Questions tagged [osx-snow-leopard]
Use for questions referring specifically to versions of OS X 10.6, Snow Leopard. Non-version-specific questions related to OS X should be tagged with [osx]. Questions about Mac hardware should be tagged with [mac]. Questions about running OS X on non-Apple hardware are generally considered off-topic.
1,639
questions
266
votes
27
answers
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What can I do to stop the Play / Pause button from opening iTunes?
In Snow Leopard the Play / Pause media button (on the F8 key) opens up iTunes. How can I disable that? Preferably keeping the old Leopard behaviour, so I can use it to control other media applications ...
145
votes
8
answers
172k
views
Where does $PATH get set in OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard?
I type echo $PATH on the command line and get
/opt/local/bin:/opt/local/sbin:/Users/andrew/bin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/local/mysql/bin:/usr/local/pear/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/...
- 14.9k
113
votes
3
answers
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Why does MDS run wild in Mac OS X 10.6?
I've been having trouble with the MDS process running wild on my MacBook Pro 13". I've read on other support forums indicating that improperly formatted external drives can be an issue, but I have no ...
- 1,298
109
votes
7
answers
146k
views
Increase the maximum number of open file descriptors in Snow Leopard?
I am trying to do something that requires a large number of file descriptors
sudo ulimit -n 12288 is as high as Snow Leopard wants to go; beyond this results in
/usr/bin/ulimit: line 4: ulimit: ...
- 1,859
107
votes
10
answers
93k
views
How can I quit frozen Spotlight without rebooting my computer?
I opened up Spotlight, typed '12*' to do some multiplication and it's been frozen for the last 20 minutes.
I am looking for how to restart the program/service/whatever it technically is, but it's ...
- 2,759
97
votes
5
answers
321k
views
Where to find the .bashrc file on Mac OS X Snow Leopard and Lion?
I want to install rvm on my Snow Leopard machine.
It says I need to add a line to my .bashrc file (I'm using bash) but where is my .bashrc file?
- 2,258
93
votes
5
answers
86k
views
How can I stop Mac OS X overriding my hostname when I receive a DHCP request on Snow Leopard?
Whenever I go on a network where the DHCP server assigns hostnames then it overrides the settings I've set for my hostname on my Mac in the "Sharing" section of System Preferences.
How do I stop this ...
- 4,089
71
votes
6
answers
110k
views
Installer hangs on "waiting for other installations to finish" despite no other installations in progress
I started an installation of the Xcode 4 developer's preview last night before going to bed. When I woke up, the installation had popped up a message saying to close Xcode first (doh!). I did so, but ...
- 1,143
70
votes
5
answers
58k
views
How to disable Mac OS X from using swap when there still is "Inactive" memory?
A common phenomena in my day to day usage (and several other's according to various posts throughout the internet) of OS X, the system seems to become slow whenever there is no more "Free" memory ...
- 1,085
68
votes
2
answers
49k
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Mac: What's ~/.CFUserTextEncoding for?
So I have this .CFUserTextEncoding file in my home dir. Google search results are less than ideal, filled with old ugly forum pages. Apple gives me an unrelated support article. ADC gives me an ...
- 2,222
65
votes
9
answers
60k
views
Change iTerm2 window and tab titles in zsh
I want to label the window tabs of terminal sessions. I'm using the zshell in iterm2 on OSX. Is it possible to change the label of a window tab dynamically in the terminal?
- 2,077
63
votes
3
answers
25k
views
Select text in iTerm using keyboard
Is there a way to select text in iTerm OSX using keyboard?
- 5,979
61
votes
17
answers
84k
views
Can't type the tilde (~) character in Mac OS X
This is a new problem that I did not have a few weeks ago.
I have a Logitech Illuminated Keyboard running on Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard).
The problem is that I cannot type a tilde (~).
Instead when I ...
- 1,896
57
votes
7
answers
54k
views
Why does the Mac OS X firewall dialog recurringly pop-up and disappear by itself (without letting me respond) under Snow Leopard?
From time to time, I'll be on my Macbook using a program that accesses the network – whether Firefox, or Sony's Reader Library – really, it seems like it could happen with any program that accesses ...
- 10.8k
54
votes
1
answer
55k
views
Can't install Brew formulae correctly (Permission denied in /usr/local/lib)
I am installing a few Homebrew packages on a brand new Mac. However, there are some errors while linking:
ln: ./libsvn_wc-1.dylib: Permission denied
Error: The linking step did not complete ...
- 228k
49
votes
3
answers
79k
views
How to set an icon for a file type on Mac?
How to set an icon for some file types thought the whole system?
For example, I have text files that ends with .scala extension and I want to associate an icon for that files through the whole system ...
- 921
47
votes
4
answers
62k
views
How to change default ulimit values in Mac OS X 10.6?
Mac OS X limits number of processes to 266 and open files to 256. Sometimes this is problem; 256 open files and 266 processes aren't that much.
How it's possible to change default ulimit values in ...
- 7,641
46
votes
4
answers
43k
views
Log of cron actions on OS X
Does the cron which comes with OS X log its actions anywhere?
I'm not looking for output of any particular cron job, but rather log of what cron is doing. On a couple linux machines I've checked, ...
- 27.8k
45
votes
8
answers
30k
views
Why doesn't echo support "\e" (escape) when using the -e argument in MacOSX
When I try to print out some colored text using ANSI escape sequences via the built-in echo command, it seems that the \e escape sequence in the string I provide is interpreted literally instead of as ...
- 1,076
44
votes
5
answers
157k
views
"sudo: port: command not found" after installing MacPorts on Snow leopard
I have attempted to install MacPorts in order to upgrade my Rails version so that I can work my way through Agile Web Development with Rails, PragProg (4th, 2011). I have followed the directions in ...
- 543
41
votes
19
answers
37k
views
Disabling mouse acceleration in Mac OS X
I've been looking for a solution to the unusable mouse problem in Mac OS X for ages. I've tried a gazillion programs and fiddled with every setting there is or there can be added. So far, I haven't ...
- 615
39
votes
3
answers
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views
Where do I set DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH on Mac OS X, and is it a good idea?
I am trying to install a solver written in C++ on my Mac (OS X), for use with code I have written in XCode.
The solver documentation says this:
Be sure to have "." in your DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH ...
- 507
38
votes
5
answers
34k
views
Force date/time/clock sync
My Snow Leopard macbook is set to Set date and time automatically: Apple Americas/U.S. (time.apple.com), but despite sitting idle for several hours (with internet connection), it has yet to do any ...
user73728
38
votes
9
answers
219k
views
How can I change the system font size in OS X?
I'm using a Mac Mini on big flat-screen TV for playing media. The small font size is really annoying when sitting far away. Is there a way to increase the system font size in OS X?
- 483
36
votes
4
answers
73k
views
How do I mount ext2/ext3 partitions in Mac OS X Snow Leopard?
Is there anything that will natively allow read/write on an ext2/3 partition within Snowie?
Just don't want to get a Linux box to mount, and then access via samba. Although I could perhaps through ...
- 1,111
34
votes
5
answers
20k
views
How to disable flashing terminal in Mac OS
when i enter terminals commands etc and hit TAB (file name completion) the whole terminal window flashes rapidly (if there is no unique filename for example). This is not good since for some people ...
Anders
32
votes
5
answers
55k
views
how can I check which version of vim I have installed?
I'm running Mac OS X Snow Leopard. How can I check which version of vim I have installed?
Ideally I'd like to know a general solution for checking software versions via the command line.
- 1,429
31
votes
8
answers
28k
views
Moving the swapfiles to a dedicated partition in Snow Leopard
I have been able to move Apple's virtual memory swapfiles to a dedicated partition on my hard drive up until now. The technique I have been using is described in a thread on forums.macosxhints.com.
...
- 828
30
votes
2
answers
44k
views
How can I put a newline in my zsh prompt without causing terminal redraw issues?
I'm trying to fix a minor (but annoying) issue with my zsh prompt. The problem I'm seeing is that when I'm using a terminal in a GUI OS environment (for example, Terminal.app or iTerm 2 on OS X 10.7.2)...
user45283
30
votes
3
answers
34k
views
Which file system to use in between OSX and Linux
I have got my paws on a large USB drive which I'd like to use as a backup/general storage at the office. I was thinking of having two partitions one of Time Machine backup and one for general storage. ...
- 591
30
votes
5
answers
38k
views
How to stop OS X from switching input method (keyboard layout) automatically?
After using the wireless keyboard that comes with the iMac, I have switched to a MS Ergo Natural 4000 one. Surprisingly I had to install extra software as OS X could not work out which keyboard I had.
...
- 2,067
28
votes
1
answer
17k
views
OS X Terminal Cursor Problem
This morning I bumped into something I've never seen before and I can't seem to find a way to fix it. I was inspecting a large bzipped tarball (e.g. tar jtf myfile.tar.bz2) and before it completed, I ...
- 453
28
votes
5
answers
23k
views
Remove Spotlight icon from the menu bar
How do I remove the Spotlight icon from the Mac OS X menubar?
Note, I don't want to disable Spotlight (I use it). I just want to remove the icon.
- 1,121
28
votes
3
answers
12k
views
Default editor for files without file name extension in Mac OS X
I want to open files without file name extension, including .dotsystemfiles (e.g. .htaccess or .vimrc) with a different editor than TextEdit. Doing the regular Change All... in the Get Info panel won'...
- 283
27
votes
6
answers
62k
views
How do I control the system volume on OS X with a keyboard without media controls?
I'm using a PC keyboard on Mac OS. I can use the menubar to control the volume, but are there any keyboard shortcuts I can use to change the system volume?
Or perhaps a simple script or solution I ...
- 877
27
votes
5
answers
81k
views
How can I change the default Python version on Snow Leopard?
I recently upgraded my Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard install to 10.6 Snow Leopard, and with that came an upgraded version of Python, 2.6.1 (instead if 2.5.1). Now when I type python in the Terminal i still ...
- 361
26
votes
3
answers
31k
views
Hide users from Mac OS X Snow Leopard logon screen
Somehow, I managed to set a passwd for my _postgres user on my OS instead of setting it on the postgres role I have as my superuser / root. Anyways since this, I've been struggling with that user ...
- 538
26
votes
4
answers
26k
views
How to mount an encrypted ext3 filesystem under OS X?
I know how to mount an ext3 filesystem in OS X with MacFUSE and fuse-ext2. But how can I mount an encrypted ext3 volume?
I have Mac OS X 10.6 "Snow Leopard" running.
- 2,038
24
votes
8
answers
100k
views
403 Forbidden Error on Mac OS X Localhost
I set up Web Sharing in System Preferences on Mac OS X 10.6 and clicked the link it gave me there. Unfortuantely, Apache gave me this 403 error:
Forbidden
You don't have permission to access
...
- 2,511
24
votes
7
answers
21k
views
Application-specific default keyboard layout in Mac OS X
I know how to change the keyboard layout in general, but I want certain applications to always open with a specific layout, not the same for all of them. For example, I'd like Firefox to open with a ...
- 241
24
votes
5
answers
25k
views
How do I start nginx on port 80 at OS X login?
I installed Nginx using homebrew and after completing the installation the following message was displayed:
In the interest of allowing you to run `nginx` without `sudo`, the default
port is set to ...
- 431
23
votes
1
answer
6k
views
How to show specific hidden file in file browser dialog - Mac OS X
I need to use Automator to backup some of config files in my Mac. But I don't know how to get a hidden file in the file browser dialog. I chose "Get Specified Finder Items" task then click ...
- 488
23
votes
2
answers
53k
views
Keep a window always on top in Mac OS X
In Linux I can right click on any window, and there is an option I can select to keep the window on top of other Windows. Does Mac OS X have this kind of functionality? If not, then is there some kind ...
- 14.3k
22
votes
4
answers
43k
views
Is there a usermod equivalent in terminal for OS X 10.6.1
Can anyone tell me how to modify a user and add them to a group in terminal on SL (10.6.1)?
It seems that usermod is not used by Mac.
- 5,126
20
votes
3
answers
25k
views
Enter key on Mac OS X renames files instead of launching [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Enter to open a file in Finder
On my Mac when I hit the "enter" key on a file on my desktop or in the finder, it enters the "rename file" mode.
1) How do you actually "...
- 2,577
20
votes
9
answers
15k
views
How to retrieve the absolute path of an arbitrary file from the OS X
I'm looking for a simple command that can be used within Bash to find the absolute and canonicalized path to a file on an OS X (similar to ``readlink -f'` under Linux).
The following sample bash ...
- 301
20
votes
4
answers
39k
views
How to set processor affinity on OS X?
How do you set processor affinity in Snow Leopard on a MacBook Pro?I know in Windows you could just switch it in Task Manager.
MarshallBananas
20
votes
4
answers
15k
views
Adding Folder to Finder Sidebar with Custom Name
I'd like to add a a shortcut to Finder's Places Sidebar. The folder's name happens to be Applications, so I want to give it a different name since there's already the standard Applications folder ...
- 24.6k
19
votes
4
answers
25k
views
Applescript to open a NEW terminal window in current space
Yes, I'm having a terrible newbie experience with Apple Script.
I need to open a new Terminal window in the current desktop space. NOT move me to another space which has a Terminal running and then ...
- 551
19
votes
7
answers
54k
views
Google Chrome constantly asking for Keychain permission?
My Google Chrome installation on Snow Leopard is asking for access to the keychain any time I go to a site with login information... This happened really suddenly - I've restarted and tried different ...
- 474