techwiki:osx

OS X System intro

  • mac os x is a system that turns outdated very fast, unlike windows machines, new mac can not be installed with old os x system;
  • each mac OS is targeting at specific time-period mac machines, so it is more like fixed system
    • (unlike windows or linux, you can install any version of OS on any type of machines, as long as the basic hardware drivers works)
  • OS X is a system per-bundled with hardware drivers, and sold together with mac hardware.

Finder operation

copy file path right click menu + alt key hold > copy as path name
Text Navigation mac win
go line front cmd+left home
go line end cmd+right end
go word front alt+left ctrl+left
go word end alt+right ctrl+right
go doc start cmd+up ctrl+home
go doc end cmd+down ctrl+end
text selection above with shift
text edit: TextEdit
make current doc Plain text cmd+shift+t
image eidt: Preview
crop image to selection cmd+k
screenshot selection cmd+shift+4
commandline: Terminal
a standard bash terminal with copy paste working
  • open terminal:
    sudo vi /etc/hosts

    or

    sudo nano /etc/hosts

    or to view only

    view /etc/hosts
    • note: /private/etc/hosts is actual path, /etc/hosts is a alias to it. vi/nano both are terminal text editor, vi for pro, nano for normal user
  • common shared directory /Users/Shared
  • Root level directory with symbolic link config
    echo -e "MyDirName\tUsers/MyUser/MyDirName" | sudo tee -a /etc/synthetic.conf
  • another version
    sudo touch /etc/synthetic.conf
    sudo echo "MyDirName\tUsers/MyUser/MyDirName" >> /etc/synthetic.conf
    • reboot needed for every change to show up
    • note: Because the root mount point is read-only as of macOS 10.15, physical files may not be created at this location. All writeable paths must reside on the data volume, which is mounted at /System/Volumes/Data
    • /etc/synthetic.conf should be owned by root and group wheel with permissions 0644
  • the system library: /Library/Fonts/

Other Management Tool

  • FontExplorer X: (paid app) a tool managing font without move to system/user folder, similar to NexusFont for windows (free app)
  • FontBase: (free for win,mac,linux): another font manager: https://fontba.se/
  • SkyFont: (free for win,mac): http://skyfonts.com/
  • Adobe CC app: (paid and locked) it comes with cloud based font management tool, allow you to activate fonts from adobe's own font library and auto shown in all your adobe app linked to your CC account, but most of their font is linked with account and adobe app, once out of their circle, it is not editable.
  • Suitcase Fusion: (paid app for win,mac): allow client/project based font manage: https://www.extensis.com/suitcase-fusion/

2022 OS X 12.1 Monterey

Problem: Stop Music.app keeps popping up and remove Music app from menubar

  • Stop music app: go to Music App, > under main menu > Preference : General tab > notification: off (when song change)
  • remove music app from menubar: go System Preference > Dock and menu bar > Now Playing item: off (show in menu bar)

2020 OS X 10.15 Catalina

Problem: USB Ethernet device Drive installation

Problem: Wacom Driver installation security error prevent wacom working

Problem: make mouse extra button works

  • most likely you need to install that device driver from original mouse maker site, and add the mouse device into Security panel > input part to allow the mouse driver to load, like above wacom setup

2015 OS X 10.9 Mavericks

system setup

  • initial disk backup

Working with Windows

Reference

http://www.imore.com/how-set-and-restore-time-machine-backup
http://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1060844-norton-ghost-type-software-for-mac/
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5630862
http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2210269
http://www.macworld.com/article/2056561/how-to-make-a-bootable-mavericks-install-drive.html
http://www.macworld.com/article/2151706/create-a-bootable-mavericks-install-drive-for-newer-macs.html
http://www.apple.com/support/macbookpro/backup_recovery/
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5943
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4848
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5911
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4718

2010 OS X Leopard

How to save Mac OS X updates locally from Software Update tool

  • Method 1 (not working): use Apple built-in Software update from Apple Logo > Software Update
    1. click show details in the Pop-up window
    2. check the one you want
    3. go to Update menu > Download only, then it should be at Download folder
  • Method 2: the terminal command - “softwareupdate –list”
    1. open terminal, type “softwareupdate –list”
    2. wait for a while for it to show the list, you will see some item like
      * GBExtraContent-1.0
      GarageBand Instruments and Apple Loops (1.0), 1170290K [recommended]
    3. the name after the star sign is the name, like “GBExtraContent-1.0”
    4. to download the one you want, type in terminal “softwareupdate –download thePackageNameYouFound”
    5. then it will start downloading, and it will tell where it stores in the end
    6. Generally, it will be at /Library/updates/

Mac system customize

  • bash(with mac binary tools) + Spark (app) + AppleScript
  • screen capture customize
    • no shadow from capture
      defaults write com.apple.screencapture disable-shadow -bool true
      defaults write com.apple.screencapture disable-shadow -bool false
    • custom capture format
      defaults write com.apple.screencapture type png #format:png,pdf,jpg,gif,tif,bmp,tga
    • custom save location
      defaults write com.apple.screencapture location ~/Desktop #cust path
    • custom save name (no recommended) http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20091228142521881
      defaults write com.apple.screencapture name "txt"
    • dashboard on desktop
      defaults write com.apple.dashboard devmode YES

How to Enable Sharing Feature

  • connect windows share folder
    • go to Finder > Go menu > Connect to Server > at the dialog, enter
      smb://the_computer_name/
      smb://192.168.56.1 # ip address

Mac system shortcut

turn off screen ctrl+shift+eject

Mac Hardware Guide

Windows App for talking to Mac

Linux can natively read and write on NTFS, FAT format disk.
Mac can natively read NTFS, and read and write on FAT format disk.
Mac can use ntfs-3g tool to write on NTFS disk, but not recommended, as it's slow and unstable.

  • techwiki/osx.txt
  • Last modified: 2022/07/25 07:37
  • by ying