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  • file associations in MacOS X; breakage?

    From Henry@henryn@zzzspacebbs.com to comp.sys.mac.system on Wednesday, July 09, 2003 14:22:46
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

    Folks:

    What's the file associations mechanism in MacOS X? Is it subject to
    breakage, something like having a corrupt Desktop File in OS9? Is there a
    file somewhere that could be scrambled?

    I've got a problem what would be explained by such. Right now, for example, I've got generic file icons for documents that used to be correctly
    displayed as FrameMaker docs. When I try use Get Info-->Open With, the
    Finder crashes.

    The Finder also crashes when opening certain folders. Even using the File-->Open dialog to navigate into these folders results in a Finder crash. I'm guessing these folders contain files whose associations are, well,
    messed up.

    Clues? Suggestions?

    Note: there's a utility called BatchTyper which might help, but as yet all
    I can find is references to it. Download links are dead ends.

    Thanks,

    Henry

    henryn@zzzspacebbs.com

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  • From Ronald Florence@ron@18james.com to comp.sys.mac.system on Wednesday, July 09, 2003 14:35:54
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

    russotto@grace.speakeasy.net (Matthew Russotto) writes:

    What's the file associations mechanism in MacOS X? Is it subject to >breakage, something like having a corrupt Desktop File in OS9? Is there a >file somewhere that could be scrambled?

    Yep.

    /Users/yourname/Library/Preferences/LaunchServices

    It's a directory.

    Actually, I think the original poster wants ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.LaunchServices.plist -- which is a
    plist file, not a directory.
    --

    Ronald Florence www.18james.com
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  • From Henry@henryn@zzzspacebbs.com to comp.sys.mac.system on Wednesday, July 09, 2003 21:34:09
    From Newsgroup: comp.sys.mac.system

    Ronald:
    Mathew:

    Thank you both for your responses to my posting:

    in article ued6gjv985.fsf@auda.18james.com, Ronald Florence at
    ron@18james.com wrote on 7/9/03 11:35 AM:

    russotto@grace.speakeasy.net (Matthew Russotto) writes:

    What's the file associations mechanism in MacOS X? Is it subject to
    breakage, something like having a corrupt Desktop File in OS9? Is there a >>> file somewhere that could be scrambled?

    Yep.

    /Users/yourname/Library/Preferences/LaunchServices

    It's a directory.

    Actually, I think the original poster wants ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.LaunchServices.plist -- which is a
    plist file, not a directory.

    The bad news:

    Deleting my preference files didn't do it. In addition to what you suggest,
    I found a couple of other files that people recommend removing with respect
    to file association issues. In total:

    cd ~/Library/Preferences
    rm LSApplications LSClaimedTypes LSScheme com.apple.LaunchServices.plist\
    .LSClaimedTypes_Backup .LSApplications_Backup .LSSchemes_Backup


    The good news:

    I've fixed the problem, or at least figured out a workaround. I created a
    new user account, and the files that were not usable before became fully functional. No crashes in a brief test. Nothing wrong with my disks, etc.

    Of course, now I have to sort out some privilege issues and set up the new account to suit.

    Evidently the problem is in a preference file of some type, but apparently
    not one of the ones referenced above.

    Thanks,

    Henry

    henryn@zzzspacebbs.com remove 'zzz' antispam


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