Use SetFile utlity without Developer Tools install

You may not have noticed, but a number of recent Apple updates (eg. at least the 10.4.5 through 10.4.7 updates) have included the SetFile utility in their installer packages, leaving a copy in /Library/Receipts.

To find what is available on your system, try either of these commands (the first may include some unrelated results, but it's faster, assuming you've created the locate database) in Terminal (found in /Applications -> Utilities):

$ locate SetFile | xargs ls -lut
$ find /Library/Receipts -name SetFile | xargs ls -lut

SetFile will be familiar to many users as the handy command line tool for making files and folders visible / invisible (if their visibility isn't already being determined by something else), changing their type or creator codes, setting file creation date, or other functions.

So for example, if you have a PowerPC Mac, and the 10.4.7 update was installed with the Delta (not Combo) installer, and you have a folder on your Desktop" called Inviso, it should be possible to hide that folder with this command:

$ /Library/Packages/MacOSXUpd10.4.7PPC.pkg/\
Contents/Resources/SetFile -a V ~/Desktop/Inviso

Quit and restart the Finder (don't Force Quit or Relaunch from the Dock), or log out and back in for the change to take effect. Repeating the procedure, substituting v for V will reverse the change.

This post has been edited by Eraserheads: Aug 3 2006, 09:23 AM

Nice to see some Mac data turning up

This post has been edited by engines: Aug 4 2006, 11:54 AM

Glad to help.

Keep the Mac data coming Eraserheads as there are many Mac users about who would appreciate this type of detail.

Ok dude.


Power Copy-and-Paste

In previous versions of Mac OS X (and Mac OS 9 for that matter), if you clicked on a file, copied it (Command-C), then opened an application (like Mail) and pasted it (Command-V), it would only paste that file’s name. Now, in some applications it pastes the actual file, so you can copy-and-paste a file from a Finder window or the desktop right into your application. Okay, so what if you do want just the name (which happens from time to time)? Just click directly on the selected file’s name (to highlight it) and press Command-C to copy it. Now you’re copying just the name. It’s a Power Pasting thing!

I still have a few macs about the place but stopped using them as work went all pcs

Ohh.... I see... Why dont you gave it to me.

They so old you wouldn't want them

Hahaha..... Theres always a way to use it.

never said they didnt' go just said they so old !! like an se or lc 3 very old now..

Anyone know of a free DVD/CD burning utility for the MAC that is as easy to use as Toast? It seems that to make a Windows readable CD without Toast you've got the jump through a lot of hoops. I really don't have the $100 to put down on a copy of Toast right now.

Thanks,
Mike

yup get you right back.