dot_clean

Dot_clean is a command-line tool available on macOS that helps in cleaning up the Thumbs.db files and other related files created by the Windows operating system. It is primarily designed to clean up network volumes or directories copied from a Windows machine.

The purpose of dot_clean is to remove the additional metadata and extended attributes that macOS adds to files when they are copied or moved from a Windows-based network or drive. These files may appear as "dot underscore" files on macOS, suffixed with the original filename.

This tool ensures that the copied directory or volume is free from the unnecessary Windows-specific files and metadata while maintaining the integrity of the original data. Dot_clean recursively locates these dot underscore files and removes them, improving the cleanliness of the copied files and directories.

It is used from the macOS terminal by simply typing "dot_clean" followed by the path to the directory or volume that needs to be cleaned. The command supports additional options like "-m" to merge the extended attributes instead of deleting them, or "-n" to perform a dry run without actually removing any files.

Dot_clean is particularly handy when dealing with shared drives or network storage where files are frequently copied between macOS and Windows systems, providing an efficient way to clean up artifacts left by file transfers.