Damn it! #$%# Why cannot I set default applications for file types???

scarecrowscarecrow
Posted:
in macOS edited January 2014
Is this so hard, Apple?



All I want is the ability to set the default applications that certain file types will be opened with. For instance, I cant stand the fact that .php files are set to open with Dreamweaver. I want them to open with my text editor.



I know I can select the files, and hit cmd-I and then change to always open with, bla bla bla...



But these never seem to stick. They always default back.



I know that you can set file types in the preference panels of Internet Exploder.. but that doesnt work.. It used to... but not anymore. And why should I have to use Microsoft crud? to do this?



I know you can use pref panes like More Internet to set defaults for protocols... But why not for filetypes?



I mean applications can obviously do this when they get installed, so why cant I alter these settings?



This is my biggest gripe with OS X, and hassles me every single day.



Why cant Apple just give a us a stupid control panel for setting these things?



Why hasnt a shareware developer made something to do this?



Why? Apple... Why?



Argh!



8-(

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 7
    macusersmacusers Posts: 840member
    er... ya I have this problem when i installed for example Adobe Acrobat... then all my pdf's opened in that instead of Preview, i didn't like it so i went to get info switched it to preview and clicked the Change All... button



    Never had another problem again...
  • Reply 2 of 7
    macsharkmacshark Posts: 229member
    When my iPod (dock connector with 2.1 s/w) is in the cradle, when the system wakes up from sleep, iPod is not mounted on desktop and not recognized by iTunes (4.1). I did not have this problem previously with Jaguar and iTunes 4.0. Sometimes, iTunes will crash as a result of this. Also, the iPod needs to be reset to come out of a weird state. At least once, the whole system crashed, i.e. Panther would not let me log out or shut the system down.



    AddressBook crashed in a weird way. The whole AddressBook window went white.
  • Reply 3 of 7
    scarecrowscarecrow Posts: 148member
    " i went to get info switched it to preview and clicked the Change All... button



    Never had another problem again..."







    Yeah, Ive done that too.. and that kind of stuff seems to stick.. for the most part, but weird file types like .php .php3, .asp, etc.. seem to get switched.. almost with no indication as to why.



    I have .asp files set to open in a text editor.. but out of the blue, they will start opening with the Apple System Profiler..



    This is not specific to one machine either, or version of OS X.



    I have had this problem since 10.0.



    I just wish there was a control panel so I could maintain the list of filetypes in one central spot.



    argh 8-(
  • Reply 4 of 7
    jwilljwill Posts: 209member
    There should be something that does that in OS X. Either Apple should implement it, or it should be a utility (I'd rather Apple implement it). It would just put everything it already does in one spot, as was previously said. I don't think it'd be that hard to do either.
  • Reply 5 of 7
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    You're doing it right... either the settings are getting munged, *or* (and this is more likely...) there's a type/creator set for the file that you're not seeing.



    Question: when you have it 'flake out' like that, does it thereafter happen for all files of that 'type', or just for some of them?



    Do the filename extensions by any chance differ by case only? (.jpg vs. .JPG for instance)
  • Reply 6 of 7
    scarecrowscarecrow Posts: 148member
    It depends.. but sometimes it is just certain files..



    Some of the files in a folder for instance will open with the application that I want them to... but then if I download some other files (in this case web files, html, php, asp, etc..) they will often show up on the desktop as dreamweaver files...



    I then have to keep going and changing all of the files as I download them.. nothing will ever stick. When there is a .php file on my system, I wanted it opened with PageSpinner... not DreamWeaver. But it doesnt care..



    Its frustrating as hell.. and something that I have put up with for a long time now.. but today, I got fed up, and was determined to find a solution through shareware, IE 5, terminal, whatever.. but I have yet to find the magic bullet.



    Thanks listening to me gripe.. it just pisses me off!



  • Reply 7 of 7
    th0rth0r Posts: 78member
    Hmmm... I don't have a problem with default apps switching on me...



    Perhaps your FTP client has something to do with it?



    I use RBrowser Lite, and I can set the default app for downloaded files. (e.g, all .cfm files open with BBEdit)
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