91
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 ...
- 2,300
90
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/ )...
- 1,016
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♦
- 206k
39
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 ...
- 52.9k
27
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 ...
- 241k
26
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 ...
- 899
25
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 ...
- 12.1k
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♦
- 206k
16
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 ...
- 4,452
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♦
- 206k
14
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 /...
- 79.6k
14
votes
Accepted
How to remove a file which name seems to be "." on an SMB share?
As this is in a SMB mounted drive, the troublesome file needs to be removed in the source system (the server sharing the drive). The file is for sure named strangely for the SMB protocol to render it ...
- 104k
13
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 ...
- 59.8k
13
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 ...
- 5,818
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 ...
- 24.5k
11
votes
Delete metadata
You can look at ExifCleaner ... despite the name, it also cleans non-EXIF metadata, e.g., from PDF files.
Description from documenation:
Desktop app to clean metadata from images, videos, PDFs, and ...
- 241
11
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 ...
- 261
10
votes
How to create a text file in a folder
New File Applescript with Toolbar Icon
Found this open source gem. Can either use the .App or add the Applescript manually. Will add a New File widget to the Finder toolbar.
- 521
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
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 ...
- 899
9
votes
Accepted
Open a file with spaces in the name in Terminal
Either escape the space with a backslash or use quotes.
open Test\ Subject.jpg
open "Test Subject.jpg"
You can also use autocomplete with tab. Type open Test then ⇥ to autocomplete.
Take note of ...
grg♦
- 206k
9
votes
How to remove a file which name seems to be "." on an SMB share?
I'm crashing this party. The essential bit of information here seems to be that the following command fails with a permissions error, even though there is no obvious reason why it should:
rm -rf mytmp
...
- 3,015
8
votes
Which file types are "ineligible" for iCloud drive?
Files over 50 GB are ineligible. From official iCloud Drive FAQ:
You can store any type of file in iCloud Drive, as long as it's 50GB
or less in size (…).
- 181
8
votes
Accepted
Extended attributes reappear when reconnecting external drive
The cause of the problem—or, rather, the cause of the symptoms of the problem—is indeed explained by learning the content of the extended attribute com.apple.FinderInfo. It reveals that the Finder has ...
- 2,533
8
votes
Accepted
Fine-tuning "Open safe files after downloading"
The preferences file is located at ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.DownloadAssessment.plist
If the file doesn't exist, then create it and include the following:
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple ...
- 530
7
votes
Can I open a text file in Preview from the Terminal?
NB - If there are
any further questions about this answer please comment.
UPDATE
There's nothing wrong with the other answers, this one leverages a system command to convert the text file to a ...
- 358
7
votes
Accepted
How to batch rename files via Terminal using the file's date as filename?
for f in *.*; do
echo mv "$f" "$(stat -f '%Sm' -t '%Y-%m-%d %H.%M.%S' "$f").${f##*.}"
done
Or as a one-liner:
for f in *.*; do echo mv "$f" "$(stat -f '%Sm' -t '%Y-%m-%d %H.%M.%S' "$f").${f##*.}...
- 59.8k
7
votes
Accepted
Rename file names in directory to creation timestamp with second precision
If all the files are in the same directory, then in Terminal, changed directory, e.g. cd /path/to/directory and then use the following compound command:
for f in *.*; do echo mv -n "$f" "${f%.*}-$(...
- 59.8k
7
votes
What is the purpose of Docker.raw file on Mac OS Catalina?
The easiest way to reduce Docker.raw file size is by setting the preferences, as Docker official page states:
Select the Docker icon and then select Preferences > Resources > Advanced.
Source:...
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Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible