Mac OS X for Unix Geeks

defaults

When you customize your Mac using the System Preferences, all of those changes and settings are stored in what’s known as the defaults system. Everything that you’ve done to make your Mac your own is stored as XML data in the form of a property list (or plist). This property list is, in turn, stored in ~/Library/Preferences.

Every time you change one of those settings, that particular property list is updated. For the initiated, there are two other ways to alter the property lists. The first is by using the PropertyListEditor application (/Developer/Applications) and the other is by using the defaults command in the Terminal. Whether you use System Preferences, PropertyListEditor, or the defaults command, any changes you make affect the current user.

Syntax

defaults [-currentHost | -host name] command

Options

-currentHost

Performs operations on the local machine.

-host name

Performs operations on the specified host.

Commands

read

Prints out all of your current settings.

read domain

Prints out your settings for the specified domain, such as com.apple.dock.

read domain key

Prints out the value of the specified key. For example, to see the current Dock orientation, use:

defaults read com.apple.dock orientation.

read-type domain key

Prints out the data type of the specified key. For example, defaults read-type com.apple.dock orientation tells you that the type of the orientation key is string.

write domain key value

Writes a value to the specified key.

rename domain old_key ...