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defaults

Changing preferences isn’t so simple

Before you try editing or trashing that preference file, ask whether macOS in the form of cfprefsd isn’t going to undo your work.

November 25, 2022 Macs, Technology

Dealing with a dysfunctional Desktop

When he put files or folders on his Desktop, although they were shown in the Finder’s listing of its contents, they simply vanished.

November 24, 2022 Macs, Technology

Hidden controls for system settings in macOS

Some system-wide settings are hidden away in the preferences of bundled apps. Here’s a list of where to look for those and others which aren’t easy to find.

March 15, 2022 Macs, Technology

Last Week on My Mac: Obsolescent preferences

UserDefaults and cfprefsd manage the preference system, an amorphous database spread across hundreds of files which can only be controlled in Terminal. It’s time for a change.

January 24, 2021 Macs, Technology

Preference settings and Finder misbehaviour

Something wrong with the Finder or an app, and you want to trash its preferences? Don’t: macOS will defeat you. Here’s how to do that so it works.

January 19, 2021 Macs, Technology

Unsticking stuck preference settings

When nothing seems able to get that preference setting right, don’t abandon hope – follow this instead.

August 4, 2020 Macs, Technology

How to get Photos to show the library selection dialog each time it runs

Do you want Photos to show its library selection dialog when it opens? Here’s one solution without the Option key.

October 3, 2019 Macs, Technology

Working safely and effectively with preferences in Mojave

Preference files are involved in many Mac problems, and are often their solution. Using them now isn’t simple: here is some guidance.

August 22, 2019 Macs, Technology

Global defaults in macOS Mojave

Inside all those hidden settings which control App Nap to Trackpad scaling factors: what they are and how to set them.

August 15, 2019 Macs, Technology

Checking and downloading updates automatically in Swift

Source code workthrough of one method of checking for and automatically downloading updates to an app, in Swift 5 for macOS 10.11-10.14.

June 4, 2019 Macs, Technology

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