How to permanently remove “Open” and “Closed” folders from the desktop in High Sierra

desktopfoldershigh sierra

I have this weird thing that every day on my desktop there appear two folders called Open and Closed. I can move them to trash but new ones will come up every day and I would like to deactivate this annoying behaviour.


$ lsof | grep Closed
$ lsof | grep Open
soffice   80267  ben  txt       REG               1,12       8928   2245008 /Applications/OpenOffice.app/Contents/MacOS/soffice
iconservi 80306  ben  txt       REG               1,12      88964   2245195 /Applications/OpenOffice.app/Contents/Resources/oasis-text.icns
iconservi 80306  ben  txt       REG               1,12    1401213   1416607 /System/Library/CoreServices/CoreTypes.bundle/Contents/Resources/OpenFolderIcon.icns
$ 

EDIT output of fs_usage | grep Closed is below. Processes related to the one folder that is still on the desktop are: Forklift, Finder, mds, quicklookd. I cannot see how Forklift has a setting related to this. Finder and quicklookd are probably macOS-related and I don't know wha mds is. Also, the relevant process might just start once a day setting those folders up and thus might not be included here.

09:49:58  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.002543   Finder      
09:49:58  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000015   Finder      
09:49:58  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000016   Finder      
09:49:58  getxattr          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000031   Finder      
09:49:58  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000013   Finder      
09:49:58  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000012   Finder      
09:49:58  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000010   Finder      
09:49:58  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000020   Finder      
09:49:58  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000017   Finder      
09:49:58  getxattr          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000014   Finder      
09:49:58  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000013   Finder      
09:49:58  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000012   Finder      
09:49:58  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000010   Finder      
09:49:58  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000016   Finder      
09:49:58  lstat64           /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000021   ForkLift    
09:49:58  getxattr          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000024   ForkLift    
09:49:58  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000050   ForkLift    
09:49:58  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000028   ForkLift    
09:49:58  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000020   ForkLift    
09:49:58  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000017   Finder      
09:49:58  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000012   Finder      
09:49:58  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000017   Finder      
09:49:58  getxattr          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000019   Finder      
09:49:58  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000014   Finder      
09:49:58  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000035   Finder      
09:49:58  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000030   Finder      
09:49:58  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000018   Finder      
09:49:58  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000039   Finder      
09:49:58  getxattr          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000013   Finder      
09:49:58  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000013   Finder      
09:49:58  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000012   Finder      
09:49:58  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000010   Finder      
09:49:58  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000016   Finder      
09:49:58  open              /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000021   ForkLift    
09:49:58  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000068   mds         
09:49:58  open              /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000016   mds         
09:49:58  getxattr          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000045   ForkLift    
09:49:58  getxattr          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000012   ForkLift    
09:50:00  lstat64           /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000064   ForkLift    
09:50:00  open              /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000032   ForkLift    
09:50:00  open              /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000017   ForkLift    
09:50:00  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000076   quicklookd  
09:50:00  statfs64          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000011   quicklookd  
09:50:00  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000022   quicklookd  
09:50:00  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000017   quicklookd  
09:50:03  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000016   Finder      
09:50:03  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000012   Finder      
09:50:03  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000016   Finder      
09:50:03  getxattr          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000015   Finder      
09:50:03  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000013   Finder      
09:50:03  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000012   Finder      
09:50:03  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000010   Finder      
09:50:03  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000018   Finder      
09:50:03  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000031   Finder      
09:50:03  getxattr          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000022   Finder      
09:50:03  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000014   Finder      
09:50:03  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000012   Finder      
09:50:03  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000010   Finder      
09:50:03  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000020   Finder      
09:50:03  lstat64           /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000016   ForkLift    
09:50:03  getxattr          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000011   ForkLift    
09:50:03  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000051   ForkLift    
09:50:03  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000033   ForkLift    
09:50:03  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000021   ForkLift    
09:50:03  open              /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000021   ForkLift    
09:50:03  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000048   mds         
09:50:03  open              /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000015   mds         
09:50:03  getxattr          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000052   ForkLift    
09:50:03  getxattr          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000012   ForkLift    
09:50:04  lstat64           /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000096   ForkLift    
09:50:04  open              /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000022   ForkLift    
09:50:04  open              /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000012   ForkLift    
09:50:04  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000100   quicklookd  
09:50:04  statfs64          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000038   quicklookd  
09:50:04  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000022   quicklookd  
09:50:04  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000018   quicklookd  
10:09:47  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000017   Finder      
10:09:47  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000013   Finder      
10:09:47  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000016   Finder      
10:09:47  getxattr          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000015   Finder      
10:09:47  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000012   Finder      
10:09:47  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000012   Finder      
10:09:47  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000010   Finder      
10:09:47  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000017   Finder      
10:09:47  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000016   Finder      
10:09:47  getxattr          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000013   Finder      
10:09:47  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000013   Finder      
10:09:47  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000014   Finder      
10:09:47  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000010   Finder      
10:09:47  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000016   Finder      
10:09:47  lstat64           /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000015   ForkLift    
10:09:47  getxattr          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000011   ForkLift    
10:09:47  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000048   ForkLift    
10:09:47  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000024   ForkLift    
10:09:47  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000019   ForkLift    
10:09:51  open              /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000020   ForkLift    
10:09:51  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000050   mds         
10:09:51  open              /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000016   mds         
10:09:51  getxattr          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000049   ForkLift    
10:09:51  getxattr          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000012   ForkLift    
10:09:55  lstat64           /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000022   ForkLift    
10:09:55  open              /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000019   ForkLift    
10:09:55  open              /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000011   ForkLift    
10:09:55  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000067   quicklookd  
10:09:55  statfs64          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000011   quicklookd  
10:09:55  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000022   quicklookd  
10:09:55  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000019   quicklookd  
10:09:59  lstat64           /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000014   ForkLift    
10:09:59  getxattr          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000011   ForkLift    
10:09:59  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000102   ForkLift    
10:09:59  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000026   ForkLift    
10:09:59  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000029   ForkLift    
10:09:59  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000016   Finder      
10:09:59  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000014   Finder      
10:09:59  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000034   Finder      
10:09:59  getxattr          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000026   Finder      
10:09:59  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000014   Finder      
10:09:59  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000012   Finder      
10:09:59  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000010   Finder      
10:09:59  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000023   Finder      
10:09:59  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000021   Finder      
10:09:59  getxattr          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000016   Finder      
10:09:59  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000029   Finder      
10:09:59  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000018   Finder      
10:09:59  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000011   Finder      
10:09:59  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000023   Finder      
10:09:59  open              /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000022   ForkLift    
10:09:59  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000051   mds         
10:09:59  open              /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000016   mds         
10:09:59  getxattr          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000057   ForkLift    
10:09:59  getxattr          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000012   ForkLift    
10:10:04  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000017   Finder      
10:10:04  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000012   Finder      
10:10:04  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000029   Finder      
10:10:04  getxattr          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000024   Finder      
10:10:04  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000017   Finder      
10:10:04  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000012   Finder      
10:10:04  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000010   Finder      
10:10:04  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000022   Finder      
10:10:04  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000015   Finder      
10:10:04  getxattr          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000012   Finder      
10:10:04  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000014   Finder      
10:10:04  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000012   Finder      
10:10:04  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000010   Finder      
10:10:04  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000016   Finder      
10:10:06  lstat64           /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000014   ForkLift    
10:10:06  getxattr          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000011   ForkLift    
10:10:06  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000067   ForkLift    
10:10:06  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000034   ForkLift    
10:10:06  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000021   ForkLift    
10:10:06  open              /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000019   ForkLift    
10:10:06  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000050   mds         
10:10:06  open              /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000016   mds         
10:10:06  getxattr          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000062   ForkLift    
10:10:06  getxattr          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000013   ForkLift    
10:10:07  lstat64           /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000025   ForkLift    
10:10:07  open              /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000023   ForkLift    
10:10:07  open              /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000025   ForkLift    
10:10:07  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000095   quicklookd  
10:10:07  statfs64          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000013   quicklookd  
10:10:07  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000024   quicklookd  
10:10:07  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000020   quicklookd  
10:40:16  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000017   Finder      
10:40:16  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000012   Finder      
10:40:16  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000017   Finder      
10:40:16  getxattr          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000017   Finder      
10:40:16  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000020   Finder      
10:40:16  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000012   Finder      
10:40:16  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000010   Finder      
10:40:16  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000019   Finder      
10:40:16  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000015   Finder      
10:40:16  getxattr          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000012   Finder      
10:40:16  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000012   Finder      
10:40:16  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000015   Finder      
10:40:16  fsgetpath         /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000010   Finder      
10:40:16  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000017   Finder      
10:40:17  lstat64           /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000013   ForkLift    
10:40:17  getxattr          /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed                                                        0.000011   ForkLift    
10:40:17  getattrlist       /Users/ben/Desktop/Closed        

I changed ownership and permissions of one folder without errors (according to one commenter):

drwxr-xr-x   2 ben   staff     68 15 Okt 08:25 Closed
dr--------   2 root  wheel     68 15 Okt 08:25 Open                                                                                                     

Best Answer

It sounds like the folders are being created by a third-party application. If you're not sure which app is responsible, you could try the lsof command in Terminal to help identify which process is using a file or folder.

lsof | grep Closed
lsof | grep Open

If the folders are being created on startup then check the login Items tab in System Preferences > Users & Groups.