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personalisation.md

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macOS personalisation

This sets out the general intefrace, including luanchpad, finder with actions, and spotlight search.

It is part of the macUP macOS setup process – a public repository used to install and configure a macOS device in an efficient, uniform and comprehensive way. Any sensitive or personal settings should be kept separately in your own Private Configuration Notes.

Identity

Set host name

NEWHOSTNAME="MyMac"

# First see current values
scutil --get ComputerName
scutil --get HostName
scutil --get LocalHostName

# now set and validate the new values
sudo scutil --set ComputerName "${NEWHOSTNAME}"
sudo scutil --set HostName "${NEWHOSTNAME}"
sudo scutil --set LocalHostName "${NEWHOSTNAME}"

scutil --get ComputerName
scutil --get HostName
scutil --get LocalHostName

Previously done manually via SysPrefs / Sharing / Computer Name (and dynamic: uncheck)

If you later get issues with the computer automatically renaming itself see macUP / network.md # Computer name changes

Apple ID

You do not need to associate an Apple ID account with your macOS device, unless you wish to use certain services:

  • Apple Purchases
    • App Store
    • AppleTV or Apple Music
  • iCloud
    • sharing docs, notes, photos, videos etc to cloud and other devices
    • manage your iCloud subscription
    • (and seemingly most of the other features)
  • Security (probably all part of iCloud above, actually)
    • Find My (Mac)
    • FileVault recovery from forgetten password
    • iCloud Keychain

See macUP/misc.md # iCloud key-transaction-settings for subscription or payment changes that you might need to sign into iCloud to do.

User photo

  • use (or take) a recent mugshot for the local User account
  • this will be adopted as the AppleID photo and the Anydesk badge
  • could not find any way to obtain the photo OUT of AppleID into local User, but you can extract the local user photo using dscl . -read /Users/${USER} JPEGPhoto | tail -1 | xxd -r -p > ${HOME}/Desktop/accountImage.jpg (credit https://apple.stackexchange.com/a/44959)

Launchpad cleanup

Launchpad is the Rocket Icon in the dock, which shows the apps:

# Decrease Launchpad Icons Size (by setting 8x6 grid)
defaults write com.apple.dock springboard-rows -int 6
defaults write com.apple.dock springboard-columns -int 8;killall Dock
# credit https://www.webnots.com/how-to-increase-or-decrease-launchpad-icons-size-in-macos/

# Allow downloaded apps to run without going into SysPrefs
defaults write com.apple.LaunchServices LSQuarantine -bool false

# Do not reopen all apps
defaults write com.apple.systempreferences NSQuitAlwaysKeepsWindows -bool false

Clean up base apps

  • On Dock / right-click Options / Remove from Dock
    • Mail, FaceTime, Messages, Maps, Photos, Contacts, Calendar, Reminders, Music, Podcasts, TV, News,
  • Move into Productivity folder
    • if folder not created yet drag one app on top of other
    • Mail, Contacts, Calendar, Reminders, Notes, FaceTime, Messages, Maps, Find My, PhotoBooth, Photos, Music, Podcasts, Safari ^ , Finder ^ , TV, VoiceMemos, Weather, News, Stock, Books, Dictionary, Freeform, Home, Clock, Siri,
    • ones marked ^ can go because their also pinned to Dock
    • If still in there:
      • Mission Control, Quick Time Player, TextEdit, Chess, Stickies,
  • Open Launchpad folder Other, rename to Technical and move in:
    • AppStore, System Prefs ^ ,
    • If still in there:
      • Time Machine, Font Book, Image Capture, Automator,

Other general layout preferences

# credit https://www.taniarascia.com/setting-up-a-brand-new-mac-for-development/#defaults
# Show Library folder
chflags nohidden ~/Library

# Disable Notification Center and remove the menu bar icon
launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.notificationcenterui.plist 2> /dev/null

Finder

# credit https://www.taniarascia.com/setting-up-a-brand-new-mac-for-development/#defaults

# Show hidden files
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YES
# Show path bar
defaults write com.apple.finder ShowPathbar -bool true
# Show status bar
defaults write com.apple.finder ShowStatusBar -bool true

# credit https://www.cultofmac.com/646404/secret-mac-settings/
# expand Save panel
defaults write NSGlobalDomain NSNavPanelExpandedStateForSaveMode -bool true
defaults write NSGlobalDomain NSNavPanelExpandedStateForSaveMode2 -bool true

# Use list view in all Finder windows by default
defaults write com.apple.finder FXPreferredViewStyle -string "Nlsv"

# To modify items in the finder sidebar, 
# consider https://github.com/robperc/FinderSidebarEditor

- STILL MANUAL...

  • Preferences / Sidebar
  • Preference / Settings
    • Check Show extensions
    • Uncheck Warn when changing
  • Tags / on right / Hide
  • drag into Favourites:
    • Cached / Repos

Menu bar

# credit https://apple.stackexchange.com/a/337179
defaults write com.apple.systemuiserver menuExtras -array \
"/System/Library/CoreServices/Menu Extras/AirPort.menu" \
"/System/Library/CoreServices/Menu Extras/Battery.menu" \
"/System/Library/CoreServices/Menu Extras/Bluetooth.menu" \
"/System/Library/CoreServices/Menu Extras/Clock.menu" \
"/System/Library/CoreServices/Menu Extras/Displays.menu" \
"/System/Library/CoreServices/Menu Extras/Volume.menu"
killall SystemUIServer

Automations

Note: some people might prefer an alternative file manager to Finder, instead of adding these features manually. If you want a cross-platform, open source candidate try brew install --cask double-commander

Note: these will get saved as a couple of XML files in the folder ~/Library/Services/name\ I\ saved\ as.workflow/

New File in Folder

This adds the feature you find in File Managers of many other OSes to Right-click to add new file in current folder

  • Cmd-Space a-u-t to run Automator
  • New: Quick Action
  • Workflow receives current: folders
  • in: Finder
  • image: + Add
  • Actions / Library / Utility / Run Shell Script (double-click to add)
  • Shell: zsh
  • Pass input: as arguments
#!/bin/zsh
# add a space before `New` to make it go to the top
touch "$1/ New File"
# pass the new filename to the next step that highlights it
echo "$1/ New File"
  • Actions / Library / Files & Folders / Reveal Finder Items (double-click to add)
  • Save: New File in Folder

Copy as URL

To use Finder to get a URL like file:///System/Applications/Font%20Book.app

  • Cmd-Space a-u-t to run Automator
  • New: Quick Action
  • Workflow receives current: files or folders
  • in: Finder
  • image: Globe
  • Actions / Library / Utility / Copy To Clipboard (double-click to add)
  • Actions / Library / Utility / Run Shell Script (double-click to add)
  • Shell: zsh
  • Pass input: as arguments
#!/bin/zsh
sed -e 's/:/\//g' -e 's/\ /%20/g' -e 's/^/file:\/\//g' | pbcopy
# credit http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20091122183451908
  • Save: Copy as URL

Search indexing

to prevent an external disk indexing see [macOS misc.md#prevent-external-disk-indexing]

allow markdown indexing

By default MarkDown .md documents are not included in the spotlight indexes. Here is a simple fix to include them. Note that MD in mdimporter means MetaData.

# credit https://stackoverflow.com/a/33873422
cp -r /System/Library/Spotlight/RichText.mdimporter .

vi RichText.mdimporter/Contents/Info.plist
# insert a new line, four tabs, then the string ...
# <string>net.daringfireball.markdown</string>

sudo cp -R RichText.mdimporter /Library/Spotlight
mdimport -r /Library/Spotlight/RichText.mdimporter