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OS X Finder Service to convert Grab.app TIFF files to JPG

By on March 18, 2011 in Mac

It drives me nuts that Grab.app defaults to .tif as the file type. And no matter how many times I try the recommended :

defaults write com.apple.screencapture type jpg

I can not get it to default to save as a jpg (and I tried jpeg). All I can guess is that this command does not work in 10.6. I don’t know. It drives me nuts.

So I sat down and created a quick OS X Service in Automator that takes files as an input and changes them to jpg. First in automator I selected “Service” as my workflow type

Next, I set the Service receives selected “files or folders” in “any application” values. Then I added the “Change Type of Images” action and set “To Type” to JPEG.

Hit save as “ChangeToJPEG” and now when I right click an annoying .tif, I have an option under Services to ChageToJPG

Grab.app is still annoying, but this makes it more tolerable.

GNU date vs BSD date

By on February 17, 2011 in Linux, Mac

I usually develop and test my BASH scripts on my mac, mostly for use on RedHat systems. Occasionally I run into problems with this workflow. Recently I realized there was a differnce between the date command on RedHat and the date command in OS X. Turns out BDS date != GNU date. The workaround, install coreutils from Mac Ports, and add this alias to my .bashrc:

alias date=”/opt/local/bin/gdate”

 

Update: gdate is part of the GNU coreutils, and the MacPorts install command for gdate is: sudo port install coreutils

My mac ports cheat sheet

By on February 17, 2011 in Mac
These 3 commands will check for new ports, upgrade outdated ports, and remove older versions.
  • sudo port selfupdate
  • sudo port upgrade outdated
  • sudo port uninstall inactive

To make sure you have a slimmed down install, use port_cutleaves to remove unnecessary ports. There are often “Build Dependencies” (like autoconf, automake, libtool, m4, help2man, p5-locale-gettext) that are no longer needed after a package is installed.

  • sudo port install port_cutleaves
  • sudo port_cutleaves (I run this a couple of times)

BASH (readline) keyboard shortcuts

By on January 20, 2010 in Linux, Mac, ShellScript

I was just in training and the instructor was a command line keyboard shortcut wizard. He was magically making words disappear and reappear. So i fond this list of shortcuts. Many of them did not work in my OS X BASH prompt.I fond I had to go into the terminal.app preferences and select “use option key as meta key” on the keyboard tab (it is at the bottom). Now I can add a few shortcuts to my repertoire.