Anyone knows how to LOCK many files in the Finder at once?

[FMiguelez]

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Hello.
I have a bunch of files with multiple levels of folders that I would like to lock (using the ⌘I window).

I need to do this in order to avoid accidentally modifying them in the future (save me from myself ).

They are hundreds... I tried changing the permissions on the root-level folder and checking the Lock checkbox there, thinking that if I "Apply to Enclosed Items" it would do it, but it only changes the permissions, leaving every file inside unlocked.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

[adriano]

Hello FMiguelez,
This seems to be the long way solution, but it's a way of doing it:
Open the folder-> Command-A to select all the files and then Opt-Command-I. When the inspector window opens, check the "lock box" and all files in that folder will be locked at once.

Or you may try this, but I've never used it

http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/22131/lockmebaby" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hope one of the two helps

Adriano

[monkey man]

Yup. You need to get into the floatin' Get Info window, 'Nando.

Personally, I find myself calling it up in preference to the standard GI window these days as there's invariably a follow-up inspection or two on the same or another file in the immediate pipeline, and this approach avoids the subsequent clutter.

Prepare to be amazed that you hadn't discovered it yet. It was a happy accident for the Monkster, I'm told.

[FMiguelez]

Hello FMiguelez,
This seems to be the long way solution, but it's a way of doing it:
Open the folder-> Command-A to select all the files and then Opt-Command-I. When the inspector window opens, check the "lock box" and all files in that folder will be locked at once.

Adriano!!!!!
I tried your ⌥-⌘-I method, and it works. Well, almost, but MUCH better than doing every single file individually.

What I noticed is that it will work (after ⌘A) for every single file or folder that is at the same level. But if I have nested folders within folders deeper in the structure, it will not change the lock status of the files in those deeper folders, unless I open each folder and repeat the procedure there. Is this normal?

But you just saved me so much time! I could do this in batches of 15-20 files at a time (one batch per folder level), and it works like a charm.
Took me 5 minutes to go through them all.

Thanks, Adriano. You are so helpful, as usual

Yup. You need to get into the floatin' Get Info window,
'Nando... ...Prepare to be amazed that you hadn't discovered it yet. It was a happy accident for the Monkster, I'm told.

I AM amazed
I mean, I knew about the ⌘-I thing, but not about the ⌥-⌘-I.
And I was happy to discover it gives you global info of only the selected files at once, so this is an unexpected and unrelated 2nd tip I got.

Thanks, guys!

[monkey man]

The only "gotcha" is that you'll have to get used to manually clicking the info window closed; I'll bet anything you accidentally close the window you're working with (Command-W) with the intention of getting rid of the GI window.

Good luck, 'Nandito.

[FMiguelez]

The only "gotcha" is that you'll have to get used to manually clicking the info window closed; I'll bet anything you accidentally close the window you're working with with the intention of getting rid of the GI window.

You're right! It happened at least twice, and I got pretty annoyed
The window's top looks a little different. I guess Apple thinks that's enough for us to notice this

Cheers, Nicky!

[monkey man]

Ha! I should've bet the house. Only, it's not mine.

Later, 'Nando.

[Dwetmaster]

Fernando,
If all the files are of the same type eg .aiff for instance, try this

you into your First folder and then you search (the search field upper right of your finder window)for all aif files

OPT-CMD-F is the command.

Then you have all your files ready to be selected to use the OPT-CMD-I method stated earlier.

When you search you make sure you search for "this" folder only, not the whole computer of course...

[FMiguelez]

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DwetMaster, Master of the Duets!!!!

That's it!
Your trick is awesome. Actually, all the files I needed to lock were .xls files (boring databases each with many Saved As versions). Going to the outter-most folder, and typing xls in the search window, gave me ALL the documents I needed.
Selecting them all, and using the Adriano trick (⌥-⌘-I) was a piece of cake.
Just for kicks, I unlocked them all, checked a few random ones to make sure it worked, and then re-locked them all again, and it worked beautifully.

Thanks a lot, my friend

I feel like a Mac Wizard now...

[adriano]

De nada, FMiguelez.
Siempre es un placer.

Adriano

[antonborisov]

There is also an elegant Terminal-based solution, as usual: http://mac101.net/content/tips-tricks/p ... s-at-once/

Code: Select all

chflags -R uchg *

It works for subdirectories as well.