Mac

January 14, 2021

cleanup disk space, old stuffs

https://tomodwyer.com/post/2017-02-19-useful-homebrew-commands/

brew. old files can take up a lot of space

TIP: run upgrade first so it cleans old files and updates

upgrade all and cleanup

brew outdated | awk '{print $1;}' | xargs brew upgrade --cleanup

# dry run
brew cleanup -n
# run
brew cleanup
brew prune

# remove package
brew rm pandoc

install latest and remove older

brew upgrade --cleanup pandoc

useful tools

https://pandoc.org/demos.html

brew install pandoc

rename files with .js to .tsx

find ./src -name "*.js" -exec bash -c 'git mv "$1" "${1%.js}".tsx' - '{}' \;

terminal tools

nerd fonts: https://github.com/ryanoasis/nerd-fonts#option-4-homebrew-fonts

setup: https://medium.com/the-code-review/nerd-fonts-how-to-install-configure-and-remove-programming-fonts-on-a-mac-178833b9daf3

brew tap caskroom/fonts
brew cask install font-hack-nerd-font
brew cask install font-hack-nerd-font-mono

more fonts

https://github.com/Homebrew/homebrew-cask-fonts

brew cask install font-firacode-nerd-font
brew cask install font-firacode-nerd-font-mono

cleanup app cache

http://www.techerator.com/2012/10/how-to-delete-application-caches-in-mac-os-x/

apple script

https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/AppleScript/Conceptual/AppleScriptLangGuide/reference/ASLR_cmds.html

Use the apple script editor. You can explore dictionaries.

https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/LanguagesUtilities/Conceptual/MacAutomationScriptingGuide/index.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40016239-CH56-SW1 - beginner guide

https://scriptingosx.com/2017/10/on-the-shebang/ - useful blog

basics

extension: .applescript compiled extension: .scpt shebang: #!/usr/bin/env osascript

comments: -- or (* blah *)

variables:

my_foo=val osascript foo.scpt
set this_foo to system attribute "my_foo"

launch system preferences

tell application "System Preferences"
 try
  activate
  delay 5
 end try
end tell

get elements

tell application "System Events"
 tell process "System Preferences"
  set frontmost to true
  delay 2
  name of button in scroll area 1 of window 1
  properties of button in scroll area 1 of window 1
  delay 2
  get entire contents of scroll area 1 of window 1
  get button "General" of scroll area 1 of window 1
 end tell
end tell

debugging ui elems

start with window 1, get entire contents. Than work down.

get entire contents of window 1
get entire contents of scroll area 1 of window 1
get properties of every menu bar item of menu bar 1

plist (buddy)

https://fgimian.github.io/blog/2015/06/27/a-simple-plistbuddy-tutorial/

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/13970218/how-can-i-use-plistbuddy-to-access-an-element-of-preferencesspecified-by-its-pro

defaults

https://ss64.com/osx/syntax-defaults.html

https://github.com/herrbischoff/awesome-macos-command-line#applications

https://rixstep.com/2/20060901,00.shtml

automation

https://www.going-flying.com/blog/macos-automatic-customization-script.html

http://osxdaily.com/2012/10/09/best-defaults-write-commands-mac-os-x/

https://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/apple-mac-os-x-update-softwareupdate-bash-shell-command/

https://dotfiles.github.io/

https://github.com/mathiasbynens/dotfiles/blob/master/.macos

https://github.com/holman/dotfiles/blob/80b2bd57e9c594dc7c783989801ee51930068d59/macos/set-defaults.sh

https://github.com/joshuaclayton/dotfiles

https://blog.palcu.ro/2014/06/dotfiles-and-dev-tools-provisioned-by.html

https://github.com/kevinSuttle/macOS-Defaults/blob/master/.macos

https://github.com/webpro/awesome-dotfiles

https://medium.com/@webprolific/getting-started-with-dotfiles-43c3602fd789

bash profile examples

https://natelandau.com/my-mac-osx-bash_profile/

change default apps

https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/49532/change-the-default-application-for-a-file-extension-via-script-command-line

https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/313454/applescript-find-the-users-set-default-browser

touchbar customization

https://pock.dev/

see defaults

sudo defaults read

Create a ISO to Mount in a VM

https://osxdaily.com/2020/07/20/how-convert-macos-installer-iso/

hdiutil create -o /tmp/Monterey -size 14g -volname Monterey -layout SPUD -fs HFS+J
hdiutil attach /tmp/Monterey.dmg -noverify -mountpoint /Volumes/Monterey
sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Monterey.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/Monterey --nointeraction
hdiutil detach /Volumes/Monterey # command didn't work, manual unmount
hdiutil convert /tmp/Monterey.dmg -format UDTO -o ~/Desktop/Monterey.cdr
mv ~/Desktop/Monterey.cdr ~/Desktop/Monterey.iso

Running in a VM

https://i12bretro.github.io/tutorials/0629.html

  1. Prep the ISO from the mac download
  2. Open Virtual Box
  3. Create a new VM.
  • Name: Monterey
  • Machine Folder: ~/VirtualVox VMs
  • Type: Mac OS X (64 bit)
  • Version: Mac OS X (64 bit)
  • Memory size: 4096 MB
  • Hard Disk: create a virtual hard disk now

  1. Click Create

  2. On the Virutal Hard Disk Dialog:

    • Name the disk: Monterey.vdi
    • File size: 50 GB
    • Hard disk type: VDI
    • Storage on physical hard disk: dynamically allocated

  3. Click create

  4. Select the VM and click settings

    • System -> Processor -> 2 processors at least
    • Display -> Video memory 128 MB
    • Display -> Use SVGA, uncheck 3d
    • USB -> USB 3.0

  5. Storage -> Create new SATA Controller

    • Choose disk button on the optical drive
    • Add button -> point to your ISO
    • click choose

  6. click ok

  7. Shutdown Virtual Box and run this in terminal to fix the display

    VBoxManage setextradata "monterey" VBoxInternal2/EfiGraphicsResolution 1792x1120

  8. Startup

  9. Select your language

  10. Select disk utility

  11. Select the vbox hard disk -> erase

  12. name the disk monterey

  13. Use APFS, click erase

  14. close disk utility

  15. Select install macos monterey

  16. Follow setup configuration wizard

    • skip migration assistant
    • skip apple profile setup

Automation with Security Settings

https://ss64.com/osx/tccutil.html

tccutil reset All com.apple.Terminal

https://scriptingosx.com/2020/09/avoiding-applescript-security-and-privacy-requests/

The following will get approval for terminal and system events.

osascript <<EndOfScript
    tell application "System Events"
        activate
        display dialog "Hello, World!"
    end tell
EndOfScript

MAS

Great CLI for interacting with app store.

Several issues with login: https://github.com/mas-cli/mas#%EF%B8%8F-known-issues

example: https://github.com/tiiiecherle/osx_install_config/blob/master/03_homebrew_casks_and_mas/3b_homebrew_casks_and_mas_install/6_mas_appstore.sh