Apple Fixit News
Home » MacCentralCafe News » Apple Fixit NewsThis document describes the security content of Leopard Security Update 2012-003.
This document describes the security content of Safari 5.1.7.
In OS X Lion v10.7.3, user account passwords for Legacy FileVault and/or home folders mounted via NFS, AFP, or SMB are stored as plain text in log files. System backups and syslog servers may also have the user account passwords stored as plain text. Note: Time Machine backups are not affected—Time Machine does not back up the log files in which user account passwords are stored in plain text.
This document describes the security content of OS X Lion v10.7.4 and Security Update 2012-002.
Digital camera RAW formats retain more image information than JPEGs and can produce better results when used with imaging applications such as Aperture and iPhoto.
Learn about the OS X Lion v10.7.4 Update.
Learn how to disable the Java web plug-in in Safari.
Apple has introduced an additional type of preference file in Lion, those whose names end in ".plist.lockfile". Here is a good explanation of the function of those files: Lockfiles and other plist file subtypes in OS X Lion
Since plist.lockfiles do not contain any useful information for the user and almost double the content of and clutter the Preferences folders in /Library and ~/Library, I've been looking for a way to hide those files. With help from Yvan Koenig of MacScripter in this topic (I'm flex20 in that forum), I wrote an AppleScript "Hide Unhide plist.lockfile.scpt," which provides a quick and easy way of hiding or unhiding all those pesky files.
You will need an admin password to run the script because some of the ".plist.lockfile" files can only be changed by admi ...
I love TextWrangler, and I have a Mac at work and one at home, but often do coding on both. I set up a system using Dropbox so both my preferences and my Application Support files sync so I always have my stationery files and the same settings, wherever I am.
Run the following as a shell script on each of the Macs. This will copy TextWrangler to your Dropbox folder, and create the support folder on Dropbox, then create a symlink to it in the correct location on your Macs. It will then copy the preference files to Dropbox, so when you launch the application on either Mac, you'll have the same setup.
#!/bin/bash #+ Portable TextWrangler #* Formatted date & time string. FORMATTED_DATE=`/bin/date "+%Y-%m-%d%H%M%S"` #+ ...
When Apple shipped Mac OS X Lion 10.7, the “Library” folder located within every user’s home folder, which had previously been visible to users in the Finder, was made invisible. This hint shows how to make the folder visible and keep it that way forever.
As you may know, and as mentioned in this hint, the Library folder can be made visible again by running the following command in Terminal:
/usr/bin/chflags nohidden ~/Library
Apple keeps making the folder invisible again with every System update, so it gets tedious re-running the above script. You can automate this by adding a Login Item with an AppleScript "script application" containing the following code:
do shell script "/usr/bin/chflags nohidden ~/Library"
Read detailed instructions for this hint, and download a ready-made script application file on the ...
As SSDs become more common, and prices drop, more and more people are either buying Macs with SSDs, or installing them in their Macs. Personally, I started using an SSD with the first MacBook Air in 2008, and bought my current Mac - a Mac mini, purchased in 2011 - with an SSD. The gains in performance are huge, though the price still makes them a choice that is not for everyone.
So, what about you? Does your main Mac - the one you use most - have an SSD? Feel free to post in the comments to the poll which model, whether you bought it with the Mac or installed it yourself, or any other comments you may have about SSDs.
Vote in the poll
I needed a darkened version of a sketch I made, but I didn't want to go scan it and darken it. I decided to make a copy the old fashioned way -- trace it.
However, the lamp wasn't bright enough, and I didn't have access to a backlit desk. Then it hit me; my laptop has a backlight, a very bright backlight in fact.
How to use your screen as a light box:
- Turn your laptop so that the screen is horizontal.
- Prop up the body so the screen stays flat.
- Set your desktop to solid white, or open a solid white window. If you set the desktop color, hide everything else.
- Make sure the screen brightness is turned all the way up.
[crarko adds: I've used an iPhone as a flashlight, but would not have thought of using a laptop as a light table. Clever idea.]
This is more of an FYI than a deep hint. Apparently in Lion, you can now adjust the screen brightness of your Mac even if it's the secondary display in a dual monitor setup.
I'm using an i7 15" MacBook Pro, and before Lion, if my laptop was set as the secondary display, the brightness buttons on my Apple external keyboard didn't work. The brightness buttons only worked if the display was set as the primary display. Now it works if the laptop is a secondary display.
[crarko adds: This is pretty specific. If folks would be kind enough to try a few other configurations and post the results, that could help this prove to be more generally useful.]
The 13" MacBook Pros have only 1 audio jack, for both audio input and output, and you can chose between these 2 from the audio preferences.
If you have the Sound menu extra enabled, Option+clicking on it will let you chose what to use the audio port for (audio input or audio output).
[crarko adds: Handy shortcut.]
Before Lion it was possible to run an external display off a laptop and have the internal display disabled, even if you opened the lid. This can be useful for a myriad of reason including energy saving and better wifi reception. With Lion the internal display will always turn on when the lid is opened, even if there is already an external display connected.
A solution was posted on the Apple support forums by user chenga.8.
To go back to pre-Lion behaviour enter the following command in Terminal:
sudo nvram boot-args="iog=0x0"
To undo this change type type the following command or zap the PRAM (press Cmd+Opt+p+r at power up):
sudo nvram -d boot-args
[crarko adds: I haven't tested this one.]
I ran Disk Utility on my Macbook Pro 15" because I have been having some squirly problems. Sure enough it said I needed to repair my HD. TO do this I had to start with an external startup disk. I tried this with the Snow Leopard install disk but the computer sat in grey screen state. What can I do to have a successful external startup disk so I can repair my HD?
Thanks
Stan Trollip
Thanks
Stan Trollip
I'm trying to install Windows 7 with bootcamp but it wont recognize my windows 7 disk or usb. Its a copy of the original but i have a license and everything just cant get far enough to use it. Is there something im missing or will it just not allow me to use the copy?
I returned home for Thanksgiving and my mother surprised me and presented me with my first computer from college a PowerBook 145; the only problem is that it doesn't work.
I would love to get this thing up and running again but it has some issues. I think the battery might be nuked because when the battery is in and the power cord is plugged in the computer won't turn or or do anything. But when I remove the battery with it plugged in the computer starts and makes that lovely Macintosh bong noise but after that nothing really happens. The screen lights up, the processor whirs, it might make a beep, but nothing ever appears on the screen.
If working properly it should boot up to the desktop without the battery plugged in I am assuming?
Are there any keyboard shortcuts during boot up to get the OS to boot into any certain modes (like holding down the option key for modern OS Macs)
Or keyboard shortcuts when it is running (perhaps to restart it) so I could see if the monitor is some how not displaying things properly?
I guess the hard drive could have died? Would that produce the same result? powering up but never booting up to anything?
Can it boot off of a floppy?
Or could the OS have just gotten corrupted or something and it needs to be re-installed?
Any suggestions or advice to get this antique up and running would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Heali
I would love to get this thing up and running again but it has some issues. I think the battery might be nuked because when the battery is in and the power cord is plugged in the computer won't turn or or do anything. But when I remove the battery with it plugged in the computer starts and makes that lovely Macintosh bong noise but after that nothing really happens. The screen lights up, the processor whirs, it might make a beep, but nothing ever appears on the screen.
If working properly it should boot up to the desktop without the battery plugged in I am assuming?
Are there any keyboard shortcuts during boot up to get the OS to boot into any certain modes (like holding down the option key for modern OS Macs)
Or keyboard shortcuts when it is running (perhaps to restart it) so I could see if the monitor is some how not displaying things properly?
I guess the hard drive could have died? Would that produce the same result? powering up but never booting up to anything?
Can it boot off of a floppy?
Or could the OS have just gotten corrupted or something and it needs to be re-installed?
Any suggestions or advice to get this antique up and running would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Heali
Hello, I need to change my Mac Adress, i tried following this guide:
http://osxdaily.com/2008/01/17/how-t...s-in-mac-os-x/
I changed it, but after doing that, the connection doesn't work anymore and I've to set up the old mac adress to let it work again... I think there's a different process in Lion to do that, someone can help me?
http://osxdaily.com/2008/01/17/how-t...s-in-mac-os-x/
I changed it, but after doing that, the connection doesn't work anymore and I've to set up the old mac adress to let it work again... I think there's a different process in Lion to do that, someone can help me?
The iTunes Guy answers questions about syncing iOS devices with iTunes.
You say attempts to empty your Mac's trash fail with an arcane error? Chris Breen has a solution.
Twitter plans to start sending users a weekly email digest. On TechHive, Jason Cross shows you how to opt out of receiving it.
In this week's Macworld Video, we'll walk you through setting up an account with parental controls, and just what controls are available to you.
All those many different WordPress plugins to back up my blog looked too daunting to me, so I decided to create my own simple Mac-native solution using AppleScript. This AppleScript does the following:
- Simulates a double-click on the alias to my web server (where my WordPress blog lives) to mount it as a WebDAV volume (just like iDisk)
- Runs the handy Unix backup command rsync to copy the remote contents locally
- Unmounts my web server
I then set up a daily iCal event to run the script at 4 a.m. Since I already have CrashPlan backing up my hard drive, that takes care of archiving periodic versions of the backup, just in case.
Here's the script:
set filepath to "Macintosh HD:Users:USERNAME:Library:Favorites:www.example.com"
tell application "Finder" to open filepath
delay 30
do shell script "rsync -av /Volumes/www.example.com/blog/ '/Volumes/Backup/wordpress-backup'"
tell application "Finder" to eject "www.example.com" ...I had to migrate my personal blog about my 2-year old daughter from MobileMe servers to a WordPress account. I wanted to keep all the comments, as well as my posts and other content. So I wrote a perl script to do the job. It is far from beeing perfect, but it works for me. You will have to change some settings in the script to get it to work for you.
Features:
- Keep comments
- Keep images (mostly)
- Sets e-mail adresses for comments by name
- Sets tags by text strings found in title or body
Note: The script will only work as long as Apple's servers are active (through June 30, 2012).
Tips: 1. Import to WordPress first without images. 2. Import the same file again with images. 3. If you can, adjust running time for scripts on your hosting service.
[kirkmc adds: I have no way of testing it, never having created a site with iWeb. Look carefully at the script and check for what variables you n ...
When you want to join a WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK wireless network, your Mac will always refuse to do so. Here's how you can do it.
In System Preferences, click on the Network icon, then on Wi-fi in the list of networks. Click on the "Advanced..." button at the bottom-right of the window. On the Wi-Fi tab, click on the plus (+) button, then add the following:
- Network Name: Your Wi-Fi network's SSID Name
- Security: Any (Personal)
- Password: Your Wi-Fi password
Now your Mac will automatically connect to your WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK network.
[kirkmc adds: I haven't tested this. What I understand here is that you cannot connect to this type of network via the standard dialog, and you must simply add it manually to your list of networks.]
Using a saved Internet location on your desktop, you can quickly check a web page without opening a browser window.
This is a handy way to keep an eye on websites without having to manage browser windows or tabs. Simply drag the URL address from the the top of your browser window (I use Safari) onto your desktop. A 'web internet location' file is created. Now just use Quick Look (hit spacebar) to see a live view of the web page. You can even click a link, which then opens in your default browser.
Take it to the next level: Create a folder with all your favorite internet location files. Put the folder in your dock. Now when you hover over the file in grid or fan view, you can tap space bar to see the web page, and use the arrow keys to navigate around (list view doesn't Quick Look, for some reason, and only opens into a browser). I don't have Flash installed on my system, but I'm curious to know if YouTube and other Flash sites will run within Quick Look. Hope some ...
