DEFAULTS(1)DEFAULTS(1)NAMEdefaults - access the NEXTSTEP user defaults system
SYNOPSISdefaults read [ domain_name [ key ] ]
defaults write domain_name { 'domain_rep' | domain_name key 'value_rep'
}
defaults delete [ domain_name [ key ] ]
defaults { domains | find word | help }
DESCRIPTIONdefaults allows users to read, write, and delete NEXTSTEP user defaults
from a UNIX shell. NEXTSTEP applications and other programs use the
defaults system to record user preferences and other information that
must be maintained when the applications aren't running (such as
default font for new documents, or the position of an Inspector panel).
Much of this information is accessible through an application's
Preferences panel (or the equivalent), but some of it isn't, such as
the position of the Inspector panel. You can access this information
with defaults.
Note: Since applications do access the defaults system while they're
running, you shouldn't modify the defaults of a running application.
If you change a default in a domain that belongs to a running
application, the application won't see the change and might even
overwrite the default.
User defaults belong to domains, which typically correspond to
individual applications. Each domain has a dictionary of keys and
values representing its defaults; for example, "Default Font" =
"Helvetica". Keys are always strings, but values can be complex data
structures comprising arrays, dictionaries, strings, and binary data.
These data structures are stored as property lists; see PropertyList(5)
for more information.
Though all applications, system services, and other programs have their
own domains, they also share a domain named NSGlobalDomain. If a
default isn't specified in the application's domain, but is specified
in NSGlobalDomain, then the application uses the value in that domain.
OPTIONS
read Prints all of the user's defaults, for every domain, to standard
output.
read domain_name
Prints all of the user's defaults for domain_name to standard
output.
read domain_name key
Prints the value for the default of domain_name identified by
key.
write domain_name key 'value_rep'
Writes value_rep as the value for key in domain_name. value_rep
must be a property list, and must be enclosed in single quotes.
For example:
defaults write MyApplication "Default Color" '(255, 0, 0)'
sets the value for Default Color to an array containing the
strings 255, 0, 0 (the red, green, and blue components). Note
that the key is enclosed in quotation marks because it contains a
space.
write domain_name 'domain_rep'
Overwrites the defaults information in domain_name with that
given as domain_rep. domain_rep must be a property list
representation of a dictionary, and must be enclosed in single
quotes. For example, this command:
defaults write MyApplication '{ "Default Color" = (255, 0, 0);
"Default Font" = Helvetica; }'
erases any previous defaults for MyApplication and writes the
values for the two names into the defaults system.
delete domain_name
Removes all default information for domain_name.
delete domain_name key
Removes the default named key from domain_name.
domains
Prints the names of all domains in the user's defaults system.
find word
Searches for word in the domain names, keys, and values of the
user's defaults, and prints out a list of matches.
help Prints a list of possible command formats.
SEE ALSOPropertyList(5)BUGS
Defaults can be structured in very complex ways, making it difficult
for the user to enter them with this command.
NeXT Computer, Inc. March 7 1995 DEFAULTS(1)
