I. AM. TRULY. BEAT!!!

I booted into High Sierra, changed my search engine pref time after time after time, and searched with Find Any File after each change, and not a single search, either by name, file content, or last modified date identified whatever changed along with my pref.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Update: Found it!

Well, maybe.

The only file in High Sierra that changes as I change my search engine pref is /Users/artie/Library/Preferences/.GlobalPreferences.plist. Note the dot. I originally missed the file because I was filtering out invisibles.

Code:
<key>NSPreferredWebServices</key>
	<dict>
		<key>NSWebServicesProviderWebSearch</key>
		<dict>
			<key>NSDefaultDisplayName</key>
			<string>DuckDuckGo</string>
			<key>NSProviderIdentifier</key>
			<string>com.duckduckgo</string>
		</dict>
	</dict>

I'm confused, though, by the info being stored in two places in Catalina, i.e. the file I previously identified AND this new one.

The file in question seems to be the repository for an awful lot of prefs, so I hesitate to tell Rain to delete it.

I've got no idea where to go from here.

Last edited by artie505; 03/28/20 07:33 AM. Reason: Update
The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire