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Terminal problem (user account issues?)

C

colourmebad

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 3, 2008
9
0
I'm trying to start tackling some C++ tutorials (I'm a total programming n00b), and in doing so this is the first time I've every really needed to do anything in the Terminal. At present though, it seems that I can't even get started with it, as I can't run *anything* via the Terminal as there is some weird issue that I can't seem to find any web advice on.

On opening the terminal I get the following:
Code: 
unknown-e4:ce:8f:17:a5:ae:Desktop username$
(I have substituted my username with 'username' here)

I am trying to compile a program ('your first C++ program 1.1 here: http://www.openframeworks.cc/tutorials/introduction/000_introduction.html) which requires a few lines of code.

But on entering the first line ("cd Desktop") I just get:

-bash: cd: Desktop: No such file or directory

I don't know if I have some weird account issue/corruption on my macbook (Macbook Pro Early 2011). I had an issue where the desktop background was resetting itself every time I rebooted, which I resolved via some advice I found somewhere online, but the problem seems to have re-emerged. I'm pretty sure I remember it being something to do with the computer being confused about user accounts, but there should only really be one account (my 'username' one) on my Macbook, and to my knowledge I have never created or used any other. I have had the Macbook since new, btw.

Anyone able to offer any advice/shed any light on this please?

Many thanks in advance :)

----------

The bit with :D should of course be a : and D next to each other, but the forum renders it as an emoticon.

:D
 
robbieduncan

robbieduncan

Moderator emeritus
Jul 24, 2002
25,611
893
Harrogate
If you use code tags you won't get random :D in your posts!

I have done this in your posts (the fun of Moderator powers!). It seems you are already in the Desktop folder: that's what the Desktop indicates to me in the prompt.
 
justperry

justperry

macrumors G5
Aug 10, 2007
12,557
9,750
I'm a rolling stone.
If you have issues like that, like desktop resetting this means the permissions are not right, I had a similar issue with it, most likely the ~/Home/Library/Preferences folder is set to the wrong permissions.
Or your Username has the wrong permissions.
 
B

Brian Y

macrumors 68040
Oct 21, 2012
3,776
1,064
justperry said:
If you have issues like that, like desktop resetting this means the permissions are not right, I had a similar issue with it, most likely the ~/Home/Library/Preferences folder is set to the wrong permissions.
Or your Username has the wrong permissions.
Click to expand...

Code: 
unknown-e4:ce:8f:17:a5:ae:Desktop username$

You can't cd to Desktop because you are already in Desktop. The bit between the last : and your username is the current folder.

Can you paste the output of the following:

Code: 
ls -alh ~
 
C

colourmebad

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 3, 2008
9
0
Gawd. I feel like a bit of an iiidiiiot, haha. Thanks!

So what is the meaning of the
Code: 
unknown-e4:ce:8f:17:a5:ae:
bit then?

Should it look like that?

And anyone any ideas about what this account problem is that is causing my desktop to reset every time I reboot (I can't find the solution that I found last time it was happening).

Many thanks.

----------
Brian Y said:
Code: 
unknown-e4:ce:8f:17:a5:ae:Desktop username$

You can't cd to Desktop because you are already in Desktop. The bit between the last : and your username is the current folder.

Can you paste the output of the following:

Code: 
ls -alh ~
Click to expand...


Here you go:


Code: 
total 128
drwxr-xr-x+ 36 username  staff   1.2K 16 Jan 10:58 .
drwxr-xr-x   5 root          admin   170B 21 Jul  2011 ..
-rw-------   1 username  staff     3B  9 Jun  2011 .CFUserTextEncoding
-rw-r--r--@  1 username  staff    42K 24 Jan 17:55 .DS_Store
drwx------   4 username  staff   136B 24 Jan 17:52 .Trash
drwxr-xr-x   4 username  staff   136B 16 Jul  2011 .adobe
-rw-------   1 username  staff   876B 25 Jan 11:10 .bash_history
drwxr-xr-x   5 username  staff   170B 27 Jun  2012 .config
drwx------   3 username  staff   102B  8 Jul  2011 .cups
drwx------  15 username  staff   510B 22 Jan 01:47 .dropbox
drwxr-xr-x  24 username  staff   816B 28 Nov 09:30 .dvdcss
drwxr-x---  20 username  staff   680B 27 Jun  2012 .easytag
-rwxrwxrwx@  1 username  staff    30B 27 Feb  2012 .fomuomrrc
-rw-------   1 username  staff     0B 12 Jan  2012 .gdb_history
-rw-r--r--   1 username  staff    38B 27 Jun  2012 .gtk-bookmarks
-rw-r--r--   1 username  staff   662B 16 Jan  2012 .imagineer_log.txt
drwxr-xr-x   3 username  staff   102B  9 Nov  2011 .local
drwxrwxrwx   3 username  staff   102B 12 Jul  2011 .nchsoftware
drwxr-xr-x   3 username  staff   102B  8 Nov  2011 .smb
-rw-r--r--@  1 username  staff    17B 27 Feb  2012 .smoizxen
drwx------   3 username  staff   102B 10 Jan  2012 .ssh
drwxr-xr-x   2 username  staff    68B 16 Nov  2011 .wapi
drwxr-xr-x   4 username  staff   136B  6 Dec  2011 Applications
drwx------+ 30 username  staff   1.0K 25 Jan 11:31 Desktop
drwx------+ 16 username  staff   544B 22 Jan 17:39 Documents
drwx------+ 13 username  staff   442B 24 Jan 17:52 Downloads
drwx------@ 13 username  staff   442B 19 Jan 10:41 Dropbox
drwxr-xr-x@  5 username  staff   170B 16 Jan 20:05 FontExplorer X
drwxr-xr-x@  7 username  staff   238B 31 Oct 20:04 Google Drive
drwx------@ 54 username  staff   1.8K 22 Jan 12:51 Library
drwx------+  4 username  staff   136B 22 Jan 17:36 Movies
drwx------+  7 username  staff   238B 30 Nov  2011 Music
drwx------@  8 username  staff   272B 29 Nov 12:41 Pictures
drwxr-xr-x+  6 username  staff   204B 16 Jan  2012 Public
drwxr-xr-x@  5 username  staff   170B  9 Jun  2011 Sites
drwxr-xr-x@ 41 username  staff   1.4K  5 Aug  2011 xxxxxx.com


Again I've replaced my username with 'username' and a site that I own with xxxxxx.com, in the name of privacy.

Thanks.
 
B

Brian Y

macrumors 68040
Oct 21, 2012
3,776
1,064
colourmebad said:
Gawd. I feel like a bit of an iiidiiiot, haha. Thanks!

So what is the meaning of the
Code: 
unknown-e4:ce:8f:17:a5:ae:
bit then?

Should it look like that?

And anyone any ideas about what this account problem is that is causing my desktop to reset every time I reboot (I can't find the solution that I found last time it was happening).

Many thanks.
Click to expand...

That's your hostname (or computer name). You can set it in System Preferences -> Sharing, however, your router may give you one itself automatically if you're using DHCP (it looks like it's given you an ipv6 address as a hostname).

As for the wallpaper - try deleting (Move to the desktop, just in case) ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.desktop.plist and ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.systempreferences (Note that ~/Library is /Users/username/Library and NOT /Library)
 
ConCat

ConCat

macrumors 6502a
Jul 27, 2012
722
0
In an ethereal plane of existence.
colourmebad said:
Gawd. I feel like a bit of an iiidiiiot, haha. Thanks!

So what is the meaning of the
Code: 
unknown-e4:ce:8f:17:a5:ae:
bit then?

Should it look like that?

And anyone any ideas about what this account problem is that is causing my desktop to reset every time I reboot (I can't find the solution that I found last time it was happening).

Many thanks.

----------




Here you go:


Code: 
total 128
drwxr-xr-x+ 36 username  staff   1.2K 16 Jan 10:58 .
drwxr-xr-x   5 root          admin   170B 21 Jul  2011 ..
-rw-------   1 username  staff     3B  9 Jun  2011 .CFUserTextEncoding
-rw-r--r--@  1 username  staff    42K 24 Jan 17:55 .DS_Store
drwx------   4 username  staff   136B 24 Jan 17:52 .Trash
drwxr-xr-x   4 username  staff   136B 16 Jul  2011 .adobe
-rw-------   1 username  staff   876B 25 Jan 11:10 .bash_history
drwxr-xr-x   5 username  staff   170B 27 Jun  2012 .config
drwx------   3 username  staff   102B  8 Jul  2011 .cups
drwx------  15 username  staff   510B 22 Jan 01:47 .dropbox
drwxr-xr-x  24 username  staff   816B 28 Nov 09:30 .dvdcss
drwxr-x---  20 username  staff   680B 27 Jun  2012 .easytag
-rwxrwxrwx@  1 username  staff    30B 27 Feb  2012 .fomuomrrc
-rw-------   1 username  staff     0B 12 Jan  2012 .gdb_history
-rw-r--r--   1 username  staff    38B 27 Jun  2012 .gtk-bookmarks
-rw-r--r--   1 username  staff   662B 16 Jan  2012 .imagineer_log.txt
drwxr-xr-x   3 username  staff   102B  9 Nov  2011 .local
drwxrwxrwx   3 username  staff   102B 12 Jul  2011 .nchsoftware
drwxr-xr-x   3 username  staff   102B  8 Nov  2011 .smb
-rw-r--r--@  1 username  staff    17B 27 Feb  2012 .smoizxen
drwx------   3 username  staff   102B 10 Jan  2012 .ssh
drwxr-xr-x   2 username  staff    68B 16 Nov  2011 .wapi
drwxr-xr-x   4 username  staff   136B  6 Dec  2011 Applications
drwx------+ 30 username  staff   1.0K 25 Jan 11:31 Desktop
drwx------+ 16 username  staff   544B 22 Jan 17:39 Documents
drwx------+ 13 username  staff   442B 24 Jan 17:52 Downloads
drwx------@ 13 username  staff   442B 19 Jan 10:41 Dropbox
drwxr-xr-x@  5 username  staff   170B 16 Jan 20:05 FontExplorer X
drwxr-xr-x@  7 username  staff   238B 31 Oct 20:04 Google Drive
drwx------@ 54 username  staff   1.8K 22 Jan 12:51 Library
drwx------+  4 username  staff   136B 22 Jan 17:36 Movies
drwx------+  7 username  staff   238B 30 Nov  2011 Music
drwx------@  8 username  staff   272B 29 Nov 12:41 Pictures
drwxr-xr-x+  6 username  staff   204B 16 Jan  2012 Public
drwxr-xr-x@  5 username  staff   170B  9 Jun  2011 Sites
drwxr-xr-x@ 41 username  staff   1.4K  5 Aug  2011 xxxxxx.com


Again I've replaced my username with 'username' and a site that I own with xxxxxx.com, in the name of privacy.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

There could be a permission problem with any number of files on your computer. Run a permissions check in Disk Utility.
 
C

colourmebad

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 3, 2008
9
0
Thanks guys, that's brilliant. I'll have a look at the suggestions shortly and report back if I still can't get my head around it.

Much obliged
 
justperry

justperry

macrumors G5
Aug 10, 2007
12,557
9,750
I'm a rolling stone.
colourmebad said:
Gawd. I feel like a bit of an iiidiiiot, haha. Thanks!

So what is the meaning of the
Code: 
unknown-e4:ce:8f:17:a5:ae:
bit then?

Should it look like that?

And anyone any ideas about what this account problem is that is causing my desktop to reset every time I reboot (I can't find the solution that I found last time it was happening).

Many thanks.

----------




Here you go:


Code: 
total 128
drwxr-xr-x+ 36 username  staff   1.2K 16 Jan 10:58 .
drwxr-xr-x   5 root          admin   170B 21 Jul  2011 ..
-rw-------   1 username  staff     3B  9 Jun  2011 .CFUserTextEncoding
-rw-r--r--@  1 username  staff    42K 24 Jan 17:55 .DS_Store
drwx------   4 username  staff   136B 24 Jan 17:52 .Trash
drwxr-xr-x   4 username  staff   136B 16 Jul  2011 .adobe
-rw-------   1 username  staff   876B 25 Jan 11:10 .bash_history
drwxr-xr-x   5 username  staff   170B 27 Jun  2012 .config
drwx------   3 username  staff   102B  8 Jul  2011 .cups
drwx------  15 username  staff   510B 22 Jan 01:47 .dropbox
drwxr-xr-x  24 username  staff   816B 28 Nov 09:30 .dvdcss
drwxr-x---  20 username  staff   680B 27 Jun  2012 .easytag
-rwxrwxrwx@  1 username  staff    30B 27 Feb  2012 .fomuomrrc
-rw-------   1 username  staff     0B 12 Jan  2012 .gdb_history
-rw-r--r--   1 username  staff    38B 27 Jun  2012 .gtk-bookmarks
-rw-r--r--   1 username  staff   662B 16 Jan  2012 .imagineer_log.txt
drwxr-xr-x   3 username  staff   102B  9 Nov  2011 .local
drwxrwxrwx   3 username  staff   102B 12 Jul  2011 .nchsoftware
drwxr-xr-x   3 username  staff   102B  8 Nov  2011 .smb
-rw-r--r--@  1 username  staff    17B 27 Feb  2012 .smoizxen
drwx------   3 username  staff   102B 10 Jan  2012 .ssh
drwxr-xr-x   2 username  staff    68B 16 Nov  2011 .wapi
drwxr-xr-x   4 username  staff   136B  6 Dec  2011 Applications
drwx------+ 30 username  staff   1.0K 25 Jan 11:31 Desktop
drwx------+ 16 username  staff   544B 22 Jan 17:39 Documents
drwx------+ 13 username  staff   442B 24 Jan 17:52 Downloads
drwx------@ 13 username  staff   442B 19 Jan 10:41 Dropbox
drwxr-xr-x@  5 username  staff   170B 16 Jan 20:05 FontExplorer X
drwxr-xr-x@  7 username  staff   238B 31 Oct 20:04 Google Drive
drwx------@ 54 username  staff   1.8K 22 Jan 12:51 Library
drwx------+  4 username  staff   136B 22 Jan 17:36 Movies
drwx------+  7 username  staff   238B 30 Nov  2011 Music
drwx------@  8 username  staff   272B 29 Nov 12:41 Pictures
drwxr-xr-x+  6 username  staff   204B 16 Jan  2012 Public
drwxr-xr-x@  5 username  staff   170B  9 Jun  2011 Sites
drwxr-xr-x@ 41 username  staff   1.4K  5 Aug  2011 xxxxxx.com


Again I've replaced my username with 'username' and a site that I own with xxxxxx.com, in the name of privacy.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I already answered that question in my last post, your permissions are not set right.
 
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