It’s time to do some spring-cleaning. How to clear out some of those thousands of old preference files without losing anything important. And here’s how to do it using Shortcuts too.
preferences
They’re XML, structured into dictionaries and arrays containing key-value pairs. Preference plists are managed, and need special treatment.
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.
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.
How can you run an app in a language different to that set for your system? Why doesn’t that work for command tools? And how difficult can a tool make controlling its environment?
When nothing seems able to get that preference setting right, don’t abandon hope – follow this instead.
Can now explain what is wrong with a file’s permissions, and can scan any folder of you choice.
New and more reliable version of a tool to check whether Home folder permissions are correct or causing problems.
I’m very grateful for the many comments which you’ve made recently about my free utility to check permissions, […]
Is there a better way to reset or repair permissions on your Home folder? Try a more targeted and controlled solution here.
The Eclectic Light Company 