BlueHarvest 5
The easiest way to keep your disks and file servers clean of Mac "dust".
Frequently Asked Questions
I’ve lost my serial number / registration details. Help!
What is a DS_Store/AppleDouble (._) file?
DS_Store files are created by the Finder to store information about directories and files including viewing options, icon positions and color labels. AppleDouble (._) files are created by the MacOS when an application adds resource data or metadata to a file on a volume whose format doesn’t natively support resources or metadata. Such as MSDOS and WebDav. This resource information and metadata may contain information which is important, redundant or both.
Apple support article on AppleDouble files.
Apple support article on disabling DS_Store files on servers.
Apple support article on AppleDouble files.
Apple support article on disabling DS_Store files on servers.
Can BlueHarvest cause data loss?
Yes. Some applications and file formats rely on data stored in ._ AppleDouble files (for example legacy MacOS fonts or EPS files). These files will be made unusable if their ._ AppleDouble file is deleted. Always make sure you use BlueHarvest with files which don’t rely on data in ._ AppleDouble files. If there are particular file types for which you don’t wish to have the AppleDouble file removed for, you can click the “Whitelist” button in the BlueHarvest preferences.
Does BlueHarvest use a kernel extension or patching?
No. BlueHarvest is just an application. It doesn’t rely on kernel extensions or patching.
Does BlueHarvest remove resources, metadata or DS_Store files from my startup or Mac disks?
BlueHarvest only removes resources and metadata from non Mac disks or servers. By default, BlueHarvest doesn’t remove DS_Store files from Mac disks.
How can I see what BlueHarvest is deleting?
Open Console.app inside the /Applications/Utilities folder and click Console.log on the left. BlueHarvest will print a message whenever it deletes something.
What file systems has BlueHarvest been tested with?
BlueHarvest 4 has been tested with: AFP, HFS+, MacFUSE, MS-DOS (FAT32/FAT16/Bootcamp partitions), NFS, NTFS (Paragon,NTFS3G), ExFAT, SMB, WebDav and UFS. Unknown file systems are ignored by BlueHarvest. If you have a file system which you think is missing, use the contact form to let me know! Thanks.
When we connect to our NAS device using Windows or UNIX we see files/folders on it called “.AppleDouble”. Can BlueHarvest help?
No. These files are invisible to the Mac OS so BlueHarvest is unable to delete them. Please contact your NAS vendor for information on how to hide these files on all platforms.
Does BlueHarvest support OpenAFS?
No, BlueHarvest doesn’t support OpenAFS at this time. OpenAFS file systems are ignore by BlueHarvest.
How are Zip archives cleaned?
Zip archives are cleaned using the built-in Zip command-line tool. The command used to clean the archive is: zip -d archive.zip __MACOSX* *.DS_Store This removes all DS_Store files, metadata and AppleDouble files.
Can I use AppleScript to control BlueHarvest?
You can send an ‘clean’ AppleScript command to BlueHarvest to get it to clean a folder or volume with your current options. For example:
tell application "BlueHarvest" to clean POSIX file "/Volumes/MyDisk/AFolder" The folder and all its sub folders will be cleaned.I’ve upgraded/re-installed my OS and BlueHarvest has stopped working. What’s happening?
Sometimes, when upgrading your OS, the login item which opens BlueHarvest at startup is lost. The easiest way to fix this is to open BlueHarvest (in System Preferences) and toggle BlueHarvest off then back on again by clicking “Stop” then “Start”. That’ll fix it.
Where does BlueHarvest get installed?
If you installed for “all users” the preference panel will be located inside:
(Startup Disk)/Library/PreferencePanes/.
If you installed for just the current user, the preference panel is inside:
(Home)/Library/PreferencePanes/
The service menu is installed in:
(Home)/Library/Services.
The service menu is automatically installed and removed when you start and stop BlueHarvest.
(Startup Disk)/Library/PreferencePanes/.
If you installed for just the current user, the preference panel is inside:
(Home)/Library/PreferencePanes/
The service menu is installed in:
(Home)/Library/Services.
The service menu is automatically installed and removed when you start and stop BlueHarvest.
Why has Blueharvest asked me to authenticate?
BlueHarvest will ask you to authenticate if it doesn’t have sufficient permissions to delete folders such as .Trash or .Spotlight. If you choose not to authenticate BlueHarvest will be unable to delete the items.
Free 30 day trial - Full Version
Download NowYou’ll need a 2007 or later Intel Mac (64-bit) running Lion or Snow Leopard.
See release notes page for older OS downloads.
Code
A few code snippets and applications that you may find useful. 'FSMegaInfo GUI wrapper' and more. Learn more