Why can't you change your shortname/home folder name?

[tech4all]

Ok so I checked out the Help regarding changing my shortname/home folder name. It turns out that you can't change it. Is there a reason for that? It really doesn't make any sense to why we can't change our short name. I know there is probably a reason for it.

 

[Doctor Q]

I believe that the reason is that allowing changes to the short name would require more "effort" by Mac OS X than letting you change any other user settings, because the name is stored in many places within the operating system. I find it odd, since the Unix underpinnings define a user by a unique user number, with the name looked up from the number when needed. So I assume that, with more programming effort, Apple could allow name changes.

 

[7on]

there is a KB article about it. I've done it before. It requires UNIX stuff and the like. I can't remember where but search the kb for it. I seem to remember it being lengthy.

 

[Doctor Q]

Found it! Mac OS X: How to change user short name or home directory name

I like the tone of this Knowledge Base article: You don't really want to do this, but... here's how!

 

[Rincewind42]

Wow... Apple recommending enabling the root user for this of all things.

Ok, this method won't allow you to change the short user name, but it will allow you to move your home folder anywhere you like (and it works back clear to 10.0 for those unlucky sods still on that version)

1) Copy the contents of your old user folder to wherever you want to keep it and note the *path* to this location.
2) Open /Application/Utilities/NetInfo Manager
3) Security menu => Authenticate (and authenticate with an Admin password)
4) In the middle column find "users" and click on it
5) In the 3rd column, find your short user name and click on it.
6) In the bottom pane (the one that has Property & Value columns) look for the "home" property.
7) Change the value of the "home" property to be the path to your new user home (as noted in step 1).
8) Domain menu => Save Changes
9) Logout and login.

This should get you a new home location. I use it to keep my home folder on a separate partition from the OS, but there is nothing to stop you from keeping your home folder on a server or any other location your heart desires.

 

[mklos]

The easiest way is it make a new account with the short name you want, then transfer your stuff over to the new account. Everytime I've tried doing it, all it did was screw things up and I ended up making a new account anyways.

You may have to log in as "root" to get your old stuff to the new account. If you need help in doing that just post back and I or someone else will help you!

 

[Duff-Man]

Duff-Man says....someone has also done a quick little utility to do this called ChangeShortName - I have not tried this myself (no reason to at the moment) but it is there if you wish to try it....oh yeah!

 

[powerdave]

Duff-Man says....someone has also done a quick little utility to do this called ChangeShortName - I have not tried this myself (no reason to at the moment) but it is there if you wish to try it....oh yeah!

I used this program myself. Its simple really, and it tells you what you need to do. It worked for me without a problem and I only had my Mac for a couple of weeks when I did it so I was no expert!