Storing .plist files as XML but provisioning as binary

[ProfessorManhattan]

Hey, I'm looking to manage the .plist files in ~/Library/Preferences with Chezmoi. I'd like the files to be stored as and diffed in XML but provisioned from Chezmoi to their home as binary files. Is there anyway to instruct Chezmoi that this is what it needs to do for all plist files?

[twpayne]

textconv exists for exactly this use case. See Show human-friendly diffs for binary files for more details.

[ProfessorManhattan]

Thanks Tom. Do you know how to make Chezmoi apply the XML transformation when running chezmoi add file path? When I did it, it added the compressed binary version of the plist file

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On Thu, Feb 27, 2025, 8:17 PM Tom Payne ***@***.***> wrote: textconv <https://www.chezmoi.io/reference/configuration-file/textconv/> exists for exactly this use case. See Show human-friendly diffs for binary files <https://www.chezmoi.io/user-guide/tools/diff/#show-human-friendly-diffs-for-binary-files> for more details. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#4308 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AOJRHXOFM323EHM4GJB4YL32R62JDAVCNFSM6AAAAABYBFKTHGVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43URDJONRXK43TNFXW4Q3PNVWWK3TUHMYTEMZUGU4TCMI> . You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[twpayne]

No, there's no way to do this. chezmoi stores files with the same contents as what you want in your home directory.