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Mac OS X setup
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osx_setup.md

Setup Mac OS X

I've done the same process every couple years since 2013 (Mountain Lion, Mavericks, High Sierra, Catalina) and I updated the Gist each time I've done it.

I kinda regret for not using something like Boxen (or anything similar) to automate the process, but TBH I only actually needed to these steps once every couple years...

This gist is just a personal reference in case I need to do it all over again. *I'm by no means an OSX/nix expert, use with care.

Setup

1. Run software update

Make sure everything is up to date.

2. Install Xcode and/or "Command Line Tools"

NOTE: homebrew now automatically installs command line tools, so you can skip this step.

"Command Line Tools" can be downloaded separate from Xcode at https://developer.apple.com/downloads/ — It is way smaller than installing the whole Xcode but might not work for all cases tho — or you can run xcode-select --install

Xcode can be found on App Store. preferred

More info on how to download Command Line Tools inside XCode can be found on StackOverflow

3. Install homebrew and other CLI tools

http://brew.sh/

# install homebrew
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/master/install.sh)"

brew install git
brew install node
brew install wget
brew install z
brew install ag
brew install ack
brew install fd
brew install ffind
brew install fpp
brew install tmux
brew install watchman
brew install yarn

npm install -g ipt
npm install -g http-server
npm install -g esformatter
npm install -g prettier
npm install -g eslint
# yeah, haters gonna hate
npm install -g replace

4. Install softwares

homebrew-cask

Many softwares can be installed through homebrew-cask which makes the process way simpler:

# essential
brew cask install dropbox
brew cask install 1password
brew cask install sensiblesidebuttons

# dev
brew cask install charles
brew cask install imagealpha
brew cask install imageoptim
brew cask install iterm2
brew cask install macvim

# utils
brew cask install divvy
# brew cask install the-unarchiver

# browsers
brew cask install firefox
brew cask install google-chrome

# others
# brew cask install limechat
# brew cask install skype
brew cask install rightzoom
# brew cask install vlc

# quick look plugins (https://github.com/sindresorhus/quick-look-plugins)
brew cask install qlcolorcode qlstephen qlmarkdown quicklook-json qlimagesize webpquicklook suspicious-package quicklookase qlvideo

App Store

  • Gifski (convert video into high-quality Gifs)
  • Amphetamine (prevent mac from sleeping)

Manually

5. Borrow a few OSX settings from mathiasbynens dotfiles

###############################################################################
# General UI/UX                                                               #
###############################################################################

# Disable the sound effects on boot
sudo nvram SystemAudioVolume=" "


###############################################################################
# Finder                                                                      #
###############################################################################

# Finder: show hidden files by default
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -bool true

# Finder: show all filename extensions
defaults write NSGlobalDomain AppleShowAllExtensions -bool true

# Finder: show status bar
defaults write com.apple.finder ShowStatusBar -bool true

# Finder: allow text selection in Quick Look
defaults write com.apple.finder QLEnableTextSelection -bool true

# Disable the warning when changing a file extension
defaults write com.apple.finder FXEnableExtensionChangeWarning -bool false

# Avoid creating .DS_Store files on network or USB volumes
defaults write com.apple.desktopservices DSDontWriteNetworkStores -bool true
defaults write com.apple.desktopservices DSDontWriteUSBStores -bool true

# Enable snap-to-grid for icons on the desktop and in other icon views
/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set :DesktopViewSettings:IconViewSettings:arrangeBy grid" ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist
/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set :FK_StandardViewSettings:IconViewSettings:arrangeBy grid" ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist
/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set :StandardViewSettings:IconViewSettings:arrangeBy grid" ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist


###############################################################################
# Screen                                                                      #
###############################################################################

# Save screenshots to the desktop
defaults write com.apple.screencapture location -string "${HOME}/Desktop"

# Save screenshots in PNG format (other options: BMP, GIF, JPG, PDF, TIFF)
defaults write com.apple.screencapture type -string "png"

# Disable shadow in screenshots
defaults write com.apple.screencapture disable-shadow -bool true


###############################################################################
# Address Book, Dashboard, iCal, TextEdit, and Disk Utility                   #
###############################################################################

# Use plain text mode for new TextEdit documents
defaults write com.apple.TextEdit RichText -int 0
# Open and save files as UTF-8 in TextEdit
defaults write com.apple.TextEdit PlainTextEncoding -int 4
defaults write com.apple.TextEdit PlainTextEncodingForWrite -int 4


###############################################################################
# Time Machine                                                                #
###############################################################################

# Prevent Time Machine from prompting to use new hard drives as backup volume
defaults write com.apple.TimeMachine DoNotOfferNewDisksForBackup -bool true


###############################################################################
# Spotlight                                                                   #
###############################################################################

# Hide Spotlight tray-icon (and subsequent helper)
#sudo chmod 600 /System/Library/CoreServices/Search.bundle/Contents/MacOS/Search
# Disable Spotlight indexing for any volume that gets mounted and has not yet
# been indexed before.
# Use `sudo mdutil -i off "/Volumes/foo"` to stop indexing any volume.
sudo defaults write /.Spotlight-V100/VolumeConfiguration Exclusions -array "/Volumes"
# Change indexing order and disable some search results
# Yosemite-specific search results (remove them if you are using macOS 10.9 or older):
#   MENU_DEFINITION
#   MENU_CONVERSION
#   MENU_EXPRESSION
#   MENU_SPOTLIGHT_SUGGESTIONS (send search queries to Apple)
#   MENU_WEBSEARCH             (send search queries to Apple)
#   MENU_OTHER
defaults write com.apple.spotlight orderedItems -array \
  '{"enabled" = 1;"name" = "APPLICATIONS";}' \
  '{"enabled" = 1;"name" = "SYSTEM_PREFS";}' \
  '{"enabled" = 0;"name" = "DIRECTORIES";}' \
  '{"enabled" = 0;"name" = "PDF";}' \
  '{"enabled" = 0;"name" = "FONTS";}' \
  '{"enabled" = 0;"name" = "DOCUMENTS";}' \
  '{"enabled" = 0;"name" = "MESSAGES";}' \
  '{"enabled" = 0;"name" = "CONTACT";}' \
  '{"enabled" = 0;"name" = "EVENT_TODO";}' \
  '{"enabled" = 0;"name" = "IMAGES";}' \
  '{"enabled" = 0;"name" = "BOOKMARKS";}' \
  '{"enabled" = 0;"name" = "MUSIC";}' \
  '{"enabled" = 0;"name" = "MOVIES";}' \
  '{"enabled" = 0;"name" = "PRESENTATIONS";}' \
  '{"enabled" = 0;"name" = "SPREADSHEETS";}' \
  '{"enabled" = 0;"name" = "SOURCE";}' \
  '{"enabled" = 0;"name" = "MENU_DEFINITION";}' \
  '{"enabled" = 0;"name" = "MENU_OTHER";}' \
  '{"enabled" = 0;"name" = "MENU_CONVERSION";}' \
  '{"enabled" = 0;"name" = "MENU_EXPRESSION";}' \
  '{"enabled" = 0;"name" = "MENU_WEBSEARCH";}' \
  '{"enabled" = 0;"name" = "MENU_SPOTLIGHT_SUGGESTIONS";}'
# Load new settings before rebuilding the index
killall mds > /dev/null 2>&1
# Make sure indexing is enabled for the main volume
sudo mdutil -i on / > /dev/null
# Rebuild the index from scratch
sudo mdutil -E / > /dev/nule

source: https://github.com/mathiasbynens/dotfiles/blob/master/.macos

6. Configure zsh

Set zsh as defaut shell:

chsh -s /bin/zsh

Install oh-my-zsh:

sh -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/master/tools/install.sh)"

Edit the ~/.zshrc file (after installing oh-my-zsh)

ZSH_THEME="hyperzsh"

plugins=(gitfast fd nvm vi-mode z)

alias ipt-lg="git log --pretty=format:'%h | %<(80)%s | %<(12)%cr | %<(20)%an | %d' -15 | ipt --size 15 | sed 's#^[^0-9a-z]*\([0-9a-z]*\).*#\1#' | xargs git checkout"
alias ipt-branch="git branch | ipt | xargs git checkout"
alias ipt-bdelete="git branch | ipt -m | xargs git branch -D"
alias ipt-vim="ipt -pm | xargs -o vim"
alias ipt-gvim="ipt -pm | xargs -o gvim --remote-silent"

I'm also using a tweaked hyperzsh theme but I deleted the _user_host and _python_venv logic. I actually keep it on my Dropbox folder and just symlink it:

ln -s ~/Dropbox/dotfiles/hyperzsh.zsh-theme ~/.oh-my-zsh/custom/themes/hyperzsh.zsh-theme

7. Create/Update ~/.gitconfig

; I removed the [user] and [github] blocks on purpose so other people don't copy it by mistake
; you will need to set these values later
[apply]
  whitespace = fix
[color]
  ui = auto
[color "branch"]
  current = yellow reverse
  local = yellow
  remote = green
[color "diff"]
  meta = yellow bold
  frag = magenta bold
  old = red bold
  new = green bold
[color "status"]
  added = yellow
  changed = green
  untracked = cyan
[merge]
  log = true
[push]
  ; "simple" avoid headaches, specially if you use `--force` w/o specifying branch
  ; see: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/13148066/warning-push-default-is-unset-its-implicit-value-is-changing-in-git-2-0
  default = simple
[url "git://github.com/"]
  insteadOf = "github:"
[url "[email protected]:"]
  insteadOf = "gh:"
  pushInsteadOf = "github:"
  pushInsteadOf = "git://github.com/"
[url "[email protected]:millermedeiros/"]
  insteadOf = "mm:"
[url "[email protected]:mout/"]
  insteadOf = "mout:"
[core]
  excludesfile = ~/.gitignore_global
  ; setting the editor fixes git commit bug http://tooky.co.uk/2010/04/08/there-was-a-problem-with-the-editor-vi-git-on-mac-os-x.html
  editor = /usr/bin/vim
[alias]
  ; show merge tree + commits info
  graph = log --graph --date-order -C -M --pretty=format:\"<%h> %ad [%an] %Cgreen%d%Creset %s\" --all --date=short
  lg = log --graph --pretty=format:'%Cred%h%Creset %C(yellow)%an%d%Creset %s %Cgreen(%cr)%Creset' --date=relative
  ; basic logging for quick browsing
  ls = log --pretty=format:"%C(yellow)%h%Cred%d\\ %Creset%s%Cgreen\\ [%cn]" --decorate
  ll = log --pretty=format:"%C(yellow)%h%Cred%d\\ %Creset%s%Cgreen\\ [%cn]" --decorate --numstat
  ; log + file diff
  fl = log -u
  ; find paths that matches the string
  f = "!git ls-files | grep -i"
  ; delete all merged branches
  ; dm = !git branch --merged | grep -v "\*" | xargs -n 1 git branch -d
  ; shortcuts
  cp = cherry-pick
  st = status -s
  cl = clone
  ci = commit
  co = checkout
  br = branch
  dc = diff --cached

You will need to set the user name and email (removed from .gitconfig to avoid errors):

git config --global user.name "Your Name Here"
git config --global user.email [email protected]
git config --global github.user yourGithubUserNameHere

8. Config vim

my .vimrc is on this gist.

# create symlink to my vimrc file
ln -s ~/Dropbox/dotfiles/vimrc ~/.vimrc
# install Vundle to manage my plugins (https://github.com/VundleVim/Vundle.vim)
git clone https://github.com/VundleVim/Vundle.vim.git ~/.vim/bundle/Vundle.vim

9. Create/Update ~/.tmux.config

# Smart pane switching with awareness of Vim splits.
# See: https://github.com/christoomey/vim-tmux-navigator
is_vim="ps -o state= -o comm= -t '#{pane_tty}' \
    | grep -iqE '^[^TXZ ]+ +(\\S+\\/)?g?(view|n?vim?x?)(diff)?$'"
bind-key -n C-h if-shell "$is_vim" "send-keys C-h"  "select-pane -L"
bind-key -n C-j if-shell "$is_vim" "send-keys C-j"  "select-pane -D"
bind-key -n C-k if-shell "$is_vim" "send-keys C-k"  "select-pane -U"
bind-key -n C-l if-shell "$is_vim" "send-keys C-l"  "select-pane -R"
bind-key -n C-\ if-shell "$is_vim" "send-keys C-\\" "select-pane -l"
bind-key -T copy-mode-vi C-h select-pane -L
bind-key -T copy-mode-vi C-j select-pane -D
bind-key -T copy-mode-vi C-k select-pane -U
bind-key -T copy-mode-vi C-l select-pane -R
bind-key -T copy-mode-vi C-\ select-pane -l

# refresh 'status-left' and 'status-right' more often
set-option -g status-interval 5

# increase scrollback buffer size
set-option -g history-limit 50000

# address vim mode switching delay (http://superuser.com/a/252717/65504)
set-option -s escape-time 0

# focus events enabled for terminals that support them
set-option -g focus-events on

bind-key C-p previous-window
bind-key C-n next-window

# enable mouse
setw -g mouse on

# set default shell to zsh
set -g default-command /bin/zsh
set -g default-shell /bin/zsh

I actually keep this on my Dropbox folder and just symlink it:

ln -s ~/Dropbox/dotfiles/tmux.config ~/.tmux.config

TODO: borrow tmux settings from @ruyadorno

10. Configure npm and generate SSH keys for github

Need to set the npm user:

npm adduser

And also generate SSH keys for github

11. Copy stuff from old HD

# recursively copy files and folders
# beware of rsync `-C, --cvs-exclude` flag since it might exclude files you
# don't want to like *.exe, core, tags...
rsync -av '/Volumes/Macintosh HD/Users/millermedeiros/Projects' ~/tmp_projects
rsync -av '/Volumes/Macintosh HD/Users/millermedeiros/Music/iTunes/iTunes Media' ~/tmp_music

Check if files were copied properly and rename/move. Copying to a temporary folder since rsync might delete files depending on the options and/or merge folders that you do not want to merge.

rsync is great, you should use it when possible.

12. Profit!

@rafaelrinaldi
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You can install RightZoom from cask:

brew cask install right-zoom

@mckelvin
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🍺, brew cask install lime-chat may should be modified to brew cask install limechat

@jikkujose
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Is there something similar for Mavericks? Or will most of it be similar?

@millermedeiros
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Author

@jikkujose this will work for Mavericks as well (did it a few months ago). Just some of the OSX settings that doesn't exist anymore.

@antenando
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Wicked 👍

@hbrls
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hbrls commented Dec 4, 2014

Is it rightzoom now?

@rafaelrinaldi
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@shuaishuai Yes.

brew cask info rightzoom
rightzoom: latest
Right Zoom
http://www.blazingtools.com/right_zoom_mac.html
Not installed
https://github.com/caskroom/homebrew-cask/blob/master/Casks/rightzoom.rb
==> Contents
  RightZoom.app (app)

@creationmachine
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Praise Jebus! Awesome work! 🍺

@OmgImAlexis
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webp-quicklook is now webpquicklook.

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ghost commented Feb 5, 2016

I really enjoyed this. Thank you for sharing!

@ihsanberahim
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I really enjoyed this. Thank you for sharing!

@3jco
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3jco commented Mar 26, 2018

Nice one!

@orlando
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orlando commented Apr 19, 2019

You can check out mine here https://gist.github.com/orlando/3991bd633b443078176f. You can automate Mac Store installs using mas. I recommend using mackup to sync your settings using Dropbox instead of copying them over.

@potench
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potench commented Jan 21, 2021

Typo in /dev/nule in the last line. Should be

sudo mdutil -E / > /dev/null

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