MacLife - USA (2020-09)

Make sure you check

out these important

support articles on

Apple’s website to

better understand

the latest features.

PROBLEMS WITH

EXTERNAL DISPLAYS?

If you’re having video

problems with an external

display that’s connected to

your Mac — if it’s blank,

fuzzy/blurry, or there are

other annoying issues with

it — then this support

article should be useful to

you as it lists the various

steps to help get your

screen working:

bit.ly/ml171ask1.

CHANGE YOUR MAC

PRO’S SSD MODULES

Got a Mac Pro (2019)?

Well, you’re pretty lucky

then, and you also might be

wondering how to upgrade

your internal SSD modules,

whether it’s to replace a

faulty unit, or to upgrade to

a bigger capacity SSD

module (modules available

here: https://bit.ly/ml_pro_

ssd). If so, go to this

support page to find out

how to install or replace the

SSD modules yourself:

bit.ly/ml171ask2.

Hot topics

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Email Mac|Life at [email protected]

This uses categories which Apple has set

according to those used in its App Store. If

most of your apps have been obtained from

there, it should work quite well, although like

the store its categories are unevenly spread.

It has 19 sub–categories of Games, but others

are more arbitrary.

Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to add

or change these app categories, since they’re

set by macOS. In theory, you can add or

change the category for those apps which

aren’t bundled in macOS (as those are

protected by SIP). The category for each app

is set in the LSApplicationCategoryType value

in its Info.plist file, inside the app.

However, that file is protected by the app’s

signature, so changing it breaks the signature,

and Catalina in particular will then refuse to

open that app. So don’t bother trying to

change an app’s category if you want to use it.

There are alternatives using metadata which

you can change, but they only work in Finder’s

Find windows and not with Groups, and

involve adding extended attributes.

How can I list my Applications in more

useful groups?

When I list my Applications by groups in a Finder window, then select the Application

Category option, most are shown under Other — even Apple’s Home and News apps. How

can I show them in meaningful categories?

Image rights: Apple.

The Finder’s Application Categories are fixed, and match the App Store, leaving too many in the Other category.

TECH SUPPORT & TECHSPLANATIONS

ASK

66 SEP 2020 maclife.com