https://github.com/luckman212/login-items-dump
Parse the output of `sfltool dumpbtm`
https://github.com/luckman212/login-items-dump
macos sonoma ventura
Last synced: about 1 year ago
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Parse the output of `sfltool dumpbtm`
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/luckman212/login-items-dump
- Owner: luckman212
- Created: 2023-10-31T20:57:28.000Z (over 2 years ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2023-11-03T04:26:50.000Z (over 2 years ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-04-10T14:41:59.267Z (about 1 year ago)
- Topics: macos, sonoma, ventura
- Language: Shell
- Homepage:
- Size: 848 KB
- Stars: 9
- Watchers: 2
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
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README
# login-items-dump
Inspired by [this AskDifferent post](https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/465920/how-to-determine-details-of-backgound-process), this is a little mashup of `sfltool` + `awk` that enumerates, parses and outputs details about your Mac's Startup Items/Login Items, which are stored in a *Background Task Management* aka **BTM** database.
This information is normally shown with very limited info in System Settings → General → Login Items. For example:
Note how it's missing any information about what or where those programs are, Bundle IDs, file paths, etc. Not very useful.
### Setting up
Clone this repo (if you don't know how to do that, click the green **Code** button above, then **Download ZIP**) and copy the `login-items-dump` script to your `/usr/local/bin` directory. You can then run the command from a Terminal.
### Usage
Open a Terminal and type
```
login-items-dump
```
> **N.B.** *executing `sfltool dumpbtm` requires root permissions, so you will likely be asked for your password. For unattended scripting, you can use `SUDO_ASKPASS` to avoid the password prompt, but that's beyond the scope of this README.*
The output is tab-separated, and contains 5 columns which should contain useful information:
- UUID
- Name (DeveloperName) (daemons are prefixed with a 👿 emoji)
- BundleID
- URL (typically a URL-encoded file path)
- ExecPath
You can parse the output further with your favorite unix tools like `grep`, `sed`, or `awk`.
> **Note about Daemons**
> If you see _"affects all users"_ in small text below the item in the Settings app, it indicates that item is a daemon. That 👿 may help you identify such items when there are multiple items with the same Name. For example:
>
> 
>
> 
### Examples
Output in neatly formatted columns
```
( printf "UUID\tName\tBundleID\tURL\tExecPath\n"; login-items-dump; ) | column -s$'\t' -t
```
To squeeze and truncate the output so it fits better on a single line, try
```
login-items-dump | sed 's/\t/ /g' | cut -c-$((COLUMNS-5))
```
To search for Google stuff
```
login-items-dump | grep -i google
```
If you see something you don't like, you can reset the entire BTM database (careful, you will have to reset all your startup apps) with:
```
sfltool resetbtm
```
For more information about background task management, you may want to read Apple's [Manage login items and background tasks on Mac](https://support.apple.com/guide/deployment/manage-login-items-background-tasks-mac-depdca572563/web) page.
### Screenshot showing a portion of the program's output
