macos.md

macOS

Initial setup

• Install NVM on macOS
• Install Ruby on macOS

# n.b. svn is needed to install the font-source-code-pro cask
brew install \
    bash \
    coreutils \
    curl \
    jq \
    nmap \
    svn \
    tmux \
    watch \
    wget \
    vim

# Fonts
brew tap homebrew/cask-fonts
brew install \
  --cask font-source-code-pro \
  font-droid-sans-mono-nerd-font \
  font-inconsolata \
  font-source-code-pro \
  font-source-sans-pro \
  font-ubuntu

brew install --cask --no-quarantine alacritty

# Change shell to Bash
echo '/opt/homebrew/bin/bash' | sudo tee -a /etc/shells
chsh -s $(which bash)

Install these applications:

• Hookshot or Rectangle
• Karabiner Elements
• Monosnap
• Tuple

Enable font smoothing:

defaults write -g CGFontRenderingFontSmoothingDisabled -bool NO
defaults -currentHost write -globalDomain AppleFontSmoothing -int 2

Keyboard Shortcuts

All shortcuts

Meta keys:

• Command ⌘
• Shift ⇧
• Option (Alt) ⌥
• Control (Ctrl) ⌃
• Caps Lock ⇪
• Fn

Key combination	Description
Control Command Space	Open Emoji Viewer
Command Shift .	Show hidden files
Command n	New window
Control Command q	Lock screen
/	Go to a directory when focussed on a Finder window

Rebind these shorcuts in System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts -> Mission Control:

Key combination	Description
F3	Mission Control
⌘ ←	Mission Control: Move left a space
⌘ →	Mission Control: Move right a space

Customizations

• ChangeMenuBarColor
• HazeOver - Dim inactive windows

Reduce menu (top bar) transparency

1. Navigate to: Accessibility > Display > Display (tab)
2. Enable: Reduce transparency

Dock

• uBar - Dock alternative
• How to hide the dock

# Hide Dock
defaults write com.apple.dock autohide -bool true && killall Dock
defaults write com.apple.dock autohide-delay -float 1000 && killall Dock
defaults write com.apple.dock no-bouncing -bool TRUE && killall Dock

# Restore Dock
defaults write com.apple.dock autohide -bool false && killall Dock
defaults delete com.apple.dock autohide-delay && killall Dock
defaults write com.apple.dock no-bouncing -bool FALSE && killall Dock

Disable command+h (hide window)

• StackOverflow

1. Install Karabiner-elements
2. Import and enable the Prevent unintended command-h "complex modification rule"

KVM

1. System Preferences -> Energy Saver -> Power Adapter
2. Enable: "Enable Power Nap while plugged into a power adapter"

Fix flakiness

• Use display_switch to workaround flaky KVM switching.

$ cat ~/Library/Preferences/display-switch.ini
# Logs are in:
# $ tail -F ~/Library/Logs/display-switch/display-switch.log
# USB Devices:
# * 14b0:011e StarTech.com Ltd. USB 3.0 4 Port HUB
# * 1532:0e03 1532 Razer Kiyo
# The Genesys is the KVM. It is not added/removed when switching ports, so we must use another device such as the StarTech hub.
usb_device = "1532:0e03"
on_usb_connect = "DisplayPort1"
#on_usb_disconnect = "DisplayPort1"

$ launchctl load ~/Library/LaunchAgents/dev.haim.display-switch.daemon.plist

# Unload with:
# $ launchctl load ~/Library/LaunchAgents/dev.haim.display-switch.daemon.plist

• Linux support

sudo apt install libudev-dev i2c-tools
sudo usermod ${USER} -aG i2c

# Save config to:
# ~/.config/display-switch/display-switch.ini

Troubleshooting

Increase maxfiles

• Blog
• Facebook Watchman
• StackOverflow

$ echo 'ulimit -n 65536 104857' >> ~/.bashrc

$ cat <<-END >> /etc/sysctl.conf
kern.maxfiles=10485760
kern.maxfilesperproc=104857
END

Bypass macOS app installation restrictions

• gon - CLI library for macOS Notarization

xattr -d com.apple.quarantine /Applications/...app

Fix OpenSSL errors

• Bundler SSL Guide

curl -Lks 'https://git.io/rg-ssl' | ruby
brew info openssl
sudo cp /usr/local/etc/openssl\@1.1/cert.pem  /opt/local/etc/openssl/cert.pem

Reinstall xcode

# Get Xcode version
xcode-select  --version

# Re-install Xcode CLI tools
sudo rm -rf /Library/Developer/CommandLineTools
sudo xcode-select --install

Remove RODE Connect virtual audio devices

After installing RODE Connect - in order to upgrade RODE NT-USB Mini drivers - 3 new virtual audio devices are installed. To remove them:

1. Navigate to: Macintosh HD > Library > Audio > Plug-ins > HAL
2. Delete the "RODE ..." folder

Prevent Google Meet from changing the input device volume level

• Source

1. Run open -a 'Audio MIDI Setup'
2. Click the "+" icon in the bottom-right
3. Click "Create Aggregate Device"
4. Add only your input device, eg. "RODE NT-USB Mini"
5. Option/Alt+click the sound icon in the macOS taskbar
6. Select the newly created Aggregate Device as the default input device

Restart audio system

• StackOverflow

sudo launchctl kickstart -kp system/com.apple.audio.coreaudiod

External monitor flickers

• MacRumors
• Reddit

If your monitor support Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), such as AMD FreeSync or nVidia Gsync, then VRR will be enabled in System Preferences > Displays, which may cause flickering. Even if disabled manually, rebooting or disconnecting/reconnecting the monitor will re-enable the setting.

Workaround: Disable VRR in your monitor's OSD.