plist file doesn't have homepage

[jakenolan]

Hi there.

I am looking for the option in ANY plist file that allows an alteration to the homepage for Safari.

I have looked in:
com.apple.Safari.plist
com.apple.Safari.RSS.plist
Bookmarks.plist
com.apple.internetconfig.plist
com.apple.internetconfigpriv.plist


None of these can find anything to do with "homepage" or my currently set homepage - "http://www.apple.com/startpage"

Bookmarks and the homepage are what I am trying to change and bookmarks have been the only success.


In case there is anyone else trying to do what I am doing but hasn't got this far yet, I am using OS X Lion (unfortunately), and just getting to the Library isn't easy anymore. You need to click on finder, then Go > Connect to Folder... > ~/Library just to access the now hidden Library folder in the home dir.


I know the option is supposed to be in "~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Safari.plist"
but I am afraid I am not having any luck locating it (the option in the plist - not the plist itself. I can find the plist comfortably).

If anyone can help me out I would appreciate it immensely.

 

[Dave Braine]

You set your Homepage using Safari Preferences; ie, from the Main Safari Menu>Preferences, not by editing the .plist.

 

[Mal]

If for some reason you really need to edit it directly (I'd highly recommend against it), the key is just labeled HomePage. I found it quite easily just browsing the file with QuickLook. If you can't find it, I'm not sure what to suggest.

jW

 

[Quad5Ny]

As Mal said the string your looking for is called "HomePage".

You might not be able to find it because sometimes plists in binary as opposed to XML (Try PlistEdit Pro).

 

[jakenolan]

Thanks Dave, but I was aware of the normal method

Mal and Quad5Ny, are you referring to a plist called "HomePage" ? If not, can you please tell me the plist you found it in?

I am using TextWrangler to open the plist files.

And like I said, I altered the bookmarks quite easily and was happy with the outcome. I am just having no luck with the homepage.

Would there be any difference between what I am using and PlistEdit Pro?


I assume you guys are all running Lion too.

Thanks.

 

[Mal]

No, we said the key, as in the entry in the com.apple.Safari.plist file. If you're not familiar enough with that terminology, you have no business mucking about in plist files. Either spend some time learning all the details, or you'll be back in a day or so saying, "Help, I messed up something and now my computer doesn't work."

jW

 

[jakenolan]

If you're not familiar enough with that terminology, you have no business mucking about in plist files.

Then how does one learn in the first place? By studying all of the theory there is to know before ever going "hands-on?" Pretty slow learning curve if you ask me


I did not know of plist files a week ago, but I have now acquired the need to, and since then I have effectively changed one of the files to what was required but I got stuck on the second one as I couldn't locate the appropriate "key."

I am doing it correctly by backing up all plist files before I even open them.

It was just that neither of you specified which plist the key/string should be found in so I had to ask (must have been obvious to you guys).

By searching for "HomePage" in com.apple.Safari.plist I get the message:

Not Found
The string "HomePage" was not found.

I must be doing something wrong because where else would it be? And it must be somewhere.


Trust me, if I could avoid the need to use plist files I would. Looking at them makes me want to sleep.

 

[robbieduncan]

Have you considered they fact that the key won't exist until you set the homepage to something other than the default?

 

[Mal]

You still haven't answered the basic question about why you need to mess with the plist files. There's a good reason for the way it's designed to work, and you're not going to achieve any different result by editing the plist directly than you would by simply changing the settings properly.

jW

 

[jakenolan]

Have you considered they fact that the key won't exist until you set the homepage to something other than the default?

Did not consider!

Thank you kind sir! Changed the homepage from the default and is now displayed in the plist.

Knew it had to be a simple error from myself.



Thanks for the help from everyone.

Time to break my computer ;-)