Mac os x files can contain which of the following

You can move, rename, or delete the folder if you'd like, but problems might arise.

For reasons beyond explanation, Apple hardcoded the location of the Print Center into the system. If you must rename your Utilities folder, you can manually start Print Center to complete any pending print jobs. This problem is fully described in Apple's TIL: This problem might affect other applications automatically launched from the Utilities folder as well. Although is does not have a strict definition, you can think of the Library as a storage location for system-wide application preferences, application libraries, and information that should be accessible to any user. Some of these folders are used by applications to data such as preferences, whereas others hold printer drivers or other system additions made by the user.

Mac OS 9 Invisible Files & Folders

The default Library folders you'll find upon installation include:. For example, the StuffIt engine is used globally by several compression utilities. Rather than having multiple copies of the engine for each program, a single copy of the engine is located in the Application Support folder.

Mac OS X includes a large number of AppleScripts that can be used immediately, including the ability to mimic the color settings of a typical PC monitor. This folder contains scripts that can automatically crop images or create Web page galleries. If there are Java class libraries that should be available to anyone using the system, they can be stored in the Java folder. These scripts are simple text files that can easily be modified to work with unlisted modems.

Users should never need to manually update the contents of this folder. Because Mac OS X supports multiple users, each user should have his own preference file located in his home directory. This folder contains preferences that are global; that is, across all users. Printer page description files can also be found here. This list can be read by opening the Installer application double-click the.

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Within two weeks of the OS X release, more than 30 new screensaver modules were written. To add a new screen saver, just download the module and place it in this folder. It will be accessible by all user accounts on the system. Everything from Finder to e-mail automation is included. Any properly configured services will be executed from this location automatically. This is not to be used in the same manner as the Startup folder on Mac OS 9. Applications placed here will not start when the computer is booted.

To add custom pictures for all users to choose from, place them here. These can be used to build an industrial-strength Web server. Keep in mind that if you plan to run a system with multiple user accounts, these folders affect all users on the system. For example, if you purchase a screen saver module for yourself, putting it in the Screen Savers folder gives access to all users. To restrict access to a single account, you'll have to install directly into your home directory, discussed shortly. If your computer is being used as a personal workstation, it's best to leave the Mac OS X installation as "untainted" as possible.

Almost all the items contained in the Library folder can also exist within your home directory. As you'll soon learn, your home directory is yours to configure however you see fit. Keeping system-wide configuration as simple as possible helps to make backing up and restoring a system very straightforward. By default, the System folder contains one other folder, called Library. This is a more specific version of the same Library folder that contains the Fonts folder and other resources.

Mac OS X Directory Structure explained

Even though it is possible to perform some interesting hacks to the operating system, these files and folders should not be changed unless you are aware that any modifications you make could result in your computer becoming unbootable. The Users directory is probably the most interesting and important addition to the Macintosh file system. Mac OS X is based on an underlying Unix operating system. Within Unix, each file and folder belongs to a specific user and group.

If you create a file, you own it. As the owner, you have the right to decide whether you want other people to be able to view it or edit it. A file or directory's group is similar to the owner, but whereas an owner is a single person, a group can consist of many different people.

For example, assume that you Joe are working with team members on an annual budget report. The members of the team who should be able to read the file are Betty, Bob, and Sue. Because there can be only one owner, Betty, Bob, and Sue can be given access to the file by assigning them to a group, such as ReportReaders, and then allowing ReportReaders the ability to read the files. This makes it very easy to share a file between all the accounts on the system.

There is another possibility for allowing multiple people to have access to a single file: These three attributes for allowing access to a file owner, group, and world are controlled via three sets of permissions:. If only the owner should have access to the file, the group permissions can be set to "none. Why would a file's owner want to shut off the ability to read or write his or her own file? Have you ever accidentally deleted a file on your system? If so, you already know why. Of the three permissions that can be set for the owner, group, or world, the read and write attributes should be obvious.

They control the capability to read from files and write to them. The execute attribute controls whether a file should be capable of being launched by someone on the system. Some applications should be accessible by only certain users, and this attribute provides a means of selectively enabling a program to execute in the same way you can enable reading or writing. As mentioned earlier, Mac OS X does not allow normal user accounts the capability to modify the folders at the top level of the hard drive. This is because those folders are owned by an account called the root or super-user account.

Although it's tempting to use the root account to gain complete control over the system, it's also highly dangerous. Enabling the account will be covered, but isn't recommended unless you're comfortable making changes that could affect your system's ability to boot. The Users directory contains the home directories of all of the users on the machine. A user's home directory can be considered that user's workplace. It is hers, and hers alone.

What Characters Are Not Allowed in File Names?

Enter the user's full name, then an account name — it's best that this is an abbreviated name — then enter a password and enter it again in the Verify field. If you wish to have a password hint, something to remind the user of their password in case they forget it, you can enter that as well. Click Create User, and the Mac will create a new account, and a new home folder, for that user. They will be able to log in and access their files. This type of account is designed for children. If you select Managed with Parental Controls from the New Account menu in the new account sheet, you will see a menu allowing you to select an age.

Directory Structures of Mac OS X, Examined and Explained

You can choose the following: Each of these ages correspond to built-in parental controls in apps like iTunes. Once you have selected an age, proceed as above for a standard user account. After the account is created, select it in the list of users and check Enable parental controls. Next, click Open Parental Controls, and enter your password. You have a number of options for limiting what your children can access.

A sharing only user account allows a user to access specific shared folders on your Mac. If you use your Mac for file sharing at home or at work, you may want to create accounts for users so they can access files on the computer but do nothing else. To do this, select Sharing Only from the New Account menu.

Fill in the rest of the information as above, but to provide access to selected folders, you must then go to the Sharing preference pane in System Preferences. See this Apple support document for more information on file sharing. Select this user and check Allow guests to log in to this computer. You really don't want your friends to check their email on the web while in your user account, where they could potentially access a lot of your personal information or files.

When the guest account feature is active, any guest to your home or your office can sit down at this Mac and click on Guest on the login screen to be able to use the computer. None of their files will be saved; when they log out everything will be deleted. But they can browse the web, even configure Mail to use their email account if they wish, send instant messages, and more.

And unless you check the option to allow them to connect to shared folders, they will have no access to any of the files on the computer. While you may create accounts for users who will be accessing your Mac for a long time, you may also temporarily create an account for, for example, a friend who is staying with you for a week, or a temporary employee. When they no longer need access to this Mac, click their account in the user list, then click the - icon to delete it. Note that this deletes all files that they have saved in their home folder.

While most Mac users only have a single account on their computers, it can be useful to create additional accounts for friends, family, or coworkers. This is easy to do, and all of your files are secure even when another user works on your Mac. Follow IntegoSecurity. The Mac Security Blog. Search for: