How to Check System Preference Settings with Time Machine

Question

I just found and fixed a problem caused by a bad System Preference/Universal Access
setting and would like to go back in my Time Machine backup to see where the
error was made. I may have been too quick to blame the 10.5.3 update on the
problem so wanted to look back in time.
The problem is i don't know how to check System Preferences using the Time Machine.
Any suggestion?

Answer 1

If you're looking for specific settings, the short answer is you cannot. You can open the .plist files and try to find the specific option you're looking for, though it might not be too easy to decipher some of the contents of the .plist file. For the most part they're just lists of attributes and settings. For instance, here's a very small chunk of my Finder .plist file:
<key>All Images.cannedSearch</key>
<dict>
     <key>SidebarWidth</key>
     <integer>162</integer>
     <key>ToolbarVisible</key>
     <true/>
     <key>ViewHeight</key>
     <integer>1116</integer>
     <key>ViewStyle</key>
     <string>icnv</string>
     <key>WindowBounds</key>
     <dict>
          <key>bottom</key>
          <integer>1200</integer>
          <key>left</key>
          <integer>56</integer>
          <key>right</key>
          <integer>1920</integer>
          <key>top</key>
          <integer>84</integer>
     </dict>
</dict>
<key>AnimateInfoPanes</key>
<true/>
<key>AnimateSnapToGrid</key>
<string>true</string>
<key>AnimateWindowZoom</key>
<true/>
Each "key" is followed by an attribute, so for instance the "SideBar Width" key is given the "Width" integer attribute of 162. However, some keys have multiple entries, such as the "WindowBounds" key having sub-keys of "bottom", "left", "right", and "top".
These values are finder preferences, though are not accessible via the finder's preference settings. However, buried deep in the Finder's .plist file are some of the user-editable settings:
<key>ShowHardDrivesOnDesktop</key>
<true/>
<key>ShowMountedServersOnDesktop</key>
<true/>
<key>SidebarSearchesSectionDisclosedState</key>
<false/>
If you can find the attribute you're looking for, then that may help you narrow down which version of a .plist file to restore, though not all of them are straightforward legible text. Some have bizarre strings of seemingly random characters that only the application can interpret.
Message was edited by: Topher Kessler