Hidden preferences in Snow Leopard
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From: George Kerby on 1 Apr 2010 15:06 On 4/1/10 1:56 PM, in article michelle-A2CE64.11560801042010(a)nothing.attdns.com, "Michelle Steiner" <michelle(a)michelle.org> wrote: > This is from Mac OS X Hints: > > 10.6:Use newly-found hidden prefs hacks in Snow Leopard > > Thu, Apr 1 2010 at 7:30AM PDT � Contributed by: robg > > As you may know, finding hidden defau1ts write preference hacks is much > tougher in Snow Leopard than it was in previous OS X releases. That's why > there are only 15 such hints here (versus 43 for 10.5). To help fix this > situation, a while back I put out a call on Twitter for macosxhints' > readers to dig deep within 10.6 to help me find new hidden defau1ts write > commands. While the response wasn't exactly overwhelming in size, a few > readers did manage to find some hidden gems. Read on to see what's been > uncovered.... > > Before we begin, it's very important that if you're going to try to these, > you must copy and paste the defau1ts write commands. If you make a typo > while trying to hand-type these, the results could be disastrous! > > Enable tabbed Finder windows > � What it does: You've seen it in rumored OS X betas. You've seen > mock-ups created by third parties. You may have even enabled it yourself > using TotalFinder in Snow Leopard. But there's an official Apple-provided > solution available that basically brings the Safari tab model into the > Finder. > � Terminal command: defau1ts write com.apple.Finder EnableSafariTabs > -bool True > � Credit: Yours truly dug this one up. > > Allow Safari to use Firefox plug-ins > � What it does: Safari is a great browser, but it lacks any official > plug-in support. As a result, users are forced to use unsupported > workarounds that break seemingly every time Safari is updated. The world of > Safari plug-ins is also tiny compared to that of Firefox. This hack opens > up the world of Firefox plug-ins to users of Safari. No more will you feel > short-shifted by the incredible tools available to Firefox users. > � Terminal command: defau1ts write com.apple.Safari > EnableMozAddonSupport -bool true > � Credit: From user os9er > > Force Apple to reply to your emails > � What it does: What it says. How many times have you sent an email to > Apple, only to never hear back? Whether it's a bug report, a feature > request, even praise for a job well done...it doesn't seem to matter what > you write, once sent to Apple it's a one-way street. With this hidden > setting enabled, any emails sent to an @apple.com email address will > include the Must Answer flag. The Must Answer flag will create a floating > Stickies note that's sized at 2/3rds screen size (on all attached displays) > until the Apple employee has replied. It also includes some logic to insure > that the reply isn't simply a blank or very short message. > � Terminal command: defau1ts write com.apple.Mail AppleMustAnswer -bool > TRUE > � Credit: From reader (and Macworld author) kirkmc > > Show Beatles music in iTunes Store > � What it does: The recent release of iTunes 9.1 includes a hidden pref > that enables purchase of Beatles music in the iTunes Store -- apparently > the music is in late beta, and will soon be generally available. But why > wait when you can get it now? > � Terminal command: defau1ts write com.apple.iTunes AppleCorps -bool TRUE > � Credit: Reader wishes to remain anonymous (probably someone at Apple!) > > Use Time Machine to restore files from the future > � What it does: Enables one to restore files from a future date, not > just the past, thereby fulfilling the promise of the Time Machine name. For > instance, instead of typing that essay due in two weeks, install this > modification, enter Time Machine, navigate to your Homework folder, and > move the time slider forward just under two weeks. You'll see there your > completed essay; hit Create (the renamed Restore button in future-forward > mode) and you'll find the essay in your Homework folder when you exit Time > Machine. > � Terminal command: defau1ts write com.apple.TimeMachine > RestoreFromFuture -bool TRUE > � Credit: From reader zpjet > > Full credit for all of today's hidden tips really should go to zpjet, who > found the Time Machine future-looking mode, and inspired the rest of the > 'submissions.' Ahhhh, Michelle... We all know what day it is today, already! That's right... Census Day, right?!?
From: dorayme on 1 Apr 2010 15:36 In article <C7DA58E8.42223%ghost_topper(a)hotmail.com>, George Kerby <ghost_topper(a)hotmail.com> wrote: > Ahhhh, Michelle... > > We all know what day it is today, already! 6am 2nd April -- dorayme
From: nospam on 1 Apr 2010 15:38 In article <michelle-A2CE64.11560801042010(a)nothing.attdns.com>, Michelle Steiner <michelle(a)michelle.org> wrote: > Use Time Machine to restore files from the future this is not a hidden preference. time machine actually did this to me. my 'next backup' date somehow was 4 days ahead. i then went into it and deleted the future backups. it resumed backing up but it was still screwed up. i ended up nuking it entirely.
From: John McWilliams on 1 Apr 2010 15:38 Michelle Steiner wrote: > In article <C7DA58E8.42223%ghost_topper(a)hotmail.com>, > George Kerby <ghost_topper(a)hotmail.com> wrote: > >> Ahhhh, Michelle... >> >> We all know what day it is today, already! >> >> That's right... >> >> Census Day, right?!? > > But it really did come from Mac OS X Hints dot com. > > The first two seemed so real, though. > This was my fav.: Use Time Machine to restore files from the future What it does: Enables one to restore files from a future date, not just the past, thereby fulfilling the promise of the Time Machine name. For instance, instead of typing that essay due in two weeks, install this modification, enter Time Machine, navigate to your Homework folder, and move the time slider forward just under two weeks. You'll see there your completed essay; hit Create (the renamed Restore button in future-forward mode) and you'll find the essay in your Homework folder when you exit Time Machine. Terminal command: defau1ts write com.apple.TimeMachine RestoreFromFuture -bool TRUE Credit: From reader zpjet -- john mcwilliams
From: Tom Harrington on 1 Apr 2010 15:50
In article <michelle-A2CE64.11560801042010(a)nothing.attdns.com>, Michelle Steiner <michelle(a)michelle.org> wrote: > Use Time Machine to restore files from the future > � What it does: Enables one to restore files from a future date, not > just the past, thereby fulfilling the promise of the Time Machine name. For > instance, instead of typing that essay due in two weeks, install this > modification, enter Time Machine, navigate to your Homework folder, and > move the time slider forward just under two weeks. You'll see there your > completed essay; hit Create (the renamed Restore button in future-forward > mode) and you'll find the essay in your Homework folder when you exit Time > Machine. > � Terminal command: defau1ts write com.apple.TimeMachine > RestoreFromFuture -bool TRUE > � Credit: From reader zpjet I tried this one last month when someone told me about, and you really need to be careful with it. The thing is, the documents only exist in the future if you actually create them at some point. I didn't realize this-- I used TM to get a number of future documents, but once I had them I figured I didn't need to bother doing the work since, hey, I had the results already! This caused a Groundhog-day style time loop, and I was stuck in the same day for several weeks before I figured out why it was happening. Finally I sat down and did the work, creating the documents, and this broke the loop. This is a really cool feature, but be VERY careful that you do the work of creating the documents BEFORE the date on the TM future entry you retrieve. -- Tom "Tom" Harrington Independent Mac OS X developer since 2002 http://www.atomicbird.com/ |