com. files

[Peter Aretin]

What is the significance of filenames that begin with "com."?

 

[Cory Cooper]

Hello,

Most of those are preference (plist) files. They hold preferences set in different applications and services.

Are you having an issue with them?

C

 

[Peter Aretin]

Not really. Some of them on my computer are launch agents. I was just wondering what kind of signal the "com" is for the operating system.

 

[Cory Cooper]

Yes, they can be Launch Agents also, but they are still plist files - Property List. The are written in XML, and contain various settings, preferences, and other information relating to the application or services thay are named for.

C

 

[Peter Aretin]

I didn't write this file, which starts with com. and ends with .plist, but its function is to instruct the computer, at a certain time of day, to run a script that resides in another location. The script gets a tv schedule in xml from a site on the web, and installs it into EyeTV. So it isn't really much like a preferences file.

 

[Cory Cooper]

OK, thanks for the additional.

I also have an EyeTV, but it is an older model made before Geniatech purchased the technology from Elgato. I never really used the TV Guide part of the software, as it was used to transfer VHS tapes into digital format.

I assume the file you are referring to is named something like com.geniatech.schedule.plist or com.elgato.guide.plist?

As I mentioned previously, plist files are normally written by software, when preferences or settings are set in the application. Since they are basically text files, normally they can be deleted, and they will be recreated when the application is launched again and preferences/settings are changed. Sometimes, deletion of plist files ca help certain issues users are having, as they can get "corrupted" from time to time.

I hope that helps, and please let us know if there is a particular issue you are having.

C

 

[Peter Aretin]

As I said, I'm curious about the function of beginning the file name with "com." Apparently, files named in this way can do various jobs. The launch agent that inspired this question was written by a user. Geniatech has supported EyeTV, which is great software, very poorly and abruptly stopped supplying its program guide, leaving a lot of users in the lurch, many with unexpired subscriptions. A group of users worked out a way to get a program guide from xmltvlistings.com using some bits of code written by users, principally a script and a launch agent that causes it to run.

 

[Cory Cooper]

I am not sure why the com. is added at the beginning of the name...must be something that OS X/macOS recognizes. Yes, they do various things - preferences, settings, System calls, etc.

Not much more information I can give you unfortunately,

C