Frequently, when I try to open the (10.9) Finder's "Open With..." menu, I experience a delay that appears to be due to connected FireWire drives. This delay is very long when the drives need to spin up , but is also perceptible when the drives have not spun down. For me, this delay makes no sense: I have no applications that I use stored on my external drives, and I have disabled Spotlight searches of these drives (using Spotlight's "Privacy" setting ). Is there some way to prevent the "Open With..." menu examining external drives? --- Note that this is not a question about speeding up the OW menu in general (e.g., by pruning apps and file type associations), nor about keeping duplicate apps on external drives from appearing in the OW menu (I have none as my Spotlight settings noted above exclude them).

Recently I've tried to change the default application with which a file is opened, by doing the following: 1. Right click on the file 2. Get info 3. In "Open with", change to the application you want your file to be opened with. 4. Click on the "Change All" button which is found under the "Open with" label in the last step, i.e. when I click on "Change All", I receive the following message: then if I look at the default application that opens this file, it's really the application I've just chosen, but when I click on the file to open it, I've the following error message: Yes, I was trying to open a Makefile for a C program. Any ideas of why this is happening and how to solve it?

>Why does setting the hard-limit for maxfiles to "unlimited" using launchctl limit result in a hard-limit slightly above the soft-limit? By setting the maxfiles limit using launchctl to launchctl limit maxfiles 10000 unlimited, I get the following result: nlykkei-mbp:~ nlykkei$ launchctl limit maxfiles maxfiles 10000 10240 Initially, after the system has booted, hard-limit is set to "unlimited", so why can't I set the same hard-limit by setting it manually?

I use [syncthing](https://syncthing.net/) for backups and data sync. In Linux, I run it via a systemd hardened unit, restricting what directories the process can read, access to privileged kernel ops and, most important, I restrict TCP/UDP traffic to a particular subnet, to ensure no data egress happens. I'm installing it on a Mac laptop via Brew which uses launchd to run it, the file is this one:

KeepAlive
	
	Label
	homebrew.mxcl.syncthing
	LimitLoadToSessionType
	
		Aqua
		Background
		LoginWindow
		StandardIO
		System
	
	ProgramArguments
	
		/opt/homebrew/opt/syncthing/bin/syncthing
		-no-browser
		-no-restart
	
	RunAtLoad
	
	StandardErrorPath
	/opt/homebrew/var/log/syncthing.log
	StandardOutPath
	/opt/homebrew/var/log/syncthing.log

I've done some research and I could not found a way to harden security. I can live without data and privileged access restrictions, but I'd like to ensure no data egress happens. Is this possible? Note: tried sandbox-exec, but it does not support IP addresses (error: sandbox-exec: host must be * or localhost in network address)

I use SSH extensively for intersystem communication within a private (192.x.x.x) network. Now there is a need to allow _only_ some functions (notably SCP) with a couple of servers from the external world. So, continuing to use port 22 internally, I would like to set up a more limited SSH server (say on port 10022) for access from the internet (yes, I am aware of the risks and take the responsibility if it all falls apart). I don't see that question addressed here at Ask Different(ly). I see there is a /etc/ssh/sshd_config file and it looks pretty standard... is it just a matter of duplicating and modifying that, and doing the same with a plist? If so, where would I find that plist? (I found /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/ssh.plist but that says it's disabled. I also found /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.openssh.ssh-agent.plist but I'm not sure that's right either, especially since it is in the Agents (not Daemons) directory. Currenly, the active lines in /etc/ssh/sshd_config_alt are: Port xxxxx SyslogFacility AUTH LogLevel INFO PubkeyAuthentication yes AuthorizedKeysFile .ssh/authorized_keys PasswordAuthentication no AllowAgentForwarding no AllowTcpForwarding no PermitTTY no PermitUserEnvironment no ForceCommand internal-sftp This is what transpires when a person tries to SSH to that system > ssh -p nnnnn macstudio PTY allocation request failed on channel 0 This service allows sftp connections only. Connection to macstudio closed. Of course, the modified port 22 /etc/ssh/sshd_config file limits the incoming connections to local network.

I installed an AI coding IDE by dragging it to my Applications folder. As soon as I opened it, it changed my Finder such that all .md, .json, .txt etc. open with this new app instead of others. I do not remember giving permission to this app to make those changes. How do I revert the file associations/"open with" settings without uninstalling this new app?

I have 2 Telegram clients on my MacBook ^ /Applications/Telegram.app/Contents/MacOS/Telegram ^ /Applications/Telegram.localized/Telegram.app/Contents/MacOS Currently when I click a link, the first one opens. How to have the second one open instead? EDIT: By removing the .app for the first one (Telegram Desktop) from my /Applications folder, links now correctly open in the second one. However as soon as I restore it, links again open in it. Even changing the filename and moving it from /Applications to ~/Desktop, macOS still manages to find it when I hit ENTER on a link in Chrome. How to prevent this behaviour? Moreover can anyone shed some light on how macOS is able to track the movement of an app to any location on my filesystem in this manner?

There are some recent apps, e.g., Cisco Secure Client / AnyConnect VPN service, where the service cannot be stopped/started using the LaunchControl.app. For more control over what's running on the machine and when, I would like to be able to stop/start the service using the command line and make sure that it is loaded properly by checking its state using appropriate commands. **However, the method I have to stop the service results in me not being able to query the service status _after_ I start the service back up. What is the proper way to stop/start services for "bundled services" ??** To start, I check whether the service is running on or not:

$ launchctl print system/com.cisco.secureclient.vpn.service.agent
system/com.cisco.secureclient.vpn.service.agent = {
	active count = 1
	path = (submitted by smd.303)
	type = Submitted
	managed_by = com.apple.xpc.ServiceManagement
	state = running

	program identifier = Contents/MacOS/vpnagentd (mode: 2)
	parent bundle identifier = com.cisco.secureclient.vpn.service
	BTM uuid = 61DCA467-D6AD-4251-90D7-E49891CEAE80
	arguments = {
		vpnagentd
		-execv_instance
	}

	default environment = {
		PATH => /usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin
	}

	environment = {
		XPC_SERVICE_NAME => com.cisco.secureclient.vpn.service.agent
	}

	domain = system
	minimum runtime = 10
	exit timeout = 45
	runs = 2
	pid = 1987
	immediate reason = inefficient
	forks = 5
	execs = 1
	initialized = 1
	trampolined = 1
	started suspended = 0
	proxy started suspended = 0
	last exit code = 0

	spawn type = daemon (3)
	jetsam priority = 40
	jetsam memory limit (active) = (unlimited)
	jetsam memory limit (inactive) = (unlimited)
	jetsamproperties category = daemon
	submitted job. ignore execute allowed
	jetsam thread limit = 32
	cpumon = default
	job state = running
	probabilistic guard malloc policy = {
		activation rate = 1/1000
		sample rate = 1/0
	}

	properties = partial import | keepalive | abandon process group | resolve program | has LWCR

I can stop this service using the following command:

sudo launchctl bootout system/com.cisco.secureclient.vpn.service.agent

However, when I do that, I cannot re-load the service back again to a state that is recognizable by LaunchControl, nor is it listed in launchctl print system/com.cisco.secureclient.vpn.service.agent

$ launchctl print system/com.cisco.secureclient.vpn.service.agent
Bad request.
Could not find service "com.cisco.secureclient.vpn.service.agent" in domain for system

I'm looking for something which runs under macOS that will let me do the following: Suppose I have a file called "program.list" with contents something like this: "Program 1" "/usr/local/bin/program 1" "Program 2" "/usr/local/bin/program 2" "Program 3" "/usr/local/bin/other-program xyz" "Program 4" "/usr/local/bin/something-else" ... etc. ... I'd like to feed this file to a program which, for example, could be called "run-from-list", and which I could invoke as follows: run-from-list program.list ... and when that command is invoked, the following would show up on the screen in a scrollable list: Program 1 Program 2 Program 3 Program 4 ... etc. ... And whatever line I click on, the associated program will run. For example, if I click on "Program 1", it will run the "/usr/local/bin/program 1" program. Is there any way to write "run-from-list" in MacOS without compiling source code into an executable? A scripting language would be suitable. Or is there some sort of existing utility that I could download which I could use similarly for this purpose?

I'm not able in my plist of sync to make a beep when finished. this my code of plist

KeepAlive
	
		Crashed
		
	
	Label
	launched.arubas.sync.red
	ProgramArguments
	
		sh
		-c
		/usr/bin/printf "\a";/usr/bin/printf "\a";/usr/bin/printf "\a";/system/Applications/Utilities/Console.app/Contents/MacOS/Console /users/oscarristolfi/arubaredsync.log & /usr/local/bin/rclone sync /users/oscarristolfi/documents aruba-s3:/timemachine/documents   -vv --transfers=8 --log-file /users/oscarristolfi/arubaredsync.log & /usr/local/bin/rclone sync /users/oscarristolfi/redincontri aruba-s3:/timemachine/redincontri  -vv --log-file /users/oscarristolfi/arubaredsync.log;/usr/bin/printf "\a";/usr/bin/printf "\a";/usr/bin/printf "\a";
		/Users/oscarristolfi/Desktop/sound.sh
	
	RunAtLoad
	
	StandardErrorPath
	/Users/oscarristolfi/arubaredsync.log
	StandardOutPath
	/Users/oscarristolfi/arubaredsync.log
	StartInterval
	1800

I have been living with this for a long time, but now (hope with your help) I am committed to solve it because it doesn't look quite normal. Why this window of this sharingd process, shows up at boot time in desktop almost in milliseconds and disappears (like if it was granted with some kind of "auto click"). I don't share (wish not) anything with any other host in any net. This is a plain standalone home computer with its plain vanilla internet connection. Likely targets: com.apple.sharingd (signer: Apple Proper) com.apple.preferences.sharing.remoteservice (signer: Apple Proper) In my share settings I have all unticked (no file sharing, no remote services, nothing). And, why shows this behaviour if many other services start as well, but they don't throw "grant/acceptance windows" on desktop? If is a system necessary process I just don't want to remove it from disk (i. e. deleting the com.apple.sharingd...), but should be a way to disable it? I also don't want just to block it through firewall. I would like to do it the good way. Stopping the service, yes? Any command line string to stop it? Thank you.

I've read the following manual pages on launchd: launchctl, launchd, and launchd.plist. However, nothing is really said in these manual pages regarding what the launchctl boostrap and launchctl bootout (sub)commands actually do (see below). Is it to be inferred from their names? Futhermore, I cannot find information in the man pages, regarding what user/group the service (agent/daemon) runs as. However, launchd.plist mentions UserName/GroupName for controlling the user/group for the system domain. So, what user are per-user services in /Library/LaunchAgents or ~/Library/LaunchAgents run as? Finally, I would expect I need to bootstrap/load my daemon's .plist, but after putting the .plist in /Library/LaunchAgents or /Library/LaunchDaemons, it was automatically loaded (run) at system boot. Indeed, RunAtLoad=true, but what's the purpose of bootstrap, if services run anyway? man launchctl: bootstrap | bootout domain-target [service-path service-path2 ...] | service-target Bootstraps or removes domains and services. When service arguments are present, bootstraps and correspondingly removes their definitions into the domain. Services may be specified as a series of paths or a service identifier. Paths may point to XPC service bundles, launchd.plist(5) s, or a directories containing a collection of either. If there were one or more errors while bootstrapping or removing a collection of services, the problematic paths will be printed with the errors that occurred. If no paths or service target are specified, these commands can either bootstrap or remove a domain specified as a domain target. Some domains will implicitly bootstrap pre-defined paths as part of their creation.

I know I can use "Service Management" (SMAppManager) for the current user [or do the equivalent action via setup], but it only registers at login for the current user, but I need my app to register at login for the current user and for all other users.

do {
    try SMAppService.mainApp.register()
}
catch {
    print(error)
}

I know that you can use "RunAlLoad" in the launchd config, but it doesn't work quite the way I want it to because it actually starts when the program is loaded when loaded via launchctl or only after a reboot.

Label
	com.companyname.application
	
	ProgramArguments
	
		/path/to/application
	

    RunAtLoad

I also tried using the "OnDemand" option with the value "false", but then the application just starts all time:

Label
	com.companyname.application
	
	ProgramArguments
	
		/path/to/application
	

    OnDemand

Which launchd config file can be used for this or how can I do it with "Service Management" ?

I, for some reason, cannot seem to find a google search which actually answers this question. I have a mac, and I would like to have the ssh daemon running in the background at all times, so I can ssh in from other machines whenever I need to. Currently, I can enable ssh by going to System Preferences > Sharing > Remote Login, and checking the box to turn on the service. I am able to ssh in successfully. *However,* after enabling it, the ssh service automatically disables itself after I disconnect from my ssh session. I enable the service through mac, connect via ssh from another machine, disconnect, and then check the mac settings to find ssh disabled. Additionally, I believe my mac will automatically terminate ssh after a period of time, either from the machine going to sleep, or from a timeout, I haven't figured out the trigger yet. How can I make it so the ssh daemon is PERMANENTLY enabled? I want the equivalent of systemctl enable sshd for mac. I want the ssh daemon to start on boot, and remain running while the machine is on without timing out or shutting down when a user disconnects. I am currently running MacOS Monterey 12.6 **EDIT:** To clarify based on comments received, I *can* login via ssh if I enable Remote Login in system preferences. This is the default ssh that was installed when I received the Mac, and I do not believe there is any MDM software installed on the Mac other than Computrace. My account is an admin, as Remote Login is restricted to only allow Administrators, and I have sudo access as well. I have done some more testing and I cannot seem to reliably reproduce the issue where Remote Login disables itself after I connect and disconnect over ssh, but it *has* for a fact happened. Just prior to posting this question, I enabled Remote Login via system preferences, connected to the mac via ssh, closed that connection, and then checked via system preferences again to find Remote Login no longer checked. It seems in addition to randomly turning off the Remote Login service is disabled when the Mac goes to sleep. I have had an ssh session get disconnected before, but I wonder if perhaps that was a separate issue, perhaps a wifi mishap as I was just now able to connect over ssh, and then while connected, disable Remote Login without terminating the existing ssh connection. Thank you for the tip about launchctl. I can see via launchctl now that sshd creates a new process when a connection is attempted. However, when Remote Login is disabled, or becomes disabled of it's own accord, the com.openssh.sshd process is not existant, and therefore does not create a subprocess to handle the connection. % sudo launchctl list | grep ssh - 0 com.openssh.sshd 90388 0 com.openssh.sshd.43C47EF8-F4FF-49E2-BBD9-96D87190B91B

The macOS system recognizes various files as JavaScript. If the filename extension is .js, .jscript, .javascript or .mjs, the file's Uniform Type Identifier (UTI) is com.netscape.javascript-source and the file is considered to be JavaScript. This list of filename extensions is 'hard-coded' in /System/Library/CoreServices/CoreTypes.bundle/Contents/Info.plist, where that UTI is defined in a dictionary entry with this subkey:

UTTypeTagSpecification

	public.filename-extension
	
		js
		jscript
		javascript
		mjs
	
	public.mime-type
	
		text/javascript

I would like to add another filename extension to the set that identifies JavaScript files on my Mac. The extension .jsm is often used with the same meaning as .mjs, a JavaScript module. For example, the source code of Firefox has 484 jsm files and the source code of Thunderbird has 429. If they could have that same UTI, it would become easier to work with them – for example, they'd be treated the same by Quicklook. Is this possible? Can you override the built-in UTI definition, or somehow add something to it? Editing this system file seems unwise (and will have to be repeated after every OS update). I tried doing it in the Info.plist of an ad-hoc Automator application, and then importing that app with lsregister, but have so far had no luck. My question is similar to [this one](https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/24373/how-can-i-associate-a-file-extension-with-a-content-type) , but more specific.

In the finder you can control click on a document to get the contextual menu, this has 'open with..' with a submenu of all apps that can open that document. Is there a way to get this list via Terminal? Many thanks.

I'm currently using macOS Ventura 13.1 on my i5 Macbook Pro 2020. After updating to this version, some unexpected behavior has arose, such as "Steam" added items that can run in the background . I was able to fix that issue by removing Steam related file from /User/user_name/Library/LaunchAgents. Now, I realized something interesting. I have ln on the “Allow in the Background” list. Although it says “item from unidentified developer”, the source directory is directly /bin/ln. If there's no such reverse engineering or similar, I believe it's most likely safe. It's literally the ln command to link files. After surfing a bit through other people's problems with the same page, I figured that I'm the only one with the ln listed. My question is simple: Why do I see ln listed here meanwhile other people don't have it?

For a support information gathering tool, I like to be able to look up several apps by name (or rather by their bundle ID) and fetch their versions. I don't like to use the find command for this as that's not going to find all possible apps, or it'll take forever. There's lsregister -dump, which knows about all those apps that interest me, but that command seems to offer no option to look up information only about specific apps. I'd have to filter the result with grep, but can't figure out how to filter it so that I can look for an app's bundle ID but also get the version (which appears in a different line). There's also mdfind, which might be suitable for my purpose. Let's, for instance, say I want to know about all installed "Word" apps, such as the 2008, 2011 and 365 versions. With lsregister -dump | grep 'com\.microsoft\.Word', I'd get these lines: identifier: com.microsoft.Word (0x800460c2) activityTypes: NOTIFICATION#:com.microsoft.Word, pv-e851f8544284d1 That's not helpful to inquire the version, is it? With mdfind "kMDItemCFBundleIdentifier == com.microsoft.Word" I'd get the paths: /Applications/Microsoft Office 2008/Microsoft Word.app /Applications/Microsoft Office 2011/Microsoft Word.app But how would I get the version from that? I thought I'd filter the resulting paths with xargs but that doesn't work with the spaces in the paths.

I noticed in my boot logs that this service fails to start because the executable is missing. So, what is it supposed to do? I can’t find much about it on the internet besides that it was introduced in macOS Monterey and also exists on iOS. What is it supposed to do?

I've seen questions like this which don't quite solve my problem. I'd like to make Sublime Text 3 the default file viewer/editor for all files that currently use textedit. Most of these files can be command+i'd, but the ones that **have no extension** cannot. They give all sorts of permissions errors such as the ones in this image Is there any way to just never use textedit, and instead **set sublime as the default editor for all files**?