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MacFixIt Answers is a feature in which we answer questions e-mailed in by our readers.

This week people wrote in with questions on trashing documents requiring an administrator password, Safari not being able to find or use Mail or another e-mail client, and why "sudo" terminal commands can't be run from a standard user account. We continually answer e-mail questions, and though we present answers here, we welcome alternative approaches and views from readers and encourage you to post your suggestions in the comments.

NOTE: The "contact us" box for e-mailing us will hopefully be … Read more

In OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, Apple introduced an option to control icon sizes by simply using the pinch-zoom gesture on Macs with multi-touch trackpads. If you pulled your fingers together then the icon sizes in the current window would get smaller, and if you spread your fingers then the icons would get larger.

This feature has been removed in OS X Lion, which has frustrated a number of people who have come to rely on its convenience. While the Finder's preferences file may have an option called "EnableZoomPinch" for some users, this option is likely … Read more

MacFixIt Answers is a feature in which we answer questions e-mailed in by our readers.

This week people wrote in with questions about apparent incorrect file size and disk usage calculations in the Finder, recreating a lost playlist after upgrading iTunes, whether Lion install media should be kept updated, and Mail messages appearing blank. We continually answer e-mail questions, and though we present answers here, we welcome alternative approaches and views from readers and encourage you to post your suggestions in the comments.

Question: File size and disk space calculations not adding up MacFixIt reader Malcolm asks:

Answer: The folders … Read more

The separation of files by user accounts in OS X negates much of the need for hiding files and folders, at least for security purposes; however, there are times when you may still want to hide a file or two.

Unfortunately, hiding a file makes managing it much more tedious, since you can no longer access it directly in the Finder.

The easiest way to manage individual hidden files when you need to access them is to toggle the Finder's ability to reveal hidden files, instead of making specific files visible again. For multiple hidden files, there's an even easier method.… Read more

When it comes to incorporating new features in Macs or OS X that have been tried and true in other computing systems, Apple sometimes takes a bit of a stubborn approach and attempts to incorporate the feature in novel ways.

For instance, when Apple finally released its own multibutton mouse, it used touch-based surfaces and to date has still not released a mainstream mouse with two main click surfaces. Sometimes Apple's approaches, like its use of gestures and two-finger clicking on trackpads, hit the mark, but in other situations the new approaches may take some getting used to.

One … Read more

Periodically, Mac users may find that the system does not seem to recognize icon and window placement settings, and may display items in random orders and positions under certain conditions. Normally when you make a change to a Finder window layout, be it the position of items, the view setting, or the window size and location, these settings are saved; however, it appears in some instances, this may not be happening properly. A number of people who have upgraded to OS X Lion have recently found this to be an issue with their systems.

Whenever Finder window view settings do … Read more

For me, nothing is more annoying than not being able to find my keys when I'm rushing out the door. Nothing. I suppose that I could just put my keys in the same place every time I return home, but why would I do that when I could just solve my problems with technology? Enter the Cobra Tag.

What is it? This Bluetooth-enabled key fob promises to help scatterbrains like me keep track of their keys and Android or BlackBerry smartphone by notifying us when the two are separated. I use the example of keys, because that's how … Read more

Cocktail is both useful and fun for inveterate Mac tinkerers and would-be power users (that is, power users who aren't hard-core enough to use the command line).

This multipurpose utility can help you keep your computer happy and healthy, giving you access to scores of tweaks and optimizations pulled together from various utilities, preferences, third-party hacks, and command-line tools. Cocktail can help you with routine maintenance and customization across your disks, system, files, network, and interface. Cocktail is organized around these five areas, with highly customizable options for everything from clearing caches and repairing permissions to changing the appearance … Read more

One of the frustrating aspects of using a graphical user interface such as OS X is that when you launch a new application, the system assumes that is the application you wish to bring to the forefront. If you launch multiple applications, sometimes they may take a few moments to load and if you decide to switch focus to another program in the meantime then you chance having the program you launched grab your focus and place windows above those of the application you are working in.

These behaviors can be exceptionally frustrating, and while the basic remedy is to … Read more