Monitoring Folder Changes

Question

Level 1

11 points

Monitoring Folder Changes

I have a folder on my hard drive I'd like to monitor. By monitor I mean I would like to track any and all changes to any file within that folder and its subfolders. I wish to do this using only Leopards built in functionality.

Thanks
IP20

Mac Book Pro

Posted on Jul 12, 2008 8:18 PM

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Answer 1

Király

Level 6

10,025 points

Jul 12, 2008 8:25 PM in response to intelpro20

Are you using Time Machine?

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Answer 2

intelpro20 Author

Level 1

11 points

Jul 12, 2008 8:41 PM in response to Király

No, but perhaps I should have been more specific. I want to monitor my 'System' folder. I want to see if an application is making changes in there which it should not be. Anyway to do this without any special apps? Perhaps automator?

Thanks

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Answer 3

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,300 points

Jul 12, 2008 9:36 PM in response to intelpro20

Time Machine and Spotlight use fseventsd to monitor changes to all folders. See this Ars Technica review and this item called fswatch. The second link doesn't technically meet your standards, but it sounds exactly like what you are looking for. Searching for FSEvents should give you the info you need to exploit FSEvents like you want.

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Answer 4

intelpro20 Author

Level 1

11 points

Jul 12, 2008 9:58 PM in response to Barney-15E

AWESOME links Barney I will be checking to them but I think this is exactly what I need to accomplish what I want. Reason being I hate giving administrative access to installers that don't have a checksum and cannot be verified.

Another reason is I plan on installing beta software. I want to control the folders on my own so that for instance to remove a beta app I can boot off another hard drive and replace my applications, library, and system folders with older authentic versions. Although I am not sure if any of the hidden files are going to get in the way.

I also noticed booting off another hard drive that a new folder called 'NET' becomes visible with 0 items in it (must be for something).

Another path I was thinking of taking is to use time machine to version the folders and to manage and backup my home filevaulted folder separately.

I am completely puzzled as to why Apple would provide an SHA1 checksum for the OS upgrades such as 10.5.4 but will not for an app like itunes which is floating everywhere around the web.

Thanks
-IP20

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