Dev Juice: Help find me a standalone property editor

"Dear Dev Juice,

With Lion and new xCode 4, Property List Editor is missing. Opening xCode to just be able to edit a plist file is not what I want.

So my question is how do you edit your plist files ? Do you know an alternative to xCode 4?

Thanks.

Thierry"

Dear Thierry,

If you don't mind converting your property lists to XML format (plutil -convert xml1 filename.plist), you can always use TextEdit to make quick changes.

However, it sounds like you're looking for a third party GUI solution. Daniel Jalkut helpfully pointed DevJuice to PlistEdit Pro. A $29.95 shareware application, PlistEdit Pro offers a standalone property list editor.

Developer Brian Webster told TUAW, "PlistEdit Pro was originally written in a fit of frustration over how bad Apple's editor was. They eventually updated it around Xcode 3.1 or so, and it was much improved, but then as you saw they pulled the standalone version with Xcode 4."

In addition to basic property list editing, PlistEdit Pro also offers a preference file browser, which scans through your user defaults library for easy browsing, adds scriptability for automatically modifying plists, and supports extended search, replace, and undo features.

Know of any other third party standalone GUI property list editors? (As opposed to plusutil, which is command-line only...) Leave a note in the comments.

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"Dear Dev Juice, With Lion and new xCode 4, Property List Editor is missing. Opening xCode to just be able to edit a plist file is...

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Gunther

You can install the Snow Leopard Property List Editor on Mac OS X Lion using the following instructions:

http://osxdaily.com/2010/05/12/use-property-list-editor-to-edit-plist-files-for-free/

March 11 2012 at 8:13 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Jay Graves

I like to use the built in command line plist editor PlistBuddy :)
/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy

September 01 2011 at 12:12 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Buadhai

I did a clean install of Lion and then migrated users, programs and data from a clone of my Snow Leopard boot disk. I had previously moved Property List Editor to the /Applications folder where it still resides. Seems to run fine under Lion.

August 31 2011 at 8:16 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

waitWHAT

Pref Setter. It's free.
http://www.nightproductions.net/prefsetter.html

And there's PrefEdit. Not free, but a fair bit less than 30 bucks.
http://www.bresink.com/osx/PrefEdit.html

August 31 2011 at 1:09 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

sip

Although I am running 10.7 full time, I still have 10.6.8 on another HD and when I right click a plist file, I am given the option of opening with Property List Editor. Selecting it functions just as well under 10.7 as it did in 10.6.8

August 31 2011 at 12:53 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

nicroma

I use Text Wrangler. It'ss free and works great.

August 31 2011 at 12:50 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Reply

diamondsw

I don't suppose there's any way to replace the libraries and such that the old Property List Editor needed, and continue to use it? It was perfect for me - lightweight, decent interface (well at the end), and free. I'm not paying $30 (!) to edit an XML file - that's highway robbery.

August 31 2011 at 12:46 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

MeachWare

Sorry, $30 for a Plist editor... just install Xcode 3 (in /Xcode3 folder) and you get a fully functioning Plist editor (located in /Xcode3/Applications/Utilities) for free.
Easy install instructions (for Lion): http://meachware.blogspot.com/2011/07/install-xcode-3-on-lion.html

August 31 2011 at 12:38 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Reply