Editing .plist — file looks like binary

Some plist files are in a format which cannot be accessed or changed properly from a text editor. Use the defaults command in the Terminal, which is in the /Applications/Utilities/ folder, or the Property List Editor, which is part of the Xcode Tools or Server Admin Tools, to edit the file.

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I dont have Property List Editor and I need to edit a .plist file so ben11's Firmware flash thinks I have an older verion of OSX. Can you tell me how to do this in Terminal or if there is an easier way. I don't know the first thing about terminal.

In the file:/System/Library/CoreServices/SystemVersion.plist I need to change it from OSX 10.5.2 to 10.4.9

I have tried changing it in TextEdit and it doesn't work even after changing my permission.

More info about exactly why I am doing this is in the 8th post of the following page: http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=6648952#6648952

Anybodies help would be much appreciated. Thanks

bump...anybody...

See this -> Pref Setter 1.2.2

from the other thread you linked to...

But when i try to edit this, it says I dont have the permission to do so. I "Get Info" for this file, and change my permissions to allow me (the admin) to "Read & Write" but it still tells me I dont have permission to make changes. *???

The permissions issue is because both the file you wish to edit and the 'coreservices' folder it's in are 'read only' so changing the access for just the file will not allow you to write to the file; it is permissions for the Folder that need to be changed. This will be the case whatever editing method used, unless done from within the Terminal &via "sudo" ; using either a text editor or the 'defaults' command. Although I think last time I used defaults it removed the xml formatting.

defaults read /System/Library/CoreServices/SystemVersion in the Terminal should show exactly what's set in that plist now

Prefsetter is very good imo, tho' for simple files I often use textedit & switch permissions as above.

awesome! Thanks to both of you! Between recommending "pref setter" and explaining that I needed to change permissions on the higher level directories, it was easy to make the change. Took my like 2 minnutes after I read these last 2 posts. Thanks a lot guys! Now lets just see if this "Ben11s Simple Flash" will work and bring my stupid superdrive back to life...

Yahooo!!!! Ben11's Simple Flash worked on my Macbook UJ 857 superdrive with Leopard. I just edited that file AFTER opening Terminal. If i edit the osx version then try to open terminal, terminal crashes as it opens. So i opened it then edited the OSX version and it worked perfectly. Then i just followed the steps to flash the drive, now I am listening to CDs as I write this!!! Again thanks again for explaining how to edit the plist files, and another thank you for Ben11 for the Simple Flash, and a thanks for the guy who figured out that you need to edit the OSX version number for Leopard to use this flash!