plutil -- property list utility

plutil [command_option] [other_options] file …

check the syntax of property list files, or convert a plist file from one format to another.

-p human-readable fashion without attempting to convert the actual data 
 slightly reformatted
> plutil -p com.apple.pkg.ChineseWordlistUpdate.7-52.plist
{
  "PackageVersion"      => "1.4.1.1306847324"
  "PackageIdentifier"   => "com.apple.pkg.ChineseWordlistUpdate.7-52"
  "InstallPrefixPath"   => "/"
  "InstallDate"         => 2013-02-07 02:27:52 +0000
  "PackageFileName"     => "ChineseWordlistUpdate.pkg"
  "InstallProcessName"  => "SoftwareUpdateConfigData"
}
-convert fmt fmt is one of:
xml1, binary1 json

json:

{"Label":                       "com.apple.syslogd",
"JetsamProperties":             {"JetsamPriority":-49,"JetsamMemoryLimit":300},
"EnvironmentVariables":         {"ASL_DISABLE":"1"},"POSIXSpawnType":"Adaptive",
"MachServices":                 {"com.apple.system.logger": {"ResetAtClose":true}},
"EnableTransactions":           true,
"ProgramArguments":             ["\/usr\/sbin\/syslogd"],
"Sockets":                      {"BSDSystemLogger":{
                                    "SockPathName":"\/var\/run\/syslog","SockType":"dgram","SockPathMode":438}},
"HopefullyExitsLast":           true,"OnDemand":false}
-r For json add whitespace and indentation to make the output more human-readable.
-o path alternate path name for the result of -convert. Only useful with a single file.
Use - as the path to output to stdout.
-e extension alternate extension for converted files.
-s silent Don't output anything on success.
-lint Check for syntax errors. default command
-- following arguments are file names
-help

see also

plist

reformatted by ed 

/System/Library/LaunchDaemons > plutil  -p  com.apple.syslogd.plist 
  Label =>                  com.apple.syslogd
  JetsamProperties =>       { JetsamPriority => -49 JetsamMemoryLimit => 300 }
  EnvironmentVariables =>   { ASL_DISABLE => 1 }
  MachServices =>           { com.apple.system.logger => { ResetAtClose => 1 } }
  EnableTransactions =>     1
  ProgramArguments =>       [ 0 => /usr/sbin/syslogd ]
  Sockets => { 
    AppleSystemLogger =>    { SockPathName => /var/run/asl_input SockPathMode => 438 }
    BSDSystemLogger   =>    { SockPathName => /var/run/syslog SockType => dgram SockPathMode => 438 }
              }
  HopefullyExitsLast =>     1
  OnDemand =>               0
Original: 
/System/Library/LaunchDaemons > plutil  -p  com.apple.syslogd.plist 
{
  "Label" => "com.apple.syslogd"
  "JetsamProperties" => {
    "JetsamPriority" => -49
    "JetsamMemoryLimit" => 300
  }
  "EnvironmentVariables" => {
    "ASL_DISABLE" => "1"
  }
  "MachServices" => {
    "com.apple.system.logger" => {
      "ResetAtClose" => 1
    }
  }
  "EnableTransactions" => 1
  "ProgramArguments" => [
    0 => "/usr/sbin/syslogd"
  ]
  "Sockets" => {
    "AppleSystemLogger" => {
      "SockPathName" => "/var/run/asl_input"
      "SockPathMode" => 438
    }
    "BSDSystemLogger" => {
      "SockPathName" => "/var/run/syslog"
      "SockType" => "dgram"
      "SockPathMode" => 438
    }
  }
  "HopefullyExitsLast" => 1
  "OnDemand" => 0
}
plistbuddy

example "NSSupportsSuddenTermination key exists in the Info.plist file and has a value of true, it’s the equivalent of calling enableSuddenTermination() during application launch.

Made true HTML and terse by Dennis German