dot_clean:tldr:f7872

The "dot_clean" command in macOS is used to merge the metadata files created by macOS with their corresponding files in the directory specified. The "${path-to-directory}" is a placeholder for the actual path to the directory that you want to clean.

By default, macOS creates hidden metadata files (beginning with a dot) in directories that are accessed in other operating systems such as Windows. These metadata files contain extra information which can include resource forks, extended attributes, or other Mac-specific data. When the directory is accessed in another operating system, these files can become unnecessary and may cause issues.

The "dot_clean" command helps to resolve these problems. It clears out the unwanted hidden files and merges the metadata from these files with their corresponding files, ensuring that the directory is free from unnecessary clutter.

To use this command, replace "${path-to-directory}" with the actual path to the directory you want to clean. For example, if you want to clean a directory called "Documents" located in your user folder, you can use the following command:

dot_clean ~/Documents

This command would run "dot_clean" on the "Documents" directory in your user folder, merging the metadata files with their corresponding files and cleaning up any unnecessary hidden files or data.