Free sample

by Macworld

Ebook: $12.95

Print: $19.95

• More Info
• Contents & Intro
• FAQ
• Blog

The ebook particularly covers Safari (disable in-browser PDF viewing), Mail (remove the RSS folder), iCal (link an event to an email message), iChat (control iTunes with chat messages), Address Book (printing mailing labels), Preview (move and delete pages in a PDF), and Photo Booth (turn off the flash). The ebook also discusses tricks related to taking screenshots.

If you've wondered about using Unix commands in Terminal to customize your Mac, the book covers the basics and has a generous collection of tips sprinkled throughout that will get you typing (or pasting) simple command strings in order to tweak your Mac. It also has info for those who are already comfortable with Terminal.

These are just some of the many cool things you'll learn how to do:

• Show the weather forecast right in iCal.
• Select an Exposé window by (starting to type its) name.
• Send an SMS message from iChat.
• Change the a default duration for new iCal events.
• Print non-contiguous pages from Preview.
• Show the path bar on the top of your Finder windows.
• See what you've added to the Mac OS X spelling dictionary.
• Monitor Spotlight's progress while it indexes your drive.
• Turn down the volume on a Mac without the loud volume-change beep.
• Delete a message in Mail without automatically opening the next one.
• Type a keyboard shortcut for showing hidden files in the Open dialog.

We encourage you to download the free sample to see what it looks like, since it is rather different from our Take Control design. If you plan to print, print a few test pages from the sample first in case you wish to consider Macworld's $19.95 print version, which has higher-resolution images than are feasible in an ebook.

Foreword

Back in the fall of 2000, I was making the transition from Mac OS 9 to OS X and finding the new operating system both complex and a bit unintuitive. In particular, I kept getting tripped up by features that weren't documented on Apple's Website or covered in OS X's help files. Being somewhat geeky by nature, I decided to create a Website where I could keep track of all the little tips, tricks, and hidden features I was discovering in OS X. That way, I could easily access the info from any machine I happened to be using. And because I knew I wasn't the only one out there exploring the inner workings of Apple's new operating system, I built the site so others could post their own OS X tips and insights.

I had no grand aspirations for the Website; I merely hoped it would serve as a useful resource for OS X tidbits. Over the last nine-plus years, however, that little site, MacOSXHints.com, has grown into a collection of more than 12,000 OS X tips, covering every major release from the initial public beta through 10.6. (Along the way, the site also changed the direction of my career; Macworld purchased it and hired me in 2006.) The site still focuses on demystifying OS X's hidden features and sharing useful information that you won't find in help files. And with thousands of contributors from across the globe, it offers a constantly growing collection of OS X knowledge—all freely searchable.

Searching through more than 12,000 hints to find the one you really want can be complicated, to say the least. That's where this book comes into play. We've scoured not just MacOSXHints.com but also Macworld. com, to find the most useful tips and tricks for OS X 10.6 users. We've also rewritten them all in a clear, straightforward fashion, complete with screenshots, to make them as easy to use as possible.

The tips in this book cover almost every corner of Snow Leopard, from customizing the Finder to unlocking hidden system preferences to speeding up Safari. Whether you're a power user looking to bend OS X to your will or a relative newcomer hoping to get more from your OS, these tips will give you the inside scoop you're craving. And we encourage you to share the wealth—post your own discoveries and tips at www.macosxhints.com.

—Rob Griffiths, Editor, MacOSXHints.com
December 2009

Table of Contents

System Settings

Preference Basics

Customized System Preferences are the key to a happy Mac-user experience. These handpicked system tweaks will get you started.

Ins and Outs of Accounts

User accounts can be employed in a variety of unexpected ways, including to delete stubborn files.

Keyboard, Mouse, and Trackpad Panes

Power up your peripherals with these settings tips, including how to use the new Services features.

Universal Access Tricks

Universal Access preferences make things easier for people with disabilities. These hints can help out all Mac users.

Navigate Snow Leopard

Finder

The Finder does so much more in OS X than just find things. Discover how to take Snow Leopard navigation to the next level by learning the lesser-known tricks the Finder has up its sleeve, like using hidden canned searches.

Dock

Figure out how to best take advantage of the Dock and its sidekick, Stacks, with these twists on OS X’s organizational mainstay.

Quick Look

The supersleek image viewing tool Quick Look has more power than its simple interface lets on. Take some time to explore its many functions.

Spaces

Bring order to a cluttered desktop or an elaborate multiscreen setup with Spaces. These tips will help you set up and move around your spaces like a pro.

Exposé

Don’t let a glut of open windows confuse and overwhelm you—step back and get the big picture with Exposé.

Search Your System

Run Smart Searches

OS X’s searching tool Spotlight casts a wide and smart net. Use these indispensable Spotlight searching secrets and you’ll never lose a file again.

Customize Spotlight

Make Spotlight work for you by customizing the way it operates. You can choose exactly which folders and drives it searches.

Supercharge Searches in Terminal

When you need to add extra strength to your searches, try these Terminal methods. We’ll walk you through running a live search, how to search for hidden files, and tricks for using metadata.

Get Connected

Set up and troubleshoot your network and peripheral connections with these can’t-miss hints. We break down the steps for adding functions to Apple’s Screen-Sharing tool and teach you the best way to switch between wireless networks.

Power Up Printing

Don’t just print—print smarter with these clever shortcuts. They’ll show you how to uncover hidden printing preferences and the best way to quickly cancel print jobs.

Safari

Surf Faster

Learn how a skilled surfer gets around the web in Apple’s browser with these excellent Safari hints.

Expand Safari's Powers

Customize Safari and add more powers to its arsenal, including sorting bookmarks.

Communication Essentials

Mail

Don’t just send and receive messages in Apple Mail; organize, personalize, and synchronize with these hints.

iCal

These iCal tips show you how to link e-mail messages to events, merge calendars, and view your schedule in cover flow mode.

iChat

iChat doesn’t just talk, it also sends data—and it works on mobile devices, so it goes where you go.

Address Book

Dig into these tips for keeping your Address Book in order and for combining multiple e-mail messages to print together.

Text & Graphics

Do More with Preview

These hints show you what OS X’s little tool is really capable of doing.

Work with Text

Learn the best tricks for working with fonts and adding symbols, as well as how to use Snow Leopard’s new substitutions features.

Have Fun with Photo Booth

Impress your friends with these neat Photo Booth tricks, which take advantage of your Mac’s built-in camera.

Take Screenshots

Being able to take screenshots is a great and underappreciated OS X feature. Do more with these shortcuts and settings.

Working in Terminal

Terminal Basics

This introduction to using the command line includes a crash course on the anatomy of a command and steps for copying files and combining different commands.

Do More with Terminal

Like everything in OS X, Terminal has its share of tricks and secrets. Discover goodies like navigating with tabs and opening folders.

Command-Line Lifesavers

Dabbling in Terminal shouldn’t be taken lightly. This section explains what commands require extra care, as well as what measures you can take to minimize the risk.

Can I read this ebook on an iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch?

There are lots of great ways to read PDFs on these devices. For more details, please read our latest Device Advice.

Ask a Question

Feel free to ask us if you have a question about this book!

Send Us Your Comments!

How could we not publish such kind words? If you'd like to send us your comments (good or bad, though we hope they're all good), just click the Feedback link on the cover of your copy of the ebook. Be sure to let us know if we can publish your comment. Thanks!

Find Hundreds of Tips in “Macworld Mac OS X Hints Superguide, Snow Leopard Edition”

March 4, 2010 -- 

The most useful pieces of advice about using your Mac are often short, focused tips that solve a particular problem or make a specific program work just the way you want. That's what you'll find in the Macworld Mac OS X Hints Superguide, Snow Leopard Edition, the latest ebook from our friends at Macworld.

Compiled by the undisputed king of tips, Rob Griffiths, the ebook presents a cornucopia of over 200 tips to help you get the most out of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. You'll find basic tips for any Mac user as well as power-user tweaks that use incantations in Terminal - and sometimes AppleScript - to go way beyond the basics.

Among many other useful lessons, this ebook will teach you to:

• Get around more efficiently with the Dock, Spaces, and Expose.
• Type a keyboard shortcut to show hidden files in the Open dialog.
• Monitor Spotlight's progress while it indexes your drive.
• Show the path bar on the top of your Finder windows.
• See what you've added to the Mac OS X spelling dictionary.
• Turn your Mac's volume down without the loud volume-change beep.
• Use Snow Leopard's new text expansion feature.
• Set up system-wide keyboard shortcuts.

And, you'll get application-specific tips, including how to:

• Disable in-browser PDF viewing in Safari.
• Remove the RSS folder from Mail's sidebar.
• Turn off the flash in Photo Booth.
• Change the default duration for new iCal events.
• Show the weather forecast right in iCal.
• Print non-contiguous pages from Preview.
• Delete a message in Mail without automatically opening the next one.
• Control iTunes with iChat messages. Really!
• Send an SMS message from iChat.

The 152-page ebook is now available for $12.95, and a print version is also available for $19.95.

(If you have the Leopard edition of this particular Superguide, check your email for upgrade information!)

—Adam C. Engst 

Find Hundreds of Tips in “Macworld Mac OS X Hints Superguide, Snow Leopard Edition”

March 4, 2010 -- 

The most useful pieces of advice about using your Mac are often short, focused tips that solve a particular problem or make a specific program work just the way you want. That's what you'll find in the Macworld Mac OS X Hints Superguide, Snow Leopard Edition, the latest ebook from our friends at Macworld.

Compiled by the undisputed king of tips, Rob Griffiths, the ebook presents a cornucopia of over 200 tips to help you get the most out of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. You'll find basic tips for any Mac user as well as power-user tweaks that use incantations in Terminal - and sometimes AppleScript - to go way beyond the basics.

Among many other useful lessons, this ebook will teach you to:

• Get around more efficiently with the Dock, Spaces, and Expose.
• Type a keyboard shortcut to show hidden files in the Open dialog.
• Monitor Spotlight's progress while it indexes your drive.
• Show the path bar on the top of your Finder windows.
• See what you've added to the Mac OS X spelling dictionary.
• Turn your Mac's volume down without the loud volume-change beep.
• Use Snow Leopard's new text expansion feature.
• Set up system-wide keyboard shortcuts.

And, you'll get application-specific tips, including how to:

• Disable in-browser PDF viewing in Safari.
• Remove the RSS folder from Mail's sidebar.
• Turn off the flash in Photo Booth.
• Change the default duration for new iCal events.
• Show the weather forecast right in iCal.
• Print non-contiguous pages from Preview.
• Delete a message in Mail without automatically opening the next one.
• Control iTunes with iChat messages. Really!
• Send an SMS message from iChat.

The 152-page ebook is now available for $12.95, and a print version is also available for $19.95.

(If you have the Leopard edition of this particular Superguide, check your email for upgrade information!)

—Adam C. Engst 

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