Tagged Questions

2
votes
2answers
44 views

How do I investigate commands being run when changing directories?

I see “awk”, “find”, “sed”, and “which” momentarily appear in my Terminal window's title when changing directories.  (And not all of these always appear and there could be some I'm missing; I imagine ...
0
votes
0answers
73 views

Arranging files in a folder Mac?

Im running Mac OS X Lion 10.8.2 and every time I boot up and go to my Applications folder the apps are all over the place, I proceed by arranging them alphabetically but later they are all over the ...
1
vote
1answer
254 views

Syncronization between folders MAC OS Lion

I have an iMac at home and I use a Macbook pro for work. I also have a time capsule at home containing my main folder with my main files. I use it as a NAS besides the Time Machine backup tool. ...
4
votes
3answers
103 views

Visualize files and directories

Is there an application (ideally for Mac) that would allow you to visualize / display graphically all the files and sub-directories within a directory?
2
votes
1answer
57 views

GUIs treat /tmp as a file

A friend was having trouble using cp to copy a disk image (a sparsebundle to be precise). I figured out that the line he was using copied all of the /contents/ (sparsebundles are packages, i.e. ...
1
vote
1answer
1k views

Sync folder outside SkyDrive on OS X

After the recent 25 GB update, I wanted to sync my pictures with SkyDrive as I finally have enough space (My almost 10 GB Dropbox is full with other data and I need more than 10 GB for my pictures ...
1
vote
2answers
218 views

chdir warning when opening .tar file on OS X

I need to unarchive a file to the /Developer folder. Install Qt for iOS SDK The Qt for iOS SDK has been configured to be installed in the default Xcode installation location /Developer. It ...
2
votes
1answer
147 views

What command sequence can I use to delete directories but not their files?

How do I delete directories but not the files inside them? I have tried the following: rm -di /Users/arthur/Desktop/MyFolder remove /Users/arthur/Desktop/MyFolder? y rm: ...
0
votes
1answer
406 views

How do I access application folders on a Mac?

I have a software program where on a PC, I can access sub-folders where the owner's manual, sub-folders, etc. reside. It is cross-platformed and I installed on my Mac. How do I get to that ...
2
votes
2answers
1k views

Where is the Mozilla Firefox plugins folder on a Mac

I downloaded Firefox and installed in my directory (instead of /Applications since I don't have admin rights). How can I find out where the plugins folder is located? My related question: Installing ...
0
votes
1answer
491 views

Mac OS X Folder Sync Tool

I want to synchronize a folder containing a lots of Word documents between my MacBook Air and my MacMini. Im running Lion on both machines. If a document has changed on both sides I would like to have ...
2
votes
1answer
1k views

Reset view preferences for all mac folders

I would like to reset the preferences for all my Mac OS X folders. Is this possible?
2
votes
3answers
708 views

How do I compare the contents of two folders on a Mac?

Here's my deal in a nutshell: I use a Macbook and a PC, where I sync 2-3 large folders between the two with Windows Live Mesh. About 5 days ago my Macbook battery died, and I just upgraded to a ...
2
votes
4answers
1k views

Fast large folder comparison utility on Mac (maybe Windows)

I am looking for a tool that could help me compare the contents of 2 big folders and detect what's changed in one of them (files added, modified, moved, copied) compared to the target. I also want to ...
1
vote
4answers
2k views

How do I create a hidden file or folder in OS X?

I need to create ultra/super hidden folder in OS X. In Windows there are possibilities to create a super hidden folder, for example, using attrib +s +h Hidden the "Hidden" folder will be hidden. ...
4
votes
1answer
210 views

Make an Os X Smart folder containing only the first child folders of its parent folder

I am tryng to create a smart search that just lists the folders within a folder. The trouble is that, by default, the search goes within those folders and finds others. I just want those top level ...
2
votes
1answer
388 views

Unhide a Windows hidden folder in OS X

I had a Windows 7 machine which I have now taken to work since I got myself a Macbook Pro. I used my external drive with my Windows machine earlier. It had some hidden folders in the disk which I ...
3
votes
1answer
1k views

How do I create a new folder shortcut key?

Does anyone know the shortcut key to create a new folder in Windows Explorer and in Finder? Also, does anyone know the shortcut key to create a new folder on the desktop? (I'm using windows vista ...
1
vote
1answer
361 views

/private folder on OSX lost it's '@' attribute

Somehow my /private folder lost it's '@' attribute. Now, the folder shows up in my finder: 0 drwxr-xr-x 6 root wheel 204 Mar 1 21:25 private This is what it should be: 0 drwxr-xr-x@ 6 ...
2
votes
1answer
313 views

In MacOS X, how do I prevent a folder with extension .theme being treated as a package?

So I have a folder name ending in .theme and I can't change it to anything else. (It's part of a Plone installation with XDV.) This makes OS X think it's an iDVD theme, not a folder. To browse its ...
1
vote
1answer
83 views

rm'd dirs in Users/home/ reappear in OSX [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: Stop Mac OS from re-creating ~/Pictures, ~/Music, or ~/Public Hi, I su'd to root and deleted some stock directories in my home folder such as Documents, Music, Pictures ...
2
votes
1answer
818 views

Setting the default Local folder in Coda?

I just started using Coda and the local folder defaults to my home directory when I open the program. Is there a way to set the default local folder in Coda to my web development folder?
2
votes
5answers
1k views

View all files in folder structure (in Ubuntu or MacOS)

Call I view all files in a folder structure (i.e., in all of the recursive daughter folders) in one window? Command line is good, too (I'm on Ubuntu or MacOS). Scenario: I have a bunch of pdfs in ...
13
votes
7answers
9k views

How do you sort files in OS X Finder so folders appear at the top?

How do you sort files in OS X Finder so folders appear at the top? There doesn't seem to be any option in View Options.
4
votes
3answers
1k views

Change the glyph on a Mac OS X folder icon [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: How to change the icon (apply a thumb) of a folder on Mac OS X? I noticed that some system folders on Mac OS X (such as downloads, movies, etc..) have a glyph. Is it ...
1
vote
0answers
479 views

Path Finder: How to sort files by date, but folders by name?

This is possible in Total Commander. How can I make such separate sorting in Path Finder as well? I like to sort files by date, but I don't see any point in sorting folders this way - they just jump ...
2
votes
4answers
4k views

Copy directory structure without copying files, on Mac OS X

I'd like to duplicate the directory structure in some directory to another, without copying any actual files. In place of the files, I'd like either a blank file with the same name, or a symlink to ...
5
votes
3answers
1k views

what does “~/.” mean in terms of OS X folders/directories?

Hey, I'm installing a program on my MacBook that has to be unzipped to the ~/.spring directory; now, I know what Spring is, it's the name of the thing I'm installing. I'd be very happy to create a ...
5
votes
1answer
2k views

Setting folder icon in Mac OS X 10.6 via command-line?

I have a file.icns that I would like to set as custom icon for a folder. How can I do it from a script/command-line? The script is executed in the postinstall phase of a package installer. The ...
1
vote
2answers
4k views

Setting a user's home directory on Mac OS X (Server) from the command line

How can I set a user's home directory on Mac OS X Server using the command line?
0
votes
1answer
96 views

Stop Mac OS from re-creating ~/Pictures, ~/Music, or ~/Public

I've configured iTunes, iMovie, etc to never use my ~/Movies or ~/Pictures directories, and I personally never use ~/Public. However, something keeps re-creating these directories (and putting just a ...
0
votes
1answer
525 views

OS X Enclosing folder shortcut?

This may have been asked before, but I'm wondering whether there is a shortcut for navigating to the enclosing folder in OS X (Snow Leopard)? I find navigating Finder particularly frustrating since ...
2
votes
3answers
3k views

How to open folder without using mouse in Mac?

I'm recently switched to Mac from windows, I was quite pain but now adjusted to the Mac commands and shortcuts except one, that is whenever select folder and hit return/enter it executes the rename. ...
2
votes
2answers
3k views

How to encrypt a folder in Mac OS X

How do you encrypt a single folder on Mac OS X without using a Disk Image? I have heard you can use a Disk Image to do this but I don't want a giant 8 GB (the size reccomended here) Disk Image just ...
2
votes
2answers
4k views

Mac OS X Finder - Creating New Folder with Right-Click in List View

I am aware that when using Finder in List view, I can create a new folder by right-clicking on an empty row, and pressing 'New Folder'. However, when I happen to be browsing a folder with quite a lot ...
3
votes
1answer
198 views

Installation of large programs in Mac OS X

A few newbie Mac OS X questions: Despite the fact that most applications can be installed by dragging them to the Applications directory, some software still requires the creation of a separate ...
3
votes
4answers
517 views

What folders does Linux have that Mac OS X doesn't?

I was wondering what kind of folders Linux has by default (e.g. system folders such as /var, /tmp etc) that Mac OS X doesn't? I'm pretty sure that some of these folders exist in Mac OS X but are ...
0
votes
3answers
8k views

Root directory permissions on Mac OS X 10.6?

I was wondering if it's normal that the root directory / should be owned by “root”. I get asked for my password every time I want to do something there (e.g. save a file, create a directory) and I ...
23
votes
6answers
39k views

How to merge (and not replace) folders when copying on the Mac?

There's a similar question about windows. This is the same, but for mac. By the way, it's odd there's no question on this yet, since it seems like it's the most hated thing on Mac OS X. If I try ...
2
votes
1answer
3k views

Mac OS X: which folders should ClamXav Sentry watch?

I'm using ClamXav on my Mac. I've read this, and I am aware of the whole Macs-need-no-AV-but-they-do-anyway discussion. I guess that's why I would feel like a real jerk if I somehow managed to ...
0
votes
2answers
1k views

Automatically empty a folder on Mac OS X

I'd like to find a way to automatically move all the files from the Downloads folder to the trash. Ideally I'd like to trigger this with a keyboard short cut. How should I try this - Automator ...
1
vote
1answer
482 views

File Sharing from a Mac to a PC Issues

I am trying to share a folder on the Mac (Leopard) to my Windows XP laptop. I went into System Prefs, clicked on Sharing, added the folder called TwoTB and it seemed to work (more or less). That is ...
3
votes
6answers
6k views

Organizing the Mac OS X Applications directory

By default, whenever an application is installed in OS X, it gets dropped into the /Applications directory. At the moment I have 85 items in /Applications, and if I want to open up a particular ...
1
vote
2answers
738 views

Is there a way to preserve or remember sort-by preferences for different folders in column view in Mac OS X?

For example, I would like to have folders in column view, and to have Folder 1 always to show files sorted by kind, and Folder 2 always to show files sorted by date created. I'm running Leopard, with ...
11
votes
3answers
32k views

How to recursively change sharing/permission of a folder in Mac OS X

Is there any Mac OS X tools or scripts which allow me to change sharing/permission properties of files and subfolders in a folder recursively. For example, to let everybody or a specific user able to ...
1
vote
3answers
2k views

Delete all files in a folder without deleting directories? (OS X)

Is there a simple terminal command maybe to delete all actual data, all files but leave all the directories there? Including packages (.app) as directories? -- You don't need to read this: The reason ...
11
votes
3answers
13k views

Open folder for a given path in Mac OS X

Let's say I have a path to a folder in a text document or in the clipboard, for example: /Users/Joe/Documents/workspace/test How can I quickly open this folder in Mac OS X? In Windows I could open ...