first time seeing this after showing hidden files. Any ideas?

Question

defaults writes defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YESCommand line interface to a user&#x27;s defaults.Syntax:&#x27;defaults&#x27; [-currentHost | -host &lt;hostname&gt;] followed by one of the following:  read                                 shows all defaults  read &lt;domain&gt;                        shows defaults for given domain  read &lt;domain&gt; &lt;key&gt;                  shows defaults for given domain, key  read-type &lt;domain&gt; &lt;key&gt;             shows the type for the given domain, key  write &lt;domain&gt; &lt;domain_rep&gt;          writes domain (overwrites existing)  write &lt;domain&gt; &lt;key&gt; &lt;value&gt;         writes key for domain  rename &lt;domain&gt; &lt;old_key&gt; &lt;new_key&gt;  renames old_key to new_key  delete &lt;domain&gt;                      deletes domain  delete &lt;domain&gt; &lt;key&gt;                deletes key in domain  import &lt;domain&gt; &lt;path to plist&gt;      writes all of the keys in path to domain  export &lt;domain&gt; &lt;path to plist&gt;      saves domain as a binary plist to path  domains                              lists all domains  find &lt;word&gt;                          lists all entries containing word  help                                 print this help&lt;domain&gt; is ( &lt;domain_name&gt; | -app &lt;application_name&gt; | -globalDomain )         or a path to a file omitting the &#x27;.plist&#x27; extension&lt;value&gt; is one of:  &lt;value_rep&gt;  -string &lt;string_value&gt;  -data &lt;hex_digits&gt;  -int[eger] &lt;integer_value&gt;  -float  &lt;floating-point_value&gt;  -bool[ean] (true | false | yes | no)  -date &lt;date_rep&gt;  -array &lt;value1&gt; &lt;value2&gt; ...  -array-add &lt;value1&gt; &lt;value2&gt; ...  -dict &lt;key1&gt; &lt;value1&gt; &lt;key2&gt; &lt;value2&gt; ...  -dict-add &lt;key1&gt; &lt;value1&gt; ...

Grant Bennet-Alder · Answer

Ok, so you have uncovered the help for the impenetrable "defaults" command.In my opinion, that so-called help does not make the defaults command mechanism any less impenetrable.If you have ANY other mechanism for making settings changes that does not rely on this awful command, I suggest you use it instead. Examples include:• TinkerTool, an well-behaved little Utility that gives GUI access to (sometimes hidden) Preferences available in many parts of the system, and also allows you the reset all to defaults in one stroke.• Plist editor, which can be used automatically when Xcode is installed, or can be cobbled up from a few key components if you do not wish to have all of Xcode.

Niel · Answer

The command’s entire text should be:defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YESThe ‘defaults writes ’ before that was what caused it to fail.(142042)

Grant Bennet-Alder · Answer

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