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ChangeShortName

ChangeShortName - 1.3

easily change the short username in OS X

All Time: (4.7)
This Version: (4.8)
Current Version: 1.3
Release Date: 2007-05-26
License: Freeware
Downloads (this version): 11,660
Downloads (all versions): 36,679
Price: Donationware

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Product Description:

One of the most common questions users of Mac OS X ask is "How do I change my short username?" Although OS X provides a simple interface -- the Accounts pane of System Preferences -- for changing a user's long name, there's been no easy way to change the short name of an account once it is created. Until now, that is.


ChangeShortName is an easy-to-use utility that does the dirty work involved in changing the short name of a user's account in Mac OS X (versions 10.4.x and 10.3.x). It can also repair some problems that occur when a user has attempted to change their short username manually and done so incorrectly. For safety, it backs up the NetInfo database beforehand.


Changing your short username is a serious procedure, but ChangeShortName makes doing so easier and safer.


ChangeShortName is "donationware" by James Bucanek and Dan Frakes. Be sure to read the included documentation before using it.

What's new in this version:

  • Complete rewrite of the ChangeShortName Helper application, which has been renamed ChangeShortName (i.e., without the "Helper"). The new version is a Cocoa application with a new interface that's easier to use and provides more - and more useful - information and feedback. The downside of this rewrite is that the ChangeShortName application is no longer compatible with Mac OS X 10.2.x; users of Jaguar will need to use the standalone changeshortname.command script.
  • ChangeShortName's underlying shell script - which does all the dirty work - has been renamed changeshortname.command to differentiate it from the main ChangeShortName application and is now embedded within the application package. (The raw script is still provided separately, but you no longer need to keep it with the application for the application to work properly.)
  • The application no longer launches Terminal to run the underlying script, which should make ChangeShortName less intimidating for non-Terminal-savvy users; shell output is now displayed directly in the application window.
  • Added a Restart option to both the ChangeShortName script (-r) and the graphical interface (via a checkbox); this option is recommended if you're changing the short username of a user that's currently logged in.
  • Changed the underlying script to work with an existing short username that contains a hyphen (-). Because Apple warns against including a hyphen in a short username, previous versions of ChangeShortName would not attempt to change such a name, but we had enough requests for this capability that we added it.
  • Edited the NetInfo-recovery process in this ReadMe to work around a >console bug in Mac OS X.

Operating System Requirements:

This product is designed to run on the following operating systems:

  • Mac OS X 10.4 Intel
  • Mac OS X 10.4 PPC
  • Mac OS X 10.3.9
  • Mac OS X 10.3

Additional Requirements:

  • Mac OS X 10.3 or higher

Screenshots:

ChangeShortName

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Feedback Summary:

This Version:
Overall Rating: (4.8) Features: (4.8) Support: (5.0)
Ease of Use: (5.0) Quality / Stability: (5.0) Price: (5.0)
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ChangeShortName Developer NoteLeopard compatibility - Version: 1.3, 4/16/2008 09:59PM PST

Dan_Frakes_809 (Dan Frakes)
Just a quick note from the developer: The current version of ChangeShortName (1.3) is not Leopard compatible; Leopard completely changed the way OS X stores account info. We've decided to work on a version for Leopard, but in the meantime, if you're looking for a way to change your short username under Leopard, I recently wrote an article for Macworld describing the steps necessary to do so manually.
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ChangeShortName Developer NoteLeopard compatibility - Version: 1.3, 4/16/2008 09:59PM PST

Dan_Frakes_809 (Dan Frakes)
Just a quick note from the developer: The current version of ChangeShortName (1.3) is not Leopard compatible; Leopard completely changed the way OS X stores account info. We've decided to work on a version for Leopard, but in the meantime, if you're looking for a way to change your short username under Leopard, I recently wrote an article for Macworld describing the steps necessary to do so manually.
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ChangeShortName Usage TipHas anyone tried this with Leopard? - Version: 1.3, 12/27/2007 06:04PM PST

rhys.ernst
Just upgraded to Leopard today, and have been wanting to change my short name for ever.
Any thoughts?
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