PrefWatch v.1.5.2

1.5.2 — 2026-10-26

Fix

• Watching a single domain that exists only in ByHost (per-hardware) emitted nothing: the ByHost file was never found. It is watched now, with -currentHost commands.
• A list entry that reads as plist syntax, (x), {x}, <x>, $(x), was refused by defaults -array or written as a sub-list. It is quoted now; one with " or \ no longer needs python3.
• A Finder toolbar edit (item removed, added, moved) came out as PlistBuddy lines by index: on a Mac whose bar differs, neither bar resulted. One defaults write … -dict-add now, whole list.
• Any default app change asks the user to confirm, not only the browser's, and utiluti waits for that answer. The NOTE said browser only; it now comes with every change.
• Moving a menu bar icon on macOS 27 gave nothing, not even the layout NOTE: 27.0.1 keeps positions in a group container. It is watched now, for the NOTE.
• Stopping prefwatch just as it printed "You can now make your changes" could leave its watchers running (1 run in 6). The teardown is armed before the first watcher starts.

Noise

• Electron's first-launch keys AppleTextDirection, NSForceRightToLeftWritingDirection, NSTreatUnknownArgumentsAsOpen (FortiClient, Slack, VS Code) are filtered; the global domain keeps them.
• FortiClient <gateway>/certWarn (an untrusted certificate accepted, pinned to its hash) is filtered: replayed, it would pre-trust that certificate on every Mac.

Note

• --fs-usage (Jamf $12) is removed: the flag is accepted, ignored, and a NOTE says so. Polling sees the same writes at the same latency.
• CONTRIBUTING matches the script again: its 14 sections, a watcher added by one _WATCHERS line, Jamf $11, testing on macOS 15, 26 and 27.