Update: I’ve revised the directions slightly to show the difference between 10.3 & 10.4, plus I’ve added a screen shot.
Just a quick note to document how to change which applications are used to open specific file types.
All you have to do, is select a file in the Finder and ‘Get Information’ (cmd + i or right-click > Get Info or cmd + click > Get Info) for it. Then toggle the ‘Open with…’ option and choose the proper application.
To make sure that every file of that type (every php file for example) uses the new application, make sure you choose that option below the application drop down box (it may be grayed out until you’ve chosen an alternate application from the current default:
10.3: “The generic application for documents of this type”
10.4: “Use this application to open all documents like this.” > Click the Change All button.
Source: macosxhints - Changing application/file associations
Change All has SERIOUS ISSUES in 10.4.
It doesn’t work!
eg. Your .doc file associations just got hijacked by OpenOffice.org but you want them to open in Word [Classic version] - they can only be changed ONE AT A TIME!
Hi jls, it does work. I’ve done it many many times. I think you are running into an issue where the program has a preference set to always take control of certain file types, so the program wrestles with the system. I’ve seen that a couple of times. Take a look at the prefs for OpenOffice.
Also, one thing I’ve noticed on both 10.4 and 10.5 is that the icons don’t automatically change for all files until the system reboots. So, the icon will change on the item you used to modify the setting, but the doc right next to it will still show the old icon.
I keep setting “The Unarchiver” (Freeware “replacement” for BOMArchiveHelper or Archive Utility under 10.5) which Enables the following feature:
when unarchiving multiple archives at once, I prefer doing this sequentially, rather than simultaniously. Apple’s BOMArchiveHelper will only do it simultaniously rather than sequentially, and “the unarchiver” will queue the archives to be unarchived..
This obviously only occurs, if I highlight more than one archive in the Finder, and then open all simultaniously.
I keep setting it to “use the unarchiver, instead of your own app” and yet it still reverts to the “Archive Utility”.
Unfortunately I can’t find any way to disable the Archive Utility OR change it’s preferences.
Any tipps?
Hi Brian, thanks for leaving a comment.
I don’t know what could be causing that. My system is set to use Stuffit for opening the files and I haven’t seen any issues with Archive Utility taking control. Does it revert back immediately or over time? Do the icons change to show “The Unarchiver” icon or do they look the same? I’ve noticed that after running the “Change All”, it often takes a reboot before all files on the system adopt the new icon, but the system still knows to use my chosen program when opening those files.
I’ve rebooted, and it seems to have carried over the change now. I’m guessing it will change back again at some point for unknown reasons.
My theory is, that maybe just running the Archive Utility by double clicking on a different file (which is not associated to open with “The Unarchiver”) resets the file type associations.
Thing is, I can’t find “Archive Utility.app” to run it without clicking on an Archive I want to unzip, and while it’s unarchiving, it doesn’t provide a menu so I can’t even have a look if there are any preferences to change.
I’ll be sure to check back here every now and should you find out anything new :)
I think I’ve found the culprit. I use PathFinder instead of Finder, and that seems to insist on using the built in unarchiver.
Just thought I’d post this incase anybody else stubles across something similar ;)
cheers,
-Brian
Good catch Brian, thanks for posting the update.
[...] Jones describes a slightly different method for performing the same operation. If you browse to the specific file in the Finder you can [...]