DSStoreParser

macOS .DS_Store Parser. Searches recursively for .DS_Store files in the path provided and parses them. MacOS Finder uses .DS_Store files to remember how a folder view was customized by the user.

Usage

usage: DSStoreParser.py [-h] -s SOURCE -o OUTDIR [-f]

DSStoreParser CLI tool. v0.2.1

Search for .DS_Store files in the path provided and parse them.

optional arguments:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  -s SOURCE, --source SOURCE
                        The source path to search recursively for .DS_Store
                        files to parse. NOTE: THIS MUST BE A FOLDER CONTAINING
                        A .DS_Store FILE, NOT THE FILE ITSELF!
  -o OUTDIR, --out OUTDIR

Output Reports

Three reports are generated in the output folder specified using the -o option.

  DS_Store-All_Parsed_Report-YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS.tsv: Contains all parsed records.
  DS_Store-Folder_Access_Report-YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS.tsv: Contains records specific to folder accesses.
  DS_Store-Miscellaneous_Info_Report-YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS.tsv: Contains other miscellaneous records parsed.

Report Columns

• generated_path: The generated path using the location of the .DS_Store file and the record filename stored in the .DS_Store file.
• record_filename: The record filename stored in the .DS_Store file.
• record_type: One of 42 identified record types. Contains the 4 letter code of the record type as well as a description of the code.
• record_format: The format that the record data is stored in.
• record_data: The record data.
• src_create_time: The created timestamp of the source .DS_Store file.
• src_mod_time: The modified timestamp of the source .DS_Store file.
• src_acc_time: The accessed timestamp of the source .DS_Store file.
• src_metadata_change_time: The metadata change timestamp of the source .DS_Store file.
• src_permissions: The permissions, owner ID, and group ID of the source .DS_Store file.
• src_size: The size of the source .DS_Store file.
• block: The block within the .DS_Store that this record was parsed from.
• src_file: The location of the .DS_Store file this record was parsed from.

Record Types

There are 42 record types currently identified. Some indicate that a folder was opened and other are for other miscellaneous info purposes used by Finder and do not necessarily indicated a folder was opened.

Types Indicating a Folder was Accessed

These records types are set when a folder has been opened in some form.

• BKGD: Finder Folder Background Picture
• bRsV: Browse in Selected View
• bwsp: Browser Window Settings
• dscl: Directory is Expanded in List View
• fdsc: Directory is Expanded in Limited Finder Window
• fwi0: Finder Window Information
• fwsw: Finder Window Sidebar Width
• fwvh: Finder Window Sidebar Height
• glvp: Gallery View Settings
• GRP0: Group Items By
• icgo: icgo. Unknown. Icon View?
• icsp: icsp. Unknown. Icon View?
• ICVO: Icon View Options
• icvo: Icon View Options
• icvp: Icon View Settings
• icvt: Icon View Text Size
• info: info: Unknown. Finder Info?:
• lssp: List View Scroll Position
• lsvC: List View Columns
• LSVO: List View Options
• lsvo: List View Options
• lsvp: List View Settings
• lsvP: List View Settings
• lsvt: List View Text Size
• pBB0: Finder Folder Background Image Bookmark
• pBBk: Finder Folder Background Image Bookmark
• pict: Background Image
• vSrn: Opened Folder in new tab
• vstl: View Style Selected

Other Miscellaneous Types

These record types can be set without opening a folder.

• clip: Text Clipping
• cmmt: Finder Comments
• dilc: Desktop Icon Location
• extn: File Extension
• Iloc: Icon Location
• lg1S: Logical Size
• logS: Logical Size
• modD: Modified Date
• moDD: Modified Date
• ph1S: Physical Size
• phyS: Physical Size
• ptbL: Trash Put Back Location
• ptbN: Trash Put Back Name