.DS Store
Encyclopedia
.DS_Store is a hidden file created by Apple Inc.'s Mac OS X
operating system
to store custom attributes of a folder
such as the position of icons
or the choice of a background image.
about the display options of folders such as icon position and view settings. For example, on Mac OS X 10.4 "Tiger"
, .DS_Store files contain the Spotlight
comments of all the folder's files. However, on Mac OS X 10.5 "Leopard"
this changed again, and comments (now called Keywords) are instead stored in extended file attributes
.
or AFP
connection) and even if the user has only customized the appearance of the folder by moving its Finder window. This is in contrast to the pre-existing system for the same purpose used in previous versions of the Finder, which would merely place a number of invisible files at the root of the volume being accessed (even on alien file system
s), always storing the settings and metadata for all of the folders in the entire volume within this single set of files.
Prior to the release of Mac OS X 10.5, .DS_Store files would be visible on the Windows
file system.
After complaints from users about these files being created on remote systems, Apple posted an article on its support site detailing how to disable the creation of remote .DS_Store files over network connections. However, this instruction does not apply for local drives, including USB flash drives
.
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
operating system
Operating system
An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
to store custom attributes of a folder
Directory (file systems)
In computing, a folder, directory, catalog, or drawer, is a virtual container originally derived from an earlier Object-oriented programming concept by the same name within a digital file system, in which groups of computer files and other folders can be kept and organized.A typical file system may...
such as the position of icons
Icon (computing)
A computer icon is a pictogram displayed on a computer screen and used to navigate a computer system or mobile device. The icon itself is a small picture or symbol serving as a quick, intuitive representation of a software tool, function or a data file accessible on the system. It functions as an...
or the choice of a background image.
Purpose
Although these files were primarily used by the Finder, they were envisioned as a more general purpose store of metadataMetadata
The term metadata is an ambiguous term which is used for two fundamentally different concepts . Although the expression "data about data" is often used, it does not apply to both in the same way. Structural metadata, the design and specification of data structures, cannot be about data, because at...
about the display options of folders such as icon position and view settings. For example, on Mac OS X 10.4 "Tiger"
Mac OS X v10.4
Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger is the fifth major release of Mac OS X, Apple's desktop and server operating system for Macintosh computers. Tiger was released to the public on 29 April 2005 for US$129.95 as the successor to Mac OS X Panther , which had been released 18 months earlier...
, .DS_Store files contain the Spotlight
Spotlight (software)
Spotlight is a system-wide desktop search feature of Apple's Mac OS X operating system. Spotlight is a selection-based search system, which creates a virtual index of all items and files on the system. It is designed to allow the user to quickly locate a wide variety of items on the computer,...
comments of all the folder's files. However, on Mac OS X 10.5 "Leopard"
Mac OS X v10.5
Mac OS X Leopard is the sixth major release of Mac OS X, Apple's desktop and server operating system for Macintosh computers. Leopard was released on 26 October 2007 as the successor of Tiger , and is available in two variants: a desktop version suitable for personal computers, and a...
this changed again, and comments (now called Keywords) are instead stored in extended file attributes
Extended file attributes
Extended file attributes is a file system feature that enables users to associate computer files with metadata not interpreted by the filesystem, whereas regular attributes have a purpose strictly defined by the filesystem...
.
Placement
By default, the Mac OS X Finder will create a .DS_Store file in every folder that it accesses, even folders on remote systems (for example, folders shared over an SMBServer Message Block
In computer networking, Server Message Block , also known as Common Internet File System operates as an application-layer network protocol mainly used to provide shared access to files, printers, serial ports, and miscellaneous communications between nodes on a network. It also provides an...
or AFP
Apple Filing Protocol
The Apple Filing Protocol is a network protocol that offers file services for Mac OS X and original Mac OS. In Mac OS X, AFP is one of several file services supported including Server Message Block , Network File System , File Transfer Protocol , and WebDAV...
connection) and even if the user has only customized the appearance of the folder by moving its Finder window. This is in contrast to the pre-existing system for the same purpose used in previous versions of the Finder, which would merely place a number of invisible files at the root of the volume being accessed (even on alien file system
File system
A file system is a means to organize data expected to be retained after a program terminates by providing procedures to store, retrieve and update data, as well as manage the available space on the device which contain it. A file system organizes data in an efficient manner and is tuned to the...
s), always storing the settings and metadata for all of the folders in the entire volume within this single set of files.
Prior to the release of Mac OS X 10.5, .DS_Store files would be visible on the Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
file system.
After complaints from users about these files being created on remote systems, Apple posted an article on its support site detailing how to disable the creation of remote .DS_Store files over network connections. However, this instruction does not apply for local drives, including USB flash drives
USB flash drive
A flash drive is a data storage device that consists of flash memory with an integrated Universal Serial Bus interface. flash drives are typically removable and rewritable, and physically much smaller than a floppy disk. Most weigh less than 30 g...
.
See also
- desktop.ini—Windows equivalent to .DS_Store
- Thumbs.db—Windows thumbnail cache