Did you try using the Library in your home directory? I've sometimes had problems with the root library not wanting to be altered. Also, is it an AIFF sound? Because that's the format that all of Apple's alert sounds are in, and maybe it's the only one recognized.
It was an .aiff sound as I think they are the only format recognised certainly up to OS9 so I figured X would be the same. You might be right about my getting the wrong library. I will have another go.
OK. I did manage to put the .aiff in the sounds file in the library in the home directory but when I go to System prefernces to set it as an Alert it is not there, just the regular ones that come with the OS.
How strange. I just dropped some sounds into my home ~/Library/Sounds folder, launched System Prefs, and there they are. They also show up as available sounds for Mail.app to use as alerts (and any other apps that let you choose from the system alert sounds).
Here's what it looks like:
They're listed as type "Custom" rather than "Built-in".
Perhaps you should try a logout and login. That might kick a refresh.
The other problem I have is that files that have accidently got saved to the Hard Drive window can't be deleted or removed, even though they are just word files and things. I don't know if this is normal or not but it clutters the place up.
I have just updated to OS X 2.6 and I don't know what is normal and what's not. What version are you on?
Thanks for uploading your picture. That makes things clearer.
I have a custom alert sound that I use for Mail.app, it's in ~/Library/Sounds, and it shows up fine and works for Mail. When I go to Sound in System Preferences it doesn't show up at all.
To delete the files as root, you are going to need to use the terminal. You need to be very careful when deleting things in the terminal as root, because if you tried, you could trash your system. Open a terminal window from /Applications/Utilities/Terminal and type
Code:
sudo rm <files>
Where I put <files> put a path to the files you want to delete. To be safe, I usually just type out sudo rm , hit space, and then drop the file onto the terminal window from Finder, and it puts in the path for you. Hit enter, and it will ask your for the password, enter the admin password and the files are gone. Be careful.
Running the Disk utility fixed the problem where I couldn't delete stuff from the Hard Drive window totally. There were a bunch of permissions mostly to do with Flash that were repaired and now I can just trash stuff I don't want in the traditional fashion. Thank you Dobby.
Re Custom sounds.
The .aiff I put in my home/library/sounds folder still doesn't show up in System Preferences Alert Sounds control panel but iBrowse was right it does work in Mail.
I have others because I've added them myself. They are just shortcuts to the other prefence panes and shouldn't affect its operation.
When you are on the main System Preferences screen with all the icons, you can drag the ones you think you'd use most frequently up into the toolbar. You can also drag the ones you don't use off the toolbar and they'll disappear in a puff of smoke.
I'm going to tinker around with some different sound files here and see if i can get one to *not* load in the System Prefs.
I have just done some more experiments and one of them has worked.
I used Quicktime Pro to make an .aiff from a CD and this one is usable to Sound Preferences. The other one, also an .aiff, was one I downloaded from the net so maybe there is something odd about it. I will run them all through Quicktime and see if that fixes it.
Ah, excellent! I had just started typing out a response with my results when I saw you had edited your last one there.
I would suggesting doing exactly what you mentioned there. Open the files in QuickTime Player and use the Export menu to resave them as AIFFs. AIFF can be an uncompressed format; so, you shouldn't worry about losing any quality or the sound getting distorted in the process.
The Quicktime export thing seems to have solved it. My .aiffs are now up and running! Thanks Brad and everyone else who helped with this and the Permissions problem.
Comments
Thanks.
Have you managed to make custom alerts in OS X 2?
Thanks
Here's what it looks like:
They're listed as type "Custom" rather than "Built-in".
Perhaps you should try a logout and login. That might kick a refresh.
I am baffled.
The other problem I have is that files that have accidently got saved to the Hard Drive window can't be deleted or removed, even though they are just word files and things. I don't know if this is normal or not but it clutters the place up.
I have just updated to OS X 2.6 and I don't know what is normal and what's not. What version are you on?
Thanks for uploading your picture. That makes things clearer.
I have had a similar problem and ended up running disk utility to repair permissions.
Dobby.
How do I delete files as Root?
Thanks.
To delete the files as root, you are going to need to use the terminal. You need to be very careful when deleting things in the terminal as root, because if you tried, you could trash your system. Open a terminal window from /Applications/Utilities/Terminal and type
sudo rm <files>
Where I put <files> put a path to the files you want to delete. To be safe, I usually just type out sudo rm , hit space, and then drop the file onto the terminal window from Finder, and it puts in the path for you. Hit enter, and it will ask your for the password, enter the admin password and the files are gone. Be careful.
Running the Disk utility fixed the problem where I couldn't delete stuff from the Hard Drive window totally. There were a bunch of permissions mostly to do with Flash that were repaired and now I can just trash stuff I don't want in the traditional fashion. Thank you Dobby.
Re Custom sounds.
The .aiff I put in my home/library/sounds folder still doesn't show up in System Preferences Alert Sounds control panel but iBrowse was right it does work in Mail.
Weird, but a good start in the right direction.
Appleinsider Genius bar Totally rocks!
Thank you!
The Sound Preferences window you posted looks different to mine. I have fewer icons accross the top, do you think this is significant?
I only have: Show All, Displays, Sound, Network and Startup Disk. You have several more.
???
When you are on the main System Preferences screen with all the icons, you can drag the ones you think you'd use most frequently up into the toolbar. You can also drag the ones you don't use off the toolbar and they'll disappear in a puff of smoke.
I'm going to tinker around with some different sound files here and see if i can get one to *not* load in the System Prefs.
That's terrific!
Thanks for your help.
I have just done some more experiments and one of them has worked.
I used Quicktime Pro to make an .aiff from a CD and this one is usable to Sound Preferences. The other one, also an .aiff, was one I downloaded from the net so maybe there is something odd about it. I will run them all through Quicktime and see if that fixes it.
I would suggesting doing exactly what you mentioned there. Open the files in QuickTime Player and use the Export menu to resave them as AIFFs. AIFF can be an uncompressed format; so, you shouldn't worry about losing any quality or the sound getting distorted in the process.
Cheers!