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From: Don Tuttle on 10 Nov 2009 14:15
When you select an icon and go to Get Info, "Use this application to
open all documents like this" is offered as an option. What does
"documents like this" mean? Documents created by this application?
Documents with this extension (if any)? Or does it perhaps mean
documents created by this application *and* with this extension (if
any)?

If you also pick the "Change All" option just what documents are
changed? If you are going to "Use this application to open all
documents like this," why do you have to change anything?
Thanks.
Don
From: David Empson on 10 Nov 2009 18:04
Don Tuttle <don(a)noplace.net> wrote:

> When you select an icon and go to Get Info, "Use this application to
> open all documents like this" is offered as an option. What does
> "documents like this" mean? Documents created by this application?
> Documents with this extension (if any)? Or does it perhaps mean
> documents created by this application *and* with this extension (if
> any)?

The application isn't a factor, just the filename extension and the
hidden file type.

The system has a complex set of rules to determine which application to
launch when you open a document. They are done in the following order.

1. If that document has been individually assigned to an application
(using Get Info > Open With, picking an application and NOT clicking
Change All), then that application is always used.

2. If the document has a creator code, the application with that creator
code will be used. In Snow Leopard, this rule no longer applies - the
creator code is ignored. The creator code is also ignored on earlier
systems if you have used the Change All button on documents with a
matching extension or file type.

3. If the document has a filename extension, the application which has
claimed ownership of that extension is used.

4. If the document has a file type code, the application which has
claimed ownership of that file type is used.

If none of the above apply, the document can't be opened.

(The creator and type are hidden metadata attached to the file - you
need a tool like Xray or Super Get Info to see them. They can also be
viewed with the GetFileInfo command line tool.)

The "Change All" button modifies the system-wide ownership rules for the
extension and file type code (stored in the Launch Services database),
and also sets the flag to ignore the creator code.

After clicking Change All:

1. If the document has an extension, then all documents with that
extension will be opened by the selected application (unless the
individual document is set to open with a different application).

2. If the document has a file type, then all documents with that file
type will be opened by the selected application (unless they also have
an extension set to open a different application, or the individual
document is set to open with a different application).

You can directly access the Launch Services database rules with a third
party System Preferences pane called RCDefaultApp.

> If you also pick the "Change All" option just what documents are
> changed?

All documents with the same extension and/or file type.

(The documents are not individually modified - the Change All button
just changes the system's default rules for opening that extension and
file type.)

> If you are going to "Use this application to open all
> documents like this," why do you have to change anything?

"Use this application to open all documents like this" is a heading for
the Change All button. The description only applies AFTER you click
Change All.

--
David Empson
dempson(a)actrix.gen.nz
From: M-M on 10 Nov 2009 19:23
In article <1j90l7q.fiv5yu1jpp2naN%dempson(a)actrix.gen.nz>,
dempson(a)actrix.gen.nz (David Empson) wrote:

> 2. If the document has a creator code, the application with that creator
> code will be used. In Snow Leopard, this rule no longer applies - the
> creator code is ignored. The creator code is also ignored on earlier
> systems if you have used the Change All button on documents with a
> matching extension or file type.


Not so sure about that. I am unable to get "Change All" to stick to .mov
files so they open in QuickTime Player 7 instead of Snow Leopard's
QuickTime Player.

QT PLayer 7 gives me much more choices in saving so I prefer it but each
time I select it in the Get Info, it goes back to the original.

--
m-m
http://www.mhmyers.com
From: David Empson on 10 Nov 2009 20:13
M-M <nospam.m-m(a)ny.more> wrote:

> In article <1j90l7q.fiv5yu1jpp2naN%dempson(a)actrix.gen.nz>,
> dempson(a)actrix.gen.nz (David Empson) wrote:
>
> > 2. If the document has a creator code, the application with that creator
> > code will be used. In Snow Leopard, this rule no longer applies - the
> > creator code is ignored. The creator code is also ignored on earlier
> > systems if you have used the Change All button on documents with a
> > matching extension or file type.
>
>
> Not so sure about that. I am unable to get "Change All" to stick to .mov
> files so they open in QuickTime Player 7 instead of Snow Leopard's
> QuickTime Player.

From a quick glance, that appears to be because QuickTime Player 7 in
Snow Leopard has a special launcher which pre-checks the movie and
launches QuickTime Player X instead if it is able to play the movie.

If you don't have QuickTime Player 7 installed, everything gets opened
by QuickTime Player X.

I'd have to experiment to find out what its rules are.

--
David Empson
dempson(a)actrix.gen.nz
From: M-M on 10 Nov 2009 21:06
In article <1j90rfc.48keoo1fowh67N%dempson(a)actrix.gen.nz>,
dempson(a)actrix.gen.nz (David Empson) wrote:

> From a quick glance, that appears to be because QuickTime Player 7 in
> Snow Leopard has a special launcher which pre-checks the movie and
> launches QuickTime Player X instead if it is able to play the movie.

It doesn't stick in the Get Info window. If I choose QT Player 7, it
just goes right back to QT Player X.
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