Preference File Location for System Preferences?

Question

Level 1

20 points

Preference File Location for System Preferences?

Hello,

I would like to know where the preference file is stored for the Sharing system preference pane. I have a user who likes to defy the rules by disabling the File Sharing and Remote Management options that I have configured in the Sharing System Preference.

I am aware that I could lock the System Preferences with a password, but my machines each only have the Administrator user account (which makes administration easier than having individual user accounts).

I figure I could either refresh the particular preference file via a script or perhaps lock the preference file so it can't be changed.

Thank you,

JM1

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Sep 24, 2012 11:48 AM

Reply

Answer 1

twtwtw

Level 5

4,948 points

Sep 24, 2012 12:06 PM in response to Jon Morgan1

They are stored in ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences.plist. However, modifying the plist directly may not change the setting. Usually, settings are stored in-memory and written out to the plist; they are only read in at startup. Locking this file might also produce problems, since there are a lot of different settings that are stored there, though it might be worth a try. if worse comes to worst, you can create a background task that will check every 10 seconds or so for changes to this property and reset it; not optimal, but it would work.

Reply