How can I create a symbolic link in Terminal?
I know this question is explicitly asking about the Terminal, but if you're in GUI Land and don't want to enter Terminal Land, you can use SymbolicLinker. This puts a "Make Symbolic Link" ...
- 1,812
39
votes
29
votes
Accepted
Paste path into File Open/Save Dialog?
In your open/save window, press Cmd-Shift-G to open a window where you can paste the path.
This also works in Finder.
- 1,361
29
votes
How can one save a file as plain text in TextEdit?
With TextEdit in focus, select Format → Make Plain Text option in the Menu bar or use the keyboard shortcut Shift + Command + T to change the file encoding to plain text.
This will also set the ...
- 49.7k
22
votes
How to create a text file in a folder
Here is my workaround:
Do this once, create an empty text file in your desktop to serve as template.
Opt/Alt-drag this file to the folder to make a copy.
- 426
21
votes
Accepted
ZIP files created with GUI have more bytes than ZIP files created in a shell
Zipping from the Finder adds a folder __MACOSX, invisible on Macs, that contains OS X resource forks like custom icons and such. From Wikipedia:
The resource fork is a fork or section of a file on ...
- 564
21
votes
Accepted
Keep desktop icons as they are shortly after logging in
This is because it loads the previews of the files, which replace the default file icons. To disable icon previews on the desktop, click on the desktop, press ⌘J and uncheck ‘Show icon previews’.
grg♦
- 195k
19
votes
Why are dot underscore ._ files created, and how can I avoid them?
These files are created by the operating system to speed up searches, store metadata (data used by the OS) about a folder preferences, etc. Windows and OS X both have these kinds of files. Following, ...
- 207
19
votes
How to determine which process is creating a file?
fs_usage is your tool for this.
The file system usage tool is ideal since it taps in to the real time file system events and dumps activity to a file or the screen. Since you know the exact path of ...
- 229k
17
votes
Accepted
Charlie Stigler and other random items running in the background?
What you have discovered is one of the disaster areas for the new System Settings. Obviously copied from the iOS Settings without enough care and attention. On macOS this list of background apps is ...
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14
votes
Accepted
Can I open a text file in Preview from the Terminal?
Preview only works with PDF files and some image files (png, jpg, gif, tiff, bmp) so you won't be able to open a text file on Preview.
To open your info.txt file from terminal you need to choose an ...
- 264
14
votes
Which file types are "ineligible" for iCloud drive?
This is not an answer but here is a partial list of kind of file names that are considered ineligible for iCloud drive.
Warning: this list is purely based on trial and error on macOS 10.12.16. As of ...
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14
votes
How stop my IDE from showing hidden files on Sierra?
It's up to individual apps to decide whether to show hidden files and to provide options to change it.
The ‘AppleShowAllFiles’ key is written to ‘com.apple.Finder’, so it only applies in Finder. ...
grg♦
- 195k
12
votes
Accepted
What is the /bin/[ '[' file in OS X?
This command is for comparing values, checking file types etc.
Here's a man page:
NAME
test, [ -- condition evaluation utility
SYNOPSIS
test expression
[ expression ]
It's usually used like ...
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11
votes
Accepted
What is installer.failurerequests in the root directory?
It's safe to delete this file.
It is a file left behind by the OS X installer in later versions. It seems to always be there after installation, so its existence does not indicate a failure in it ...
- 73.4k
11
votes
Accepted
What will occur if the .DocumentRevisions-V100 folder is deleted?
Just because one cannot see something's purpose or value doesn't mean there isn't one!
If you delete the /.DocumentRevisions-V100 directory it will break the Document Revisions feature in OS X until ...
- 56.6k
11
votes
What is the purpose of Docker.raw file on Mac OS Catalina?
The answer to your question is in the Docker documentation:
Disk utilization in Docker for Mac
Docker Desktop stores Linux containers and images in a single, large “disk image” file in the Mac ...
- 5,018
10
votes
How can I create a symbolic link in Terminal?
ln -s /some/dir/ ~/Desktop/dir
You can also create a symlink for directory using the same command
ln -s "$(pwd)" ~/Desktop/dir
To create symlink to current directory you are in.
- 201
10
votes
Accepted
how to do a batch change (shift) of file creation date
Here is a condensed and modified version of the script info in the link I gave you in the comments. You can save it as a plain text file, without an extension, and make it executable per info in the ...
- 56.6k
10
votes
Accepted
Why is Mac OSX temp. directory in weird path
The reason for having these folders instead of a more simple /tmp that you might know from other systems is to prevent a number of security issues. Mainly some programs create files/folders/pipes in /...
- 73.4k
10
votes
Accepted
Delete metadata
Meta information and attributes is complex thing and I am not qualified to cover it extensively. Nevertheless. Distinction should be made between:
meta information in files (usually displayed in GUI ...
- 3,216
9
votes
How to change the default application for WEBLOC files?
Please note: This solution no longer works in macOS 13 Ventura (or already before?). Please see the other answers for solutions that work (and downvote this answer).
I have found a solution:
Make ...
- 860
9
votes
Accepted
How can I tell mac that program X can open file type Y?
You could edit Firefox's Firefox.app/Contents/Info.plist and add <string>pdf</string> e.g in the first CFBundleTypeExtensions array, but that would get ripped-off at the next Firefox ...
- 241
8
votes
Accepted
Processing videos through iMovie increases file size by 70x
You have inadvertently wandered into the murky realm of video codecs.
The screen recording you made with Quicktime was initially saved using the extremely efficient H.264 compression algorithm.
H....
- 241
8
votes
How to search Mac for files that begin or end with a space " " or period "."
With Finder as the active application, choose Find from the File menu. In the Searching "This Mac" window that brings up, select Kind is Document, then use + to add another condition with Name as the ...
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Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible