First post here but I come because the Apple Techs were stumped by this. Using a MacPro, I am no longer capable of customizing folder icons with .jpg, .png, .gif, etc. photos. For two years, I have been able to modify hundreds of newly created folders with a custom icon picture that I would simply copy and paste into the small folder icon located in the upper left of any 'Get Info' file that I opened. As of today, when I attempt this process, the result does not yield a photo but only the IMac Viewer image above a JPEG (see sample)

Sample File opened to 'Get Info'

However, I have noticed that all of my files now have a small yellow lock icon located at the bottom right of the 'Get Info' folder (see sample). This lock image has never been there before and is not on my MacBook Pro or three of my families IMacs. I can click on the lock and enter my admin and password to open the lock. When the folders are unlocked, I am still unable to change the folder icon. I have tried both to Verify and Repair Disk Permissions in the disk utility file. I hope someone may be able to assist me in this mystery.

Thanks,

Todd

Hi, and welcome to the MacFixIt Forums.

I don't hold out much hope for this, but have you booted from your Leopard disc and reset your home directory permissions? (Second screen>Menu Bar>Utilities>Reset Password>Reset User Home Directory Permissions)

would also be a good idea to make a new account and login on that to see if the problem is in the new account also. right now there's a 50/50 it's OS or user account. OK maybe 60/40, odds are slightly leaning toward user.

[i'm still thinking about the pasting issue.]

But...
Then those machines are not running Leopard.

In Tiger, the same function was a gold padlock by the "Owner:" popup (under Ownership & Permissions: Details:)

In Leopard, the gold padlock is on *everything* apparently. Perhaps because changing most permissions requires
authorization anyway... and Leopard has added ACLs, which are typically evaluated before referring to POSIX perms.

Thus, the padlock part is quite normal.

-HI-

Straining to understand what exactly is happening.
How are you copying? In what program?

Assuming Finder is used when pasting... are you sure that
the icon field in the Get Info window was selected before pasting?

However... the image you posted is not the Get Info for a folder, but rather a jpeg file.
And its "Preview" field is displaying the *content* of that file (in miniature).

Looks normal to me... given what we're looking at.
How is that photo supposed to represent the "result" of pasting something onto a folder?

Hello,

I am having same problem. I just got the new Mac Pro this week. I copied all my projects/data files to the new machine using Target mode via firewire. Both machines are running 10.5.5.

I repaired the permission on the copied over folder (about 225gb of data). Did a Get info on the parent folder and changed all to read and write permission and applied to enclosed folders/file.

did a ls -l in terminal and looked at the flags are fine. But everytime I anything to the files or folder. I was prompted to enter admin password.

Thanks in advance.
Edmond

It could be ACLs.

Instead of good old "ls -l" -- instead do a ls -le

If so, possibly something in >this tip< might help.

If my script there (at the end) is too messy, and the discussion in post#1 seems the same,
then check the 3rd post by Andreas for another choice.

-HI-

I used the DVD boot disc and did the reset from reset password area but didn't work.

Then I ran your script and ran it over night for 115k of files. All the files are fine now, thanks!

i umm . . . thank YOU.