macOS Defaults Export/Import Scripts

This repository contains two bash scripts to export and import macOS defaults (plist) files across different locations such as Dropbox, iCloud, Box, WorkDocs, or a custom directory. These scripts provide flexibility with various storage options or custom paths.

Scripts

1. export_defaults.sh: Exports all macOS defaults into .plist files.
2. import_defaults.sh: Imports previously exported .plist files back into macOS defaults.

Prerequisites

• These scripts require macOS and the use of the defaults command.
• Ensure you have permissions to read/write in the specified directories.

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Warning

import_defaults.sh

Be cautious when running the import_defaults.sh script, especially on systems where defaults are already set. The script will overwrite any existing settings for the domains specified in the .plist files being imported. This means:

• Existing system or app settings may be replaced with the values in the .plist files.
• There is no undo option, so ensure that you have a backup of your current settings before running the script.

It's a good idea to export the current defaults using export_defaults.sh before importing new settings, to have a reference or backup of your current configuration.

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Installation and Setup

1. Clone the repository from GitHub:

   git clone https://github.com/brokosz/macos-defaults-scripts.git

2. Navigate into the cloned repository:

   cd macos-defaults-scripts

3. Make the scripts executable:

   chmod +x export_defaults.sh
   chmod +x import_defaults.sh

4. (Optional) Move the scripts to a directory in your $PATH to use them globally:

   sudo mv export_defaults.sh /usr/local/bin/export_defaults
   sudo mv import_defaults.sh /usr/local/bin/import_defaults

   This allows you to run the scripts from anywhere using export_defaults and import_defaults.

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Usage

export_defaults.sh

The export_defaults.sh script exports macOS defaults to the specified directory. If no directory is specified, it defaults to ~/.config/defaults. If a custom directory is specified but doesn't exist, the script will create it automatically.

./export_defaults.sh [custom_output_directory] [options]

Options

• -d, --dropbox : Use Dropbox default output directory (~/Dropbox/config/defaults).
• -i, --icloud : Use iCloud default output directory (~/Library/Mobile Documents/com~apple~CloudDocs/config/defaults).
• -wd, --workdocs : Use WorkDocs default output directory (~/Library/CloudStorage/WorkDocsDrive-Documents/config/defaults).
• -b, --box : Use Box.com default output directory (~/Library/CloudStorage/Box-Documents/config/defaults).
• -h, --help : Display help information.

Example Usages:

• Export to Dropbox:

  ./export_defaults.sh -d

• Export to iCloud:

  ./export_defaults.sh -i

• Export to a custom directory (if it doesn’t exist, it will be created):

  ./export_defaults.sh /path/to/custom/dir

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import_defaults.sh

The import_defaults.sh script imports macOS defaults from .plist files in the specified directory. If no directory is specified, it defaults to ~/.config/defaults.

./import_defaults.sh [custom_input_directory] [options]

Options

• -d, --dropbox : Use Dropbox default input directory (~/Dropbox/config/defaults).
• -i, --icloud : Use iCloud default input directory (~/Library/Mobile Documents/com~apple~CloudDocs/config/defaults).
• -wd, --workdocs : Use WorkDocs default input directory (~/Library/CloudStorage/WorkDocsDrive-Documents/config/defaults).
• -b, --box : Use Box.com default input directory (~/Library/CloudStorage/Box-Documents/config/defaults).
• -h, --help : Display help information.

Example Usages:

• Import from Dropbox:

  ./import_defaults.sh -d

• Import from iCloud:

  ./import_defaults.sh -i

• Import from a custom directory:

  ./import_defaults.sh /path/to/custom/dir

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Custom Path

You can specify a custom path directly. The script will automatically detect if the first argument is a valid directory path and use it for the operation. If the custom directory doesn't exist, it will be created automatically.

Example:

./export_defaults.sh /path/to/custom/dir
./import_defaults.sh /path/to/custom/dir

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License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for more details.