This command line tool cleans a directory and all its subdirectories from a set of hidden files that OS X creates and enters an observation mode afterwards. Within the observation mode, each hidden file that is created by OS X is directly deleted after it has been create by the OS. The programm is of specific use for folders which are shared between OS X and other Operating Systems (e.g. via Dropbox).
The tool provides more or less the same functionality as some commercial tools (e.g. BlueHarvest) but works heedlessly (i.e. without a graphical user interface).
It should be noted that OSX usually creates the temporary files that are removed by the program for a certain reason. Please only use this program if you know what you are doing and if you are sure that no important information will get lost.
Installation is pretty simple and straightforward. Clone this repository or download as an archive. Open the XCode project and compile. As an alternative you may use
xcodebuildfrom the command line tools to compile (Should work without any furhter options.
As an alternative you can use brew for installation:
brew tap nils-tekampe/tap
brew install macbrush| Option | Long option | Description |
|---|---|---|
| -d | --ignore-dot-underscore | Do not remove ._ files |
| -a | --ignore-apdisk | Do not remove .APDisk files |
| -o | --ignore-dsstore | Do not remove .DS_Store files |
| -i | --ignore-volumeicon | Do not remove VolumeIcon.icns files |
| -s | --simluate | Do not remove any files at all. Should be used togehter with --verbose for reporting of identified files |
| -v | --verbose | Verbose reporting |
| -c | --skip-clean | Do not clean folders. Directly enter observation mode |
| -o | --skip-observation | Do not enter observation mode. Only clean folders once. |
| -h | --help | Print help message |
Clean /home/Users/user1/test and enter observation mode afterwards.
macbrush /home/Users/user1/testClean /home/Users/user1/test and /home/Users/user1/test2 and enter observation mode afterwards.
macbrush /home/Users/user1/test /home/Users/user1/test2Clean /home/Users/user1/test only. No observation mode.
macbrush --skip-observation /home/Users/user1/testSimulate cleaning /home/Users/user1/test and use verbose reporting.
macbrush --verbose --simulate /home/Users/user1/testThe tool has been developed by @nils-tekampe.
Please contact me via github in case you run into any trouble using this tool.