Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

macOS command-line tools you might not know about

saurabhs.org

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 454 posts

Re: macOS command-line tools you might not know about

#11

Post by eddieroger »

klausa wrote: post #8

`pbcopy` and `pbpaste` are one of my most-loved in the list. Dealing with some minified json, switching to iTerm, doing `pbpaste | json_pp | pbcopy` and having a clean output is _so_ nice.

I don't remember when I learned about these, but they've been game changers, and everyone I've shared them with feels the same way. I use your use case often as well, though through `jq` because I'm more familiar with it, and sometimes wish to do transforms.

Re: macOS command-line tools you might not know about

#12

Post by kps »

klausa wrote: post #8

`pbcopy` and `pbpaste` are one of my most-loved in the list. Dealing with some minified json, switching to iTerm, doing `pbpaste | json_pp | pbcopy` and having a clean output is _so_ nice.

On Linux I have these wrap xsel or xclip, and likewise open to xdg-open.

Now, for your Mac example — if that's a specific pipeline you often use, you can write a Service menu entry to do it in place, without switching to a terminal.

Re: macOS command-line tools you might not know about

#13

Post by pmarreck »

klausa wrote: post #8

`pbcopy` and `pbpaste` are one of my most-loved in the list. Dealing with some minified json, switching to iTerm, doing `pbpaste | json_pp | pbcopy` and having a clean output is _so_ nice.

I have linux/macos-agnostic bash functions in my dotfiles that unify this to “clip” and “paste” (since “copy” is too close semantically to “cp”)

Re: macOS command-line tools you might not know about

#17

Post by lapcat »

Manage the Launch Services database:

  /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/LaunchServices.framework/Versions/A/Support/lsregister
Manage file extended attributes (such as quarantine):

  xattr
Execute a script (AppleScript or JavaScript):

  osascript -e

Re: macOS command-line tools you might not know about

#18

Post by callumprentice »

Years ago, I wrote a script to find something in a big blob of data and to alert me when it was done, I added a “say ” type phrase upon completion. I forgot about it and went to bed and was jolted awake hours later by what was clearly an “intruder” speaking to his accomplice, in my home office. Quite the relief when I realized what happened.

Re: macOS command-line tools you might not know about

#19

Post by kps »

pmarreck wrote: post #13
klausa wrote: post #8

`pbcopy` and `pbpaste` are one of my most-loved in the list. Dealing with some minified json, switching to iTerm, doing `pbpaste | json_pp | pbcopy` and having a clean output is _so_ nice.

I have linux/macos-agnostic bash functions in my dotfiles that unify this to “clip” and “paste” (since “copy” is too close semantically to “cp”)

paste(1) is a POSIX standard utility, though (going back to System III), pairing with cut(1).

https://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9699919799/utilities/p...

Re: macOS command-line tools you might not know about

#20

Post by inanutshellus »

klausa wrote: post #8

`pbcopy` and `pbpaste` are one of my most-loved in the list. Dealing with some minified json, switching to iTerm, doing `pbpaste | json_pp | pbcopy` and having a clean output is _so_ nice.

I love this flow! Such a powerful and clean way to solve text issues.

    # This will remove Windows double-spaced empty lines from your copy/paste buffer
    alias winlines="sed '/^$/{$!{N;s/\n//;};}'"
    
    # pbw = [P]aste [B]uffer to fix [W]indows line endings
    alias pbw="pbpaste | winlines | pbcopy"
Also - if you want `pbpaste` and `pbcopy` on Linux...

    # imitate MacOS's paste buffer copy/paste:
    alias pbcopy='xsel --clipboard --input'
    alias pbpaste='xsel --clipboard --output'
Post reply on HN