Finder: consistent view options for all folders?

Hello baltwo,

thanks for your reply.

Should I use the command you suggested:

sudo find / -name ".DS_Store" -exec rm {} \;

or the one that another user suggested in reply to your command?

sudo find / -name .DS_Store -delete; killall Finder

Is the only difference that the latter also "kills" the Finder?

Also, do I risk any side effects, such as permissions problems, when I execute your command?

Why is that easier?

Can executing your command cause any unwanted side effects such as permission problems?

When I execute the command, I get the following output:

find: /dev/fd/3: Not a directory

find: /dev/fd/4: Not a directory

override rw-rw-r-- root/admin for /Volumes/Time Machine HDD/Backups.backupdb/Name’s Mac mini/2013-05-18-153102/Macintosh HD/.DS_Store?

1) Why do I get the messages regarding /dev/fd/3 and /dev/fd/4? What are these anyway?

2) Does the command delete .ds_store files from all drives and partitions? I ask because I executed the command on names-mini:~ Name$ and now, to my surprise, it seems to access my Time Machine HDD.

3) Why does Terminal ask me if I want to override the permissions of the .ds_store file on the Time Machine HDD?

It was a good idea to eject the Time Machine HDD before executing the command. Now it was completed without any questions.

The command also achieved the desired effect of deleting the .ds_store files and allowing to set the views for ALL folders. Even the widths of all columns are applied to all folders when I select "Use as Default".

The only setting which is not applied to all folders is the dimension of the Finder window. But I guess "Use as Default" simply doesn't consider this setting.

After some more experimenting, I found out that changes to the view options are applied to all folders on my desktop - with one exception. For some reason, a single folder seems immune to any indirect changes through applying "Use as Defaults" on another folder. Even after I have removed all .ds_store files with the Terminal command and set the view options again, this single folder remains the same unless I directly change its view options.

How can that be? The folder doesn't even have a .ds_store file and can furthermore be read and written by the user.

I think you're right about the default dimensions.

Do you have an explanation why one folder on my desktop seems immune to changes through "Use as Defaults" (see my last post)?

Ok. Thanks for your help baltwo!

Does anybody know how I can create an Automator workflow or cron job to run the following Terminal command easily and regularly?

sudo find / -name ".DS_Store" -exec rm {} \;