Show Library Files Mac Os X

10.04.2020
Show Library Files Mac Os X 4,0/5 5668 votes

Home > Articles > Apple > Operating Systems

  1. The Libraries of Mac OS X: /Library
< BackPage 7 of 10Next >
This chapter is from the book

The long way to show hidden Mac OS X files is as follows: Open Terminal found in Finder Applications Utilities. In Terminal, paste the following: defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YES. Press return. Hold the ‘Option/alt’ key, then right click on the Finder icon in the dock. The network library, /Network/Library would store settings shared by all computers in a network domain - if a network domain admin set one up, which nobody does anymore; The system library, /System/Library, stores the base settings, resources, etc that come with OS.

We explain how to show hidden files on your Mac, including how to view the Library folder in Finder. Where is my Mac's Library folder? Prior to Mac OS X Lion's release back in 2011, if you. Mar 21, 2018  Both these Library folders are hidden, but inside them are folders and files that hold things like preferences for apps. In this article, we’ll tell you how you can view hidden files on your Mac and make your Library folder visible. What are the hidden files on Mac? The hidden files are a throwback to macOS’ Unix roots. December 22nd 2015: Method of showing/hiding hidden files tested and working on Mac OS X El Capitan. It seems like every day I search Google for the command to show hidden files on Mac OS X, not to mention Googling for the command to then hide those hidden files a few minutes later. Mar 06, 2014 How to show the Library folder on Mac OS X. Open the Finder and navigate to your Home folder. (Go Home); or press Shift-Command-H. Still in the Finder, choose View Show View Options (or press Command-J). A new View-Options palette or window will appear. Near the bottom of the new window is a setting titled Show Library Folder.

Mac OS X Disaster Relief, Updated Edition

This chapter is from the book

This chapter is from the book

The Libraries of Mac OS X: /Library

Mac Os X Download

As I explained earlier in this chapter, this folder stores files that are available to all local users and that can be modified by an administrative user. Inside this folder, you will find the following folders.

Figure 4.10 The /Library folder.


Application Support

This folder contains accessory software for various applications, such as the StuffIt Engine.cfm file, used by StuffIt compression software.

ColorSync

The profiles you create via the ColorSync System Preferences window are stored here.

Contextual Menu Items

Third-party software that adds items to Mac OS X's contextual-menu feature (accessed when you Control-click an item) is stored here.

Desktop Pictures

The background pictures that you can select via the Desktop System Preferences window are stored here.

Documentation

Some programs that provide Read Me files and other documentation, accessed via commands within the application (such as Help), store their documentation files here.

Fonts

This folder is similar in function to the Fonts folder in /System/Library, except that these fonts are not considered to be essential. As an administrator, you can add fonts to or remove fonts from this folder.

SEE

'Take Note: Multiple Folders of the Same Name in Multiple Library Folders,' earlier in this chapter.

Internet Plug-Ins

Plug-ins used with your browser, such as the QuickTime and Shockwave plug-ins, are stored here.

Modem Scripts

This folder is the location of the modem scripts that you can choose from the Modem pop-up menu. You specify these scripts in the Modem tab for the Internal Modem protocol in the Network System Preferences window. (Whew—that was a mouthful of terminology!)

SEE

Where do i find my itunes library on mac computer. See the Apple Support article.There are a few ways to your from one computer to another:.When you get a new Mac, use Setup Assistant (or Migration Assistant, if you’re switching from Windows) to move files—including your iTunes files—from your old computer to the new one.

'Take Note: Modem Scripts,' in Chapter 8, for related information.

Mac Os File Size

Preferences

A few systemwide preferences (.plist) files are stored here, such as those for loginwindow. In general, you will have little reason to modify preferences files in this folder.

The music player is tailored to 64-bit plugins and gives you full access to Mac Audio Units including AUGraphicEQ. You can try Fidelia Music Player for free but then you’ll need to buy it from Audiofile or from App Store. Mp3 library free. Fidelia supports AirPlay.Fidelia easily integrates with iTunes and allows you to work with playlists as well as to play music formats that are not supported by iTunes, e.g.

SEE

  • 'Take Note: Preferences Files in Mac OS X,' in Chapter 3, for more information on .plist files.

  • Chapter 5 for more information on loginwindow.

Printers

This folder is where you will find support software for printers, in addition to the LaserWriter support files located in System/Library/Printers. In particular, drivers for Epson, Hewlett-Packard, and Lexmark printers are stored here.

SEE

Chapter 7 for more information on printing, including details on PPD and PDE files.

Receipts

Every time you install a Mac OS X update, a receipt .pkg file for the update is stored in this folder. In certain situations, as discussed in Chapter 2, the OS (especially Software Update) uses these files as a means of knowing that a given update has been installed.

StartupItems

This folder is the equivalent of the StartupItems folder in /System/Library. The main difference is that this folder is used for third-party software, as opposed to the preinstalled Mac OS X items stored in the /System/Library folder. If you install Timbuktu Pro, it will install a Startup Item in this folder. This item is needed for the Timbuktu software to be active at startup, no matter which user logs in. The actual Timbuktu application is located elsewhere, most likely in your Applications folder. Similarly, the Retrospect backup software also installs an folder, called RetroRunHelper, in the Startup Items folder.

The Finder is the first thing that you see when your Mac finishes starting up. It opens automatically and stays open as you use other apps. It includes the Finder menu bar at the top of the screen and the desktop below that. It uses windows and icons to show you the contents of your Mac, iCloud Drive, and other storage devices. It's called the Finder because it helps you to find and organize your files.

Open windows and files

To open a window and see the files on your Mac, switch to the Finder by clicking the Finder icon (pictured above) in the Dock. Switching to the Finder also reveals any Finder windows that might be hidden behind the windows of other apps. You can drag to resize windows and use the buttons to close , minimize , or maximize windows. Learn more about managing windows.

When you see a document, app, or other file that you want to open, just double-click it.

Change how your files are displayed

Show Library Files Mac Os X 10 13 Download

To change how files are displayed in Finder windows, use the View menu in the menu bar, or the row of buttons at the top of the Finder window. You can view files as icons , in a list , in columns , or in a gallery . And for each view, the View menu provides options to change how items are sorted and arranged, such as by kind, date, or size. Learn more about customizing views.

When you view files in a gallery, you can browse your files visually using large previews, so it's easy to identify images, videos, and all kinds of documents. Gallery View in macOS Mojave even lets you play videos and scroll through multipage documents. Earlier versions of macOS have a similar but less powerful gallery view called Cover Flow .


Gallery View in macOS Mojave, showing the sidebar on the left and the Preview pane on the right.

Use the Preview pane

The Preview pane is available in all views by choosing View > Show Preview from the menu bar. Or press Shift-Command (⌘)-P to quickly show or hide the Preview pane.

macOS Mojave enhances the Preview pane in several ways:

  • More information, including detailed metadata, can be shown for each file. This is particularly useful when working with photos and media, because key EXIF data, like camera model and aperture value, are easy to locate. Choose View > Preview Options to control what information the Preview pane can show for the kind of file selected.
  • Quick Actions let you easily manage or edit the selected file.

Use Quick Actions in the Preview pane

With Quick Actions in macOS Mojave, you can take actions on a file without opening an app. Quick Actions appear at the bottom of the Preview pane and vary depending on the kind of file selected.

  • Rotate an image
  • Mark up an image or PDF
  • Combine images and PDFs into a single PDF file
  • Trim audio and video files

To manage Quick Actions, click More , then choose Customize. macOS Mojave includes a standard set of Quick Actions, but Quick Actions installed by third-party apps also appear here. You can even create your own Quick Actions using Automator.

Use Stacks on your desktop

macOS Mojave introduces Stacks, which lets you automatically organize your desktop into neat stacks of files, so it's easy to keep your desktop tidy and find exactly what you're looking for. Learn more about Stacks.

The sidebar in Finder windows contains shortcuts to AirDrop, commonly used folders, iCloud Drive, devices such your hard drives, and more. Like items in the Dock, items in the sidebar open with just one click.

To change the items in your sidebar, choose Finder > Preferences from the Finder menu bar, then click Sidebar at the top of the preferences window. You can also drag files into or out of the sidebar. Learn more about customizing the sidebar.

Search for files

To search with Spotlight, click the magnifying glass in the menu bar, or press Command–Space bar. Spotlight is similar to Quick Search on iPhone or iPad. Learn more about Spotlight.

To search from a Finder window, use the search field in the corner of the window:


When you select a search result, its location appears at the bottom of the window. To get to this view from Spotlight, choose “Show all in Finder” from the bottom of the Spotlight search results.

In both Spotlight and Finder, you can use advanced searches to narrow your search results.

Mac Os X Update

Delete files

To move a file to the Trash, drag the file to the Trash in the Dock. Or select one or more files and choose File > Move To Trash (Command-Delete).

To remove a file from the Trash, click the Trash to open it, then drag the file out of the Trash. Or select the file and choose File > Put Back.

To delete the files in the Trash, choose File > Empty Trash. The storage space used by those files then becomes available for other files. In macOS Sierra, you can set up your Mac to empty the trash automatically.