Filed under: TUAW Tips
TUAW Tip: Freshening Up 'Recommended Applications'
Reader Julius wrote in with an annoying problem: Whenever he tries to open a file by selecting "Other" from the "Open With" contextual menu item in the Finder, he's presented with a list of "Recommended Applications" that (more often than not) has the app he wants grayed out.
Ideally, there would be some preference to automatically show "All Applications" instead of just "Recommended Applications," but that doesn't seem to be the case. Sorry.
The best option for you comes from our own Erica Sadun, who says to drag the file onto any application icon with the Command and Option keys held down. That way, the Finder will force the app to open the file. This works with items in your dock, or just with an open Applications folder in the Finder.
Otherwise, every application maintains a list of the kinds of files it can open. Launch Services, a part of the Mac OS X system, reads these lists, and compiles the set of "Recommended Applications" that you are presented with.
As such, many users recommend keeping your Launch Services tidy by rebuilding it using the Terminal, or a utility like RCDefaultApp. It will at least remove the cruft from your list of available applications.
Thanks and good luck, Julius!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
xtremesniper said 3:37PM on 8-19-2008
I'm pretty sure once you select the application from the "All applications" list either once or a few times, it will become a part of the Recommended list. I may be wrong on that, but I remember doing it a few times.
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edhamilton said 7:10PM on 8-19-2008
ok so ive got loads of .xla files for excel but everytime i click them it infuriates me that i have forgotten its going to open NUMBERS app! i dont want to click the "open evry time" button with each file. is there a way i can tell the OS that all .xla files should be opened with excel??? please help
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Olligarski said 9:54PM on 8-19-2008
Get Info on one of those!
Set Open With and Change All.
Julius said 8:17AM on 8-20-2008
Hey Rob and all of TUAW,
thanks for replying to my e-mail so quickly, I hope it'll work out with these instructions.
Thanks again and keep up your good work!
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Samuel said 2:27PM on 9-02-2008
I find this an annoyance also.
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