General tip inquiry...If you accidentally rename a file (or your little kid does) while messing around on the computer - and don't realize it (too late to undo) - how do you find the file?
I'm wondering if there's some kind of safeguard I haven't noticed or good verification for renaming.
I've thought about this many times, but never have run across it mentioned.
2.8 Ghz 8 core Mac Pro from a Quicksilver Dual G4/1Ghz!, Mac OS X (10.4.6)
If you know when this may have happened, go to Finder, press command-F and look for files that were modified on that date. There are many parameters available for you to search by. Choose Other in the list on the left for a complete list...
Thank you, Tuttle. I'm talking about files without searchable metadata...old receipt images or files that you've stored over the years and got renamed someone unknown time. There should be a doulbe-check or safeguard so files can't just be renamed to " .jpg" or <insert random characters>.tiff
Generally, when a file extension is changed, a warning comes up, so it isn't easy to do that...
Tuttle, can files and folders be renamed if you are signed in to a user account without Admin privilages?
Pete
Hi,
Yes.
That users can name any file they own to be anything they want.
9:34 pm Wednesday; November 27, 2013
iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
Mac OS X (10.6.8),
Couple of iPhones and an iPad
Thanks Ralph, but they cannot rename those they don't own? So would it be advisable to inform the OP that
(or your little kid does)
perhaps that little kid may be better off using a seperate User Account and not working in the OP's Admin account?
Pete
Hi,
That is one way to prevent this if the little ones are kids.
However if little ones are cats for instance that just happen on the keyboard when you are legitimately in your Own account then nothing can really be done.
The main issue is to devise a search method that might turn up a pic or two (as a Starter if you like)
1) what was used to rename them
iPhoto has an Originals Folder
Go to ~/Library/Pictures and Right click the iPhoto Library.
2) If it was done in the Finder are the change name items in the same folder they were in Originally ?
3) other apps and Save As or the save function may not be pointing to the same place the items were placed in if a significant amount of time has passed.
4) If these files/pictures were ever subject to a Time Machine Back up and you kow where they should be then you may be able to find them that way.
5) My current Mac User Account on my iMac has a previous Mountain Lion Clone that would take me back to the Mavericks release.
5a) Prior to installing Mountain Lion I had Lion and the Accounts was actually Migrated from my G4 computer
Some things such as iPhoto are "Split" from this time. As is iTunes to some extent with newer purchases.
The G4 is running Leopard and can boot back to even earlier (file wise) to Tiger (OS X 10.3.9)
6) If the time delay is not that old then each apps Recent Items may also help.
I have mine set to 20 items (System Preferences > General setting - this will not increase the current list - it grows over time/use)
10:02 pm Wednesday; November 27, 2013
iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
Mac OS X (10.6.8),
Couple of iPhones and an iPad
Thanks Ralph.
Cheers 🙂
Pete
Accidentally Renamed File - can't find it
