Everything Apple (the Mac heads thread)

Anything that isn’t proper retina will look dull next to an iMac. I’d go either cheap but decent and accept it for what it is, or go all in on a LG 4k / 5k or a studio

Why are Numbers files so big?
I'm freelancing with an agency that requires me to complete a timsheet supplied in a 17kb excel. I don't have excel and when opening/editing/saving in Numbers it comes out at nearly 150MB!
Usuing Number's reduce file size doesn't do anything.

I'd assume some crappy template from the agency with a font specified, and Numbers then handles it poorly and applies that formatting to every single cell. That tends to be the thing when someone sends over a sparsely populated sheet that's inexplicably 50MB and runs extremely slowly.

In Excel at least then find the place with the last bit of real data and then delete every row/column after it (i.e. selecting the rows at the left so that it has every column, then ctrl-shift-down to get to the last cell in the worksheet. then right-click on the columns, delete)
Potentially do the same for all the rows after the last useful data.

Also, get Excel. Isn't it free now anyway from the app store?

Weird Safari "invisibility" on intel MacBook Air / Monterey - any ideas?

- solved, see post further down -

Remote family member complains about Safari "not opening" since two days.
Looked into it via Team Viewer, what I can see is:

• Safari does open up, but doesn't show it's window
  
• there is no window shown in the pop-up menu (when holding safari icon in the dock)
  
• it#s not possible to spawn a new window - new window (cmd+n) does not work, all options (new window, new tab etc.) in the menu greyed out
  
• when opening bookmarks window a window is shown, but empty (just grey)
  
  

🤷
..what I have tried so far, all to no avail:

• force-quit safari, open up again
  
• open up again with shift held (reset safari)
  
• disabling all extensions
  
• remove all cookies
  
• reboot mac
  
• reboot mac in safe mode
  
• change resolution of display higher / lower, and back again to "find" the window
  
• checked whether it has been accidentally moved to a second 'space' (no, there is just one)
  
• mirror displays (cmd+f1) - does nothing (there is only the built-in display)
  
  

Any ideas?
Feedback much appreciated, ta!

Is the main window in another 'space'?

https://appleinsider.com/articles/18/10/12/how-to-use-spaces-apples-mostly-ignored-macos-mojave-productivity-feature

..ah, tried that as well (added to the list above) - there is no second 'space' though

Apple have had some issues recently, I had the same problem with the App Store, wasn’t opening the last two days but working now.

Ok, I sorted it.. by manually resetting Safari via Terminal.

Terminal needs "full disc access" (settings > seucrity & privacy) for this.

    mv ~/Library/Safari ~/Desktop/Safari-`date +%Y%m%d%H%M%S`; \
    rm -Rf ~/Library/Caches/Apple\ -\ Safari\ -\ Safari\ Extensions\ Gallery; \
    rm -Rf ~/Library/Caches/Metadata/Safari; \
    rm -Rf ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.Safari; \
    rm -Rf ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.WebKit.PluginProcess; \
    rm -Rf ~/Library/Cookies/Cookies.binarycookies; \
    rm -Rf ~/Library/Preferences/Apple\ -\ Safari\ -\ Safari\ Extensions\ Gallery; \
    rm -Rf ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Safari.LSSharedFileList.plist; \
    rm -Rf ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Safari.RSS.plist; \
    rm -Rf ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Safari.plist; \
    rm -Rf ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.WebFoundation.plist; \
    rm -Rf ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.WebKit.PluginHost.plist; \
    rm -Rf ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.WebKit.PluginProcess.plist; \
    rm -Rf ~/Library/PubSub/Database; \
    rm -Rf ~/Library/Saved\ Application\ State/com.apple.Safari.savedState

(via https://techgeekspace.com/3-ways-to-reset-safari-browser-without-opening-it/ )

Just ordered a Mac Studio. there are long lead time if you start adding ram or storage but managed to find something in stock which is delivered tomorrow.
M1 Max 10core 24gpu 16NE 64gb ram 2TB. would have gone with 32gpu if they had it.

only issue is have recently bought an extended keyboard but the old model without the fingerprint thingy so not sure how things work without it? maybe have to fire up laptop for buying stuff and the ease of FingerPay ™

I've had mine a while now. Aside from it struggling to run high maintenance plugins as well as my old 5.1 mac pro it easily handles all the apps I like to have open all the time.

I got the keyboard with touch id and trackpad too, expensive but the features work for my workflow.

I still hope they'll do a space grey / black small keyboard (without numpad) some day.. 🤞😔🤞

Sorry if I’m late to the party on this one. I tried using the search and nothing came up.

I’ve only just updated my OS to Monterey but now my Mac is running terrible? In Adobe programmes and my music DAW, any links from an external HD (which is everything) keeps getting error messages as missing when it is not?

After Effects is unusable as I can’t preview anything. It’s like I have zero RAM? I’m also getting saving issues?

I’m so annoyed as my Mac was running beautifully before the update

I like a numberpad keyboard but not with the trackpad. I actually wanted white but it shocks me when I remember how much they cost, the black ones are more expensive for what reason?.

Yea they are fucking expensive 😅

I did actually use a full size keyboard for the better part of my life (never needed / never used the numpad though) - now I have a 85% one I just find it's much nicer to not have my right shoulder / arm angled out of it's natural position more than necessary for hours every day, so a smaller keyboard / not having the trackpad as far off to the right is really really nice..

Have this mechanical one at the moment and it's cool and all, but I'd swap for a small magic keyboard in a minute if I could get a dark one.

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What about the Logitech MX Keys Mini, been enjoying this for the last few months

I never tried it.
Gotta say though the new Magic Keyboards are the best I've ever typed on, I'd love to have that with my external keyboard as well, also I use the fingerprint feature a lot.

Just realised I don’t own a mouse as I use a laptop with trackpad and a Wacom.
Will have to go to the pound shop or sainsburys for a cheap one as you can’t set it up without one.
Well there is a way to make a Mac use keyboard input to move the cursor or to get a keyboard up on screen for mouse typing input but I doubt this can be done at the ‘welcome to Mac’ choose your language screen at first startup. #firstworldproblems

Does anyone use an ultrawide monitor? I like the idea of a 16:9 ish workspace with all the rest of my shit able to fit on the side.
I'm specifically looking at the iiyama G-MASTER GB3461WQSU-B1 Red Eagle 34" with my 13" M1 MB Pro

Ive used a 49" super ultra wide before and it was great. Only changed to a 43" 4:3 as I wanted to use the other monitor on my sim racing rig.

Mac handled it absolutely fine, just set appropriate scaling.

They are likely to come with a dark one I guess. Just a question of time. I have been enjoying the action. Very easy to type on with plenty of feedback. They must spend a bit of time and money making them work well.

Doesnt the wacom default to mouse behaviour without drivers?

I'd be surprised if you couldn't achieve everything without a mouse. Even the very first bit of setup. Can't you just tab through the options and use up/down. Would be pretty poor accessibility if it wasn't possible.

Dusted off my crazy expensive MBP (and doing all of the software updates now).

Am going to be travelling for a few weeks and this is the most disposable of all my computers so I don't mind if it takes a lot of knocks or gets lost/stolen.

What is the best USB-C / TB dongle? I need something that can give me a HDMI port (conference purposes so doesn't need 8k@60hz or anything silly), a USB-A port (and charge something), and a 1G ethernet.

Amazon is awash with options but they all look like cheap clones of each other. Should I just expense all of the Apple dongles?

Sadly my experience is that the Apple ones are the only ones that offer any sort of longevity.
If someone has suggestions, I too am all too keen to hear.

satechi!

this one???
https://satechi.net/products/usb-c-multiport-mx-adapter?variant=39743884755032

Not sure if they do a thunderbolt one with an ethernet port.