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Working with files, terminal and AI on a Mac.
A duplicate file finder on a Mac: what to check before deleting
Any duplicate file finder mac users install returns a long list. Here is how to read it: matching method, scan scope, auto-select rules, and safe defaults.
Editing a PDF in Preview: what it can change and what it cannot
Editing a PDF in Preview stops at a hard line: pages, markup and permissions yes, existing text no. Here is where that line falls and what to reach for next.
Empty the Trash on a Mac when one file refuses to go
Empty Trash on a Mac usually works in one click. When one item stays behind, the cause is a file flag, an open file, or an item your Finder settings do not govern.
Exclude a folder from Spotlight: keeping work out of the results
How to exclude a folder from Spotlight with the privacy list, a marker file, or a file type rule, what each route actually stops, and how to verify it worked.
How to extract a zip file on a Mac: doing it without extra software
How to extract a zip file on Mac using only what macOS ships with, plus when the double-click route fails: encrypted archives, partial extraction, garbled filenames and the __MACOSX folder.
File naming conventions that hold up a year later: rules you can keep
A file naming convention only matters if it survives contact with daily work. Here are the fields worth having, the characters and lengths that actually break, and how to enforce the rule instead of remembering it.
The find command on a Mac: locating files Finder will not show
The find command on a Mac walks directories instead of reading an index, which is why it returns files Finder hides. How to scope it, filter by date and size, and where BSD find differs.
Delete an SSH key on a Mac without locking yourself out
To delete an SSH key on a Mac you have to clear up to five places. The order that keeps access working, the commands for each, and the one that truly revokes.