MySimmons - Simmons College Community Intranet

About Apple's Dock

Apple TechNote on the Dock

Posted: June 16, 2008 8:23 am by Janice Canero-Conklin | 0 comments
Tags: Apple, Dock, Mac OS X

A-Z of Apple Commands

An A-Z Index of the Apple OS X command line

alias Create an alias
alloc List used and free memory
awk Find and Replace text within file(s)

basename Convert a full pathname to just a folder path
bash Bourne-Again SHell (Linux)
bless Set volume bootability and startup disk options.
break Exit from a loop

cal Display a calendar
case Conditionally perform a command
cat Display the contents of a file
cd Change Directory
chflags Change a file or folder's flags.
chgrp Change group ownership
chmod Change access permissions
chown Change file owner and group
chroot Run a command with a different root directory
cksum Print CRC checksum and byte counts
clear Clear terminal screen
cmp Compare two files
comm Compare two sorted files line by line
complete Edit a command completion [word/pattern/list]
continue Resume the next iteration of a loop
cp Copy one or more files to another location
cron Daemon to execute scheduled commands
crontab Schedule a command to run at a later date/time
cut Divide a file into several parts

date Display or change the date & time
dc Desk Calculator
dd Data Dump - Convert and copy a file
df Display free disk space
diff Display the differences between two files
diff3 Show differences among three files
dig DNS lookup
dirname Convert a full pathname to just a path
dirs Display list of remembered directories
diskutil Disk utilities - Format, Verify, Repair
ditto Copy files and folders
dscl Directory Service command line utility
du Estimate file space usage

echo Display message on screen
ed A line-oriented text editor (edlin)
enable Stop or start printers and classes.
env Set environment and run a utility
eval Evaluate several commands/arguments
exec Execute a command
exit Exit the shell
expect Programmed dialogue with interactive programs
Also see AppleScript
expand Convert tabs to spaces
expr Evaluate expressions

false Do nothing, unsuccessfully
fdisk Partition table manipulator for Darwin UFS/HFS/DOS
find Search for files that meet a desired criteria
fmt Reformat paragraph text
fold Wrap text to fit a specified width
for Expand words, and execute commands
foreach Loop, expand words, and execute commands
fsck Filesystem consistency check and repair
fsaclctl Filesystem enable/disable ACL support
fs_usage Filesystem usage (process/pathname)
ftp Internet file transfer program

GetFileInfo Get attributes of HFS+ files
getopt Parse positional parameters
goto Jump to label and continue execution
grep Search file(s) for lines that match a given pattern
groups Print group names a user is in
gzip Compress or decompress files

head Display the first lines of a file
hdiutil Manipulate iso disk images
history Command History
hostname Print or set system name

id Print user and group names/id's
if Conditionally perform a command
info Help info
install Copy files and set attributes

jobs List active jobs
join Join lines on a common field

kill Stop a process from running

l List files in long format (ls -l)
ll List files in long format, showing invisible files (ls -la)
less Display output one screen at a time
ln Make links between files (hard links, symbolic links)
locate Find files
logname Print current login name
login log into the computer
logout Exit a login shell (bye)
lpr Print files
lprm Remove jobs from the print queue
lpstat Printer status information
ls List information about file(s)
lsbom List a bill of materials file
lsof List open files

man Help manual
mkdir Create new folder(s)
mkfifo Make FIFOs (named pipes)
more Display output one screen at a time
mount Mount a file system
mv Move or rename files or directories

net Manage network resources
nice Set the priority of a command
nohup Run a command immune to hangups

onintr Control the action of a shell interrupt
open Open a file/folder/URL/Application
osascript Execute AppleScript

passwd Modify a user password
paste Merge lines of files
pbcopy Copy data to the clipboard
pbpaste Paste data from the Clipboard
pico Simple text editor
ping Test a network connection
pmset Power Management settings
popd Restore the previous value of the current directory
pr Convert text files for printing
printenv Print environment variables
printf Format and print data
ps Process status
pushd Save and then change the current directory
pwd Print Working Directory

quota Display disk usage and limits

rcp Copy files between machines.
repeat Execute a command multiple times
rm Remove files
rmdir Remove folder(s)
rpm Remote Package Manager
rsync Remote file copy - Sync file tree (also RsyncX)

say Convert text to audible speech
sched Schedule a command to run at a later time.
screencapture Capture screen image to file or disk
sdiff Merge two files interactively
security Administer Keychains, keys, certificates and the Security framework
sed Stream Editor
set Set a shell variable = value
setenv Set an environment variable = value
setfile Set attributes of HFS+ files
shift Shift positional parameters
shutdown Shutdown or restart OS X
sleep Delay for a specified time
softwareupdate System software update tool
sort Sort text files
split Split a file into fixed-size pieces
stop Stop a job or process
su Substitute user identity
sudo Execute a command as another user
sum Print a checksum for a file
switch Conditionally perform a command

tail Output the last part of files
tar Tape ARchiver
tee Redirect output to multiple files
test Condition evaluation
textutil Manipulate text files in various formats
time Measure Program Resource Use
touch Change file timestamps
traceroute Trace Route to Host
tr Translate, squeeze, and/or delete characters
true Do nothing, successfully
tty Print filename of terminal on stdin
type Describe a command

umask Users file creation mask
umount a device
unalias Remove an alias
uname Print system information
unexpand Convert spaces to tabs
uniq Uniquify files
units Convert units from one scale to another
unset Remove variable or function names
unsetenv Remove environment variable
users Print login names of users currently logged in
uuencode Encode a binary file
uudecode Decode a file created by uuencode

vi Text Editor

wc Print byte, word, and line counts
where Report all known instances of a command
which Locate a program file in the user's path
while Execute commands
who Print all usernames currently logged on
whoami Print the current user id and name (`id -un')

xargs Execute utility - passing arguments
yes Print a string until interrupted

Posted: February 28, 2008 1:57 pm by Jaimie Pleffner | 0 comments
Tags: Mac OS X

MS Office 2008 & Math Type

If you use Math Type, read the link below before upgrading to Microsoft Office 2008

Math Type:
http://www.dessci.com/en/products/mathtype%5Fmac/office2008.htm

Excerpt from the link:
"Microsoft has omitted VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) support from Office 2008, claiming that it would cost too much to port this to the Intel Mac platform. Lack of VBA support is going to cause problems for many users, especially those that use Excel macros, MathType, and many other products that contain features implemented as VBA macros. MathType's toolbar and menu inside Word are no longer possible. Features such as equation numbering, formatting, etc. will not be available."

Initially I though that you could run both Office 2004 and Office 2008 at the same time, apparently not:

From a MacFixIt forum:
".. When you install Office 2008, you are given the option not to uninstall Office 2004, presumably so you can revert to Office 2004 if something important doesn't work right. Well, at least in my case when I installed Office 2008 it broke Math Type in Word 2004, and so far 2 reinstalls haven't been sufficient to restore it."

Posted: February 26, 2008 11:20 am by Janice Canero-Conklin | 0 comments
Tags: Mac Leopard OS, Mac OS X, Microsoft Office 2008, MS Office

Mac OS X Performance tip

Performance tip: Keep the Desktop clutter-free

From MacFixIt website:

Mac OS X's Desktop is the de facto location for downloaded files, and for many users, in-progress works that will either be organized later or deleted altogether. The desktop can also be gluttonous, however, becoming a catch-all for files that linger indefinitely.

Unfortunately -- aside from the effect of disarray it creates -- keeping dozens or hundreds of files on the Desktop can significantly degrade performance. Not necessarily because the system is sluggish with regard to rendering the icons on the desktop and storing them in memory persistently (which may be true in some cases), but more likely because keeping an excessive number of items on the Desktop can cause the windowserver process to generate reams of logfiles, which obviously draws resources away from other system tasks.

As such, keeping as few items as possible on the Desktop prove a surprisingly effective performance boon. Even creating a single folder on your Desktop and placing all current and future clutter inside, then logging out and back in can provide an immediately noticeable speed boost -- particularly for the Finder.

Link:
http://www.macfixit.com/article.php?story=2007051510154393

Suggestion:

Make 1 or 2 aliases on the you Desktop and put the files you need quick access to there.

Posted: February 26, 2008 9:46 am by Janice Canero-Conklin | 0 comments
Tags: Mac OS X, Mac Troubleshooting

iTunes 7.6.1: Problems After Updating

MacFixIt has reported issues the iTunes 7.6.1

I have tested this update at home at here at Simmons on the General Access computers.
I have not run into any issues with sound, volume, playing music, videos or podcasts.

According to a recent MacFixIt posting:
"Users are experiencing a variety of significant issues after the update to iTunes 7.6.1 including inability to playback music and other media, repeated freezes and unexpected quits, lower or non-existent volume, stuttering playback, Apple TV issues and more."

Suggested fixes and downgrade to iTunes 7.5 instructions are included on the following web page:

http://www.macfixit.com/article.php?story=2008022510015322

Posted: February 26, 2008 9:12 am by Janice Canero-Conklin | 0 comments
Tags: iTunes, Mac OS X

Time Machine Backup Will Not Restore When Upgrading to New Mac

Mac OS X 10.5: Time Machine backups are not visible

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=306928

Upgrading to a new Mac?
If you are upgrading from one Leopard-based Mac to a new Leopard-based Mac, and you wish to use Time Machine backups from the previous Mac, make sure the computer name of the new Mac (in Sharing preferences) is the same as your previous Mac's computer name was when its Time Machine backups were made. Afterwards, if the previous Mac is still on your network, give it a different computer name.

Posted: February 13, 2008 7:50 am by Janice Canero-Conklin | 0 comments
Tags: Mac Help, Mac Leopard OS, Mac OS X, Mac Troubleshooting, Time Machine

Time Machine Restore Not Visible

Mac OS X 10.5: Time Machine backups are not visible

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=306928

Issue or symptom
In the Mac OS X 10.5 Time Machine "time travel" window, past backups may not appear if your computer name includes certain characters.

Products affected
Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard
Time Machine
Solution
Check your computer name in Sharing preferences. Make sure the computer name only includes ASCII characters from following set and is not blank (no matter which Mac OS X language version you are using):

0123456789abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Posted: February 13, 2008 7:48 am by Janice Canero-Conklin | 0 comments
Tags: Mac Help, Mac OS X, Mac Troubleshooting, Time Machine