Opening a folder in the Finder updates .DS_Store inside it, which causes the folder (directory) to be updated. You see, a directory is really a file containing info about the files inside, including times and dates of modification.
I can sort of buy the idea that a filename change should be treated differently than, say a couple of new paragraphs added to a Word document.
But if a directory is "really a file containing info about the files inside, including times and dates of modification", then in what respect is simply opening a folder going to change any of that info?? And isn't that just "metadata" about the files inside anyway - no actual bytes of file content have changed, i.e. they remain unmodified, so why would their container be modified?
― Tracer Hand, Monday, 13 October 2008 16:11 (fifteen years ago) link
I thought I had this one figured out, but I guess I don't. I've opened several folders today to test this, and the mod time hasn't changed. Of course, that's after applying the latest update, so it's possible that Apple saw this as a bug and fixed it.
― LJ OA UG IG SE RR (libcrypt), Monday, 13 October 2008 18:11 (fifteen years ago) link
Perhaps the metainformation hadn't changed so it didn't need to write a new copy of the DS_Store.
― Kramkoob (Catsupppppppppppppp dude 茄蕃), Monday, 13 October 2008 18:23 (fifteen years ago) link
what's the difference between the ds store and the app store?
― s1ocki, Monday, 13 October 2008 18:24 (fifteen years ago) link
.DS_Store is simply a Finder "cookie" used to remember folder view settings so that the OS doesn't have to maintain an unwieldy and prone-to-bugs universal view settings database. Close a folder, delete. DS_Store, and reopen it if you want to see .DS_Store remembers.
The app store is where you buy apps.
― LJ OA UG IG SE RR (libcrypt), Monday, 13 October 2008 18:34 (fifteen years ago) link
What is it with .DS_Store!?!? I understand what it does (see above) but why does Apple think it's okay to alter the contents of my drives (in my case flash cards) without asking me just to _look_ at them?!?!?
I had a virus which does almost exactly the same thing!
― mei, Tuesday, 14 October 2008 00:00 (fifteen years ago) link
Weird it doesn't do it for me either, any more!
libcrypt the problem with your last post is that the Finder doesn't remember per-folder view settings as of Leopard.
― Tracer Hand, Tuesday, 14 October 2008 01:11 (fifteen years ago) link
So - what the hell is .DS_Store for anymore
― Tracer Hand, Tuesday, 14 October 2008 01:12 (fifteen years ago) link
why does Apple think it's okay to alter the contents of my drives (in my case flash cards) without asking me just to _look_ at them?!?!?
Almost every file system ever has been doing this since the 1980s.
― Kramkoob (Catsupppppppppppppp dude 茄蕃), Tuesday, 14 October 2008 01:22 (fifteen years ago) link
Sure it still remembers per-folder view preferences. Apple-J, muck around with settings, come back, and it's all as it was. (xp)
― LJ OA UG IG SE RR (libcrypt), Tuesday, 14 October 2008 01:24 (fifteen years ago) link
oh shiii-- good tip, libcrypt
― Nhex, Tuesday, 14 October 2008 03:24 (fifteen years ago) link
libcrypt ah yes true but you have to explicitly tell the Finder to remember those preferences, otherwise it's won't even attempt to. blech!
― Tracer Hand, Tuesday, 14 October 2008 08:24 (fifteen years ago) link
(and you have to set these prefs in EVERY FOLDER!!!!!!!)
― Tracer Hand, Tuesday, 14 October 2008 09:15 (fifteen years ago) link
All it takes is one button
http://www.latenightpc.com/img/windows-explorer-folder-options-dialog-view.png
― Dead Cat Bounce (Ed), Tuesday, 14 October 2008 09:17 (fifteen years ago) link
srsly
― Tracer Hand, Tuesday, 14 October 2008 09:30 (fifteen years ago) link
If you want to use a set of prefs for all folders that don't have their own prefs manually set, click the "use as default" button at the bottom of the control-J window.
― LJ OA UG IG SE RR (libcrypt), Tuesday, 14 October 2008 13:07 (fifteen years ago) link
OOOOOOOH
― Tracer Hand, Tuesday, 14 October 2008 13:22 (fifteen years ago) link
that's nice.
what i would like, though, is that when i awitch to list view, IT REMEMBERS. WITHOUT ME DOING CMD-J FAFF.
― Tracer Hand, Tuesday, 14 October 2008 13:23 (fifteen years ago) link
You have a point, TH.
― LJ OA UG IG SE RR (libcrypt), Tuesday, 14 October 2008 13:34 (fifteen years ago) link
Myself, I've just gotten handy with cmd-1, cmd-2, and cmd-3 (and now cmd-4) for quick switching between views (icon, list, NeXT, and cover flo).
― LJ OA UG IG SE RR (libcrypt), Tuesday, 14 October 2008 13:36 (fifteen years ago) link
The new Macbook Pros only come in glossy?
FUCK YOU APPLE.
― sad man in him room (milo z), Tuesday, 14 October 2008 15:49 (fifteen years ago) link
Removin' Firewire from the standard Macbook is a bad sign...
― Nhex, Tuesday, 14 October 2008 22:50 (fifteen years ago) link
I have a MacBook, which has bluetooth. I have AirPort. I would like to be able to have my MacBook in my office and be able to play songs on a set of portable speakers that I could have in my kitchen, bedroom, wherever. Do these exist? I looked online and could only find one or two things labeled as "wi-fi speakers" and they were a little pricey and I was worried because there weren't many options. Then I found Bluetooth speakers but there seem to be some reports that the Bluetooth signals don't go through walls very well. Any thoughts?
― metametadata (n/a), Saturday, 25 October 2008 17:49 (fifteen years ago) link
n/a i use my airport express to stream music wirelessly... it has a speaker jack, you can use itunes to stream it.
― s1ocki, Saturday, 25 October 2008 17:57 (fifteen years ago) link
any thoughts
https://www.krcs.co.uk/images/library/products/300/apple_m9470.jpg
― my sweet coconut (rogermexico.), Saturday, 25 October 2008 17:58 (fifteen years ago) link
right but then i have to move the express around to whatever room i want to have music in or buy another express for each room
― metametadata (n/a), Saturday, 25 October 2008 18:00 (fifteen years ago) link
+ move the dsl modem around too
― metametadata (n/a), Saturday, 25 October 2008 18:01 (fifteen years ago) link
it would just be nice if portable wi-fi speakers existed but they don't really seem to
― metametadata (n/a), Saturday, 25 October 2008 18:02 (fifteen years ago) link
but if you're planning on moving the speakers around then going through walls shouldn't be an issue...
ps airport express doesn't need to be attached to a modem if you're just using it for musics - just set it up as a device on your existing wireless network
― my sweet coconut (rogermexico.), Saturday, 25 October 2008 18:04 (fifteen years ago) link
oh that makes sense i guess. i just couldn't be online and playing music at the same time
― metametadata (n/a), Saturday, 25 October 2008 18:07 (fifteen years ago) link
unless i plugged the computer directly into the modem blah blah blah
so wait... do you currently have wifi set up?
― my sweet coconut (rogermexico.), Saturday, 25 October 2008 18:08 (fifteen years ago) link
you could buy another one! probably for a decent price on ebay.
if you're moving the speakers around, moving the airport express shouldnt be a biggie.
― s1ocki, Saturday, 25 October 2008 18:08 (fifteen years ago) link
yah your airport express for musics doesn't replace anything youve got currently - but if you're on 802.11g you can pick uo that model used for mad cheeps
― my sweet coconut (rogermexico.), Saturday, 25 October 2008 18:10 (fifteen years ago) link
it's gonna be awesome
― s1ocki, Saturday, 25 October 2008 18:14 (fifteen years ago) link
ok cool well i just moved my airport into the living room to use with my stereo so i get that concept now. i'll look into getting a used dealy. thanks.
― metametadata (n/a), Saturday, 25 October 2008 18:15 (fifteen years ago) link
i need to do this. my airport express and modem are right next to the stereo. or at least where i envision a stereo, because i still don't have one :-/
― my other son is a zamboni (gbx), Saturday, 25 October 2008 18:24 (fifteen years ago) link
i'm just griping because we don't have any way for me to listen to music in the kitchen while i'm washing dishes. i need to get a boombox with a line-in jack and then i'll be set.
― metametadata (n/a), Saturday, 25 October 2008 18:33 (fifteen years ago) link
Do you have an iPod? If so, wouldn't it be easier/cheaper/simpler to get a decent portable iPod dock/speaker system? I like my Logitech mm50 speakers: very portable, decent sound, and they have a rechargable Li-ion battery so you can even take them outside for grilling or picnicking or whatever.
― Joe the C.R.E.E.P. Operative (Rock Hardy), Saturday, 25 October 2008 18:35 (fifteen years ago) link
If you have an iPod touch or iPhone, you can use http://www.simplifymedia.com/ to stream anything from your iTunes to your phone. Also good for streaming to work computer
― Kramkoob (Catsupppppppppppppp dude 茄蕃), Saturday, 25 October 2008 19:32 (fifteen years ago) link
Not really a suggestion, but I use one of these for wireless music:
http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/2048/imageuploadimagezt3.jpg
There are a bunch of things like it, but the SoundBridge has digital out, so you can use whatever expensive DAC you want to go analog, if that kinda thing suits yr audiophile proclivities.
― № 1 (libcrypt), Saturday, 25 October 2008 21:33 (fifteen years ago) link
^^^ This talks to iTunes on a remote computer, so you don't actually have to be near the computer with the tunes to play music. It reads yr playlists, etc., and also does Internet radio.
― № 1 (libcrypt), Saturday, 25 October 2008 21:35 (fifteen years ago) link
I also have one of the Soundbridges and it's very nice.
― treefell, Saturday, 25 October 2008 21:50 (fifteen years ago) link
that thing looks perfect, to me. does it work even if the computer isn't logged on and itunes isn't running?
― akm, Saturday, 25 October 2008 21:52 (fifteen years ago) link
Yeah, it works fine as long as it has network. Obviously you can't listen to yr iTunes music if iTunes isn't running, but there are a zillion Internet radio stations it can tune.
― № 1 (libcrypt), Saturday, 25 October 2008 23:29 (fifteen years ago) link
i really love the airport expresses. they're about $20 cheaper refurbed from apple.com, too.
― toby, Sunday, 26 October 2008 01:21 (fifteen years ago) link
this thread has inspired me!
pulled out my old 802.11g airport express and went to radio shack for a mini-to-RCA cable. Sorted. Awesome.
― my sweet coconut (rogermexico.), Sunday, 26 October 2008 01:33 (fifteen years ago) link
I have the Squeezebox which is like the above soundbridge but better (hah!).
http://www.slimdevices.com/pi_squeezebox.html
― dan selzer, Sunday, 26 October 2008 01:55 (fifteen years ago) link
^ I have a hardon for the squeezebox duet and its insanely hawt remote (though Apple's new remote setup for iPhone/iPod Touch is now a viable alternative), but I think I'm good for at least a generation.
― my sweet coconut (rogermexico.), Sunday, 26 October 2008 02:02 (fifteen years ago) link
I'm not sure that the squeezebox has > $120 MSRP more features than the SoundBridge. Does it do WPA2? I'd (have paid) $120 more for that, perhaps.
― № 1 (libcrypt), Sunday, 26 October 2008 03:35 (fifteen years ago) link