{"id":1550,"date":"2009-09-19T07:59:30","date_gmt":"2009-09-19T11:59:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.schollnick.net\/wordpress\/?p=1550"},"modified":"2010-02-13T04:35:05","modified_gmt":"2010-02-13T08:35:05","slug":"preference-plist-was-not-a-dictionary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.schollnick.net\/wordpress\/2009\/09\/preference-plist-was-not-a-dictionary\/","title":{"rendered":"Preference plist was NOT a dictionary."},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s not a dictionary? \u00c2\u00a0Well, that’s right! \u00c2\u00a0My preferences aren’t a dictionary….<\/p>\n

Updated 10\/27\/2009, with a potential solution…
\nUpdated 02\/13\/2010, with a solution… <\/strong><\/p>\n

Seriously though, if you see the following in your console log:
\n
\n9\/18\/09 12:36:49 PM <\/span>PreferenceSyncClient[60967] <\/span>Preference plist was NOT a dictionary.
\n9\/18\/09 12:36:49 PM <\/span>PreferenceSyncClient[60967] <\/span>Preference plist was NOT a dictionary.
\n9\/18\/09 12:36:49 PM <\/span>PreferenceSyncClient[60967] <\/span>Preference plist was NOT a dictionary.
\n9\/18\/09 12:36:49 PM <\/span>PreferenceSyncClient[60967] <\/span>Preference plist was NOT a dictionary.<\/code><\/p>\n

You might have an small issue to resolve…<\/p>\n

In my case, that message has been occurring every hour… From some research it appears to be MobileMe related… But when I checked the MobileMe status on Nerv, I found a funny thing…<\/p>\n

MobileMe was turned off… But I know I see the MobileMe Widget activated, and that message was occurring… I re-activated MobileMe, and forced a sync…<\/p>\n

Now, I am waiting to see if that resolved the error in the log…… And it hasn’t…<\/p>\n

So, if anyone has any suggestions on resolving this issue, please feel free to let me know…<\/p>\n

Here’s another case of a similar issue…Except that he’s had high CPU use, and a stuck MobileMe sync..<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Update — 9\/24\/2009<\/p>\n

There has been some speculation that this maybe related to MobileMe Syncing (as discussed above), Google Syncing, and at least one set of fingers have been pointed towards Growl. \u00c2\u00a0I have submitted this case to Apple under Radar # 7249814.<\/p>\n

Update — 9\/25\/2009<\/p>\n

As far as I can tell, all of my preferences (~\/library\/Preferences & \/Library\/Preferences) are intact, and not corrupted…<\/p>\n

If you would like to test this, use this small bit of python code:<\/p>\n

import sys<\/div>\n
import os<\/div>\n
directory_to_scan = sys.argv[1].strip()<\/div>\n
print directory_to_scan<\/div>\n
files_in_directory = os.listdir ( directory_to_scan )<\/div>\n
for x in files_in_directory:<\/div>\n
<\/span>#print directory_to_scan,”\/”,x<\/div>\n
<\/span>if x.upper().find (“.PLIST”) <> -1:<\/div>\n
<\/span>os.system (‘sudo plutil -s “%s\/%s”; # Use Plutil in “lint” mode to check the plist’ % (directory_to_scan,x) )<\/div>\n
<\/span><\/div>\n


\nimport sys
\nimport os
\ndirectory_to_scan = sys.argv[1].strip()
\nprint directory_to_scan
\nfiles_in_directory = os.listdir ( directory_to_scan )
\nfor x in files_in_directory:
\n <\/span>if x.upper().find (\".PLIST\") <> -1:
\n <\/span>os.system ('sudo plutil -s \"%s\/%s\"; # Use Plutil in \"lint\" mode to check the plist' % (directory_to_scan,x) )
\n <\/span><\/code><\/p>\n

Update — 10\/27\/2009<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A posting on the Apple discussions thread mentioned:<\/p>\n

I found the problem. It was Google trying to connect to an unknown server. I had downloaded Chrome but didn’t like it. Anyway, I used HoudahSpot to find everything Google after LittleSnitch reported Google trying to “phone home”. I trashed everything GOOGLE and restarted last night. The console message is now gone.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

That got me thinking…. \u00c2\u00a0I did at one time have Address Book configured to sync with Google… \u00c2\u00a0I checked and that is still turned on. \u00c2\u00a0I have turned it off, and I am currently waiting to see if that message disappears….<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The files that were created when I configured it, are:<\/p>\n