Forcing .DS_Store to update

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bayswater
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Forcing .DS_Store to update

Post by bayswater »

Is there a standard way to force .DS_Store folders to update, and to set a default for the settings it contains for new folders? On one Mac I have, windows always open partly off screen, oddly sized. I can move and resize them, use them for a while copying and moving files, and the next time they open, they're back to the previous layout. This doesn't happen on the other 7 Macs in the house.
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mikehalloran
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Re: Forcing .DS_Store to update

Post by mikehalloran »

The conventional advice is to purge them from the system and let them rebuild. Adobe, apparently, has has problems with them over the years.

I do not know if this command set works in recent builds of the OS. I couldn't find any reference to this newer than 2012.

http://osxdaily.com/2012/07/05/delete-a ... -mac-os-x/
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Re: Forcing .DS_Store to update

Post by bayswater »

Thanks. I'll do that.
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Re: Forcing .DS_Store to update

Post by mikehalloran »

If that command doesn't work, I'll reach out to one of my contacts at Apple for one that is up to date.
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Re: Forcing .DS_Store to update

Post by monkey man »

Stoivo, guess what, bud?

MainMenu has the option to "Remove .DS_Store Files" in its System-Menu drop-down.

I've been running MM for years and have never experienced a hitch or incompatibility. I'm only on 10.9.2 'though, so I can't speak for later OS versions. Been running it since 10.6.x.

In case you haven't heard of it, it's a maintenance utility that can sit in the Menu Bar and that sports a bunch of very handy "features" (tasks).

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bayswater
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Re: Forcing .DS_Store to update

Post by bayswater »

Looks like it's a particular few folders that are the issue, so I just deleted their .ds files with basic terminal commands. Looks like that worked.
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Re: Forcing .DS_Store to update

Post by monkey man »

Well, I was going to suggest just making the files temporarily-visible (again, using MainMenu) and deleting only those required, but I got the impression it was a moving target and that you'd therefore have to keep doing it as new folders / windows were resized and moved.

Great that it was only a few that were playing up. Awesome, mate.

Anyway, Stoivo, you could do the invisible thing in Terminal if you ever need to, I'm sure. I'm generally afraid to touch it as I've experienced much angst, mainly due to ignorance, when trying to use it. Heck, half the time it won't even accept my password.

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Re: Forcing .DS_Store to update

Post by bayswater »

You could once do a Finder search for these by including system and invisible files. Looks like we can't do that any more.
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Re: Forcing .DS_Store to update

Post by monkey man »

Bummer. I wonder: Did the search process make all invisibles visible, or only the particular file you searched for?

There's always Terminal, MainMenu and other "maintenance" apps.

Oh, and I just discovered whilst noodling around on your behalf that XtraFinder can add a "Show Hidden Items" option to the Finder's View menu. Yet another option if you have or are interested in the app. Personally I love it, as do a few others here IIRC.

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Re: Forcing .DS_Store to update

Post by mikehalloran »

bayswater wrote:You could once do a Finder search for these by including system and invisible files. Looks like we can't do that any more.
Yes, you can but it's a convoluted and time consuming process.
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Re: Forcing .DS_Store to update

Post by bayswater »

mikehalloran wrote:
bayswater wrote:You could once do a Finder search for these by including system and invisible files. Looks like we can't do that any more.
Yes, you can but it's a convoluted and time consuming process.
It's not so convoluted it you add the relevant search fields to the default list. And you can save the search, and even make small changes to it. E.g., I have one that looks for the "text" in filenames for hidden system files. "text" can be quickly edited.

The problem I encountered is that at least in Yosemite, system file beginning with .DS are excluded from the search results even though non system file with .DS in the name are included. More security I guess.
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bayswater
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Re: Forcing .DS_Store to update

Post by bayswater »

monkey man wrote:Bummer. I wonder: Did the search process make all invisibles visible, or only the particular file you searched for?
It doesn't actually change the visibility status of any file. It displays all the files that match the search in a FInder window. They are visible in that you can see them, but their status as invisible files does not change.
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