Convert new plist files between XML and binary

Apple has been introduced t new .plist file format since 10.4. You'll notice that you can no longer just edit a .plist file in TextEdit or other text editors. The reason for this is that the files are now binary rather than raw XML. 

The trouble with Apple's PropertyListEditor is that it has no 'find' facility, much less search-and-replace, so I've usually looked at plist files in TextEdit or SubEthaEdit . The 'switch' to binary forced me to look for alternatives. I found PlistEdit Pro , which seems to do the job nicely.

Luckily for us, there is a command line utility called DataStorm that can convert back and forth between the two formats. You can convert the .plist file you want to edit to XML format, edit it in TextEdit, then convert back to binary for use. 

To convert a binary .plist file to XML format for editing, type this in the Terminal:

plutil -convert xml1 some_file.plist
To convert an XML .plist file to binary for use:
plutil -convert binary1 some_other_file.plist
Replace some_file.plist and some_other_file.plist with the actual filenames, obviously...


DataStorm is a convertion tools with multi formats supported.

Actually, it support for JSON, XML, CSV, PLIST, INI, the .properties and YML. Provide you batch conversion of JSON, XML, CSV, PLIST, INI, the .properties and YML files. The supported conversion list in the follow tables:

DataStorm is a convertion tools with multi formats supported.



Convert formats between JSON XML INI CSV YAML PROPERTIES PLIST. Load from File and Convert to File.

Data Format	Plist	Json	Xml	Ini	Csv	YML(YAML)	Properties
Plist	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Json	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Xml	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Ini	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
YML(YAML)	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Csv	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Properties	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔

It provide the Mac, Windows and Linux Version, click the button and get the right version you want.