Terminal ls command argument(s) to list file properties

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Level 1

56 points

Terminal ls command argument(s) to list file properties

Terminal newbie here, using OS X 10.11.6 and learning the basics.

Are there arguments that can be added to the ls list command, to yield a list with resource-fork attributes? I'm thinking specifically of file creation dates. I want a text output that I could parse into a spreadsheet (that i can do!) to create charts of 'activity', with files creation as a proxy for 'activity'. But i can see other attributes like file size, kind, being useful too.

Thanks All,

Mac Pro, OS X 10.11

Posted on Aug 13, 2022 5:14 PM

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Answer 1

BobHarris

Level 9

57,035 points

Aug 14, 2022 1:03 PM in response to Angus McC

/bin/ls -leO@ will display most of the metadata attached to a file

/bin/ls -leO@ folder_with_a_icon_added_to_it/

total 504
-rw-r--r--@ 1 me  staff  - 0 Aug 14 15:58 Icon?
	com.apple.FinderInfo	32
	com.apple.ResourceFork	254839

Besides resource forks, it will also show permissions (man chmod), Access Control List (man chmod), and flags (see man chflags)

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Answer 2

Owl-53

Level 10

104,173 points

Aug 14, 2022 2:53 AM in response to Angus McC

In the terminal type " man ls " without the quotation mark

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Answer 3

Owl-53

Level 10

104,173 points

Aug 14, 2022 9:20 AM in response to Angus McC

You are welcome and thank you too 🇨🇦

Do come back to the Apple Support Communities ( ASC ) in the future, if / or when additional questions may arise

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Answer 4

Angus McC Author

Level 1

56 points

Aug 14, 2022 8:37 AM in response to Owl-53

Terrific, thanks – found what I needed to do what I wanted – and a good deal more besides. Really useful. Appreciated.

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Terminal ls command argument(s) to list file properties

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