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How do I associate a file with an application?

I recently backed up my files on USB flash drive for my iMac computer. I had to get system updated. My tech support reformatted drive and put system 10.2.2 on my computer . I went to load my files back onto computer and all files as listed now as UNIX files.

The original programs were loaded back on computer: Appleworks 6 and Quicken 2000, but the applications don't recognize their own files now. I was told that I had to add an extention to each file so it could be recognized by each program . This is 5 years of files and I am not feeling good about this whole mess. Is there any hope to get these files attached back to their programs/ applications?

Dave's Answer:

You're seeing a pretty general category of problem with the Mac (and any computer that associates file types with specific applications, actually) where a particularly type of file has lost its association with the parent program. Sometimes the fix is as easy as reinstalling the program, but often that doesn't do the trick.

Instead, here's how you can fix it more permanently: first off, find a file that is associated with the wrong program (or not associated with any program at all). Click on it, but don't double-click it, so you're still in the Finder, just with that icon highlighted.

Choose Show Info from the File menu and you'll see this:

Notice that one of the panes that I've opened is called "Open With". That's the key. Open that (click the tiny triangle next to the words) then select the application you want to associate with the file.

Once you've done that, make sure you also click on the button labeled "Change All..." and you should have everything fixed up!

Hope that helps you out.

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Categorized: Mac OS X Help (Article 5238)
Tagged: appleworks, mac os x, quicken
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Comments

How can I associate a folder to an application? (As opposed to a file). For example I want to have the DVD player open folders that are VIDEO_TS folders and play them. I've created a osascript to do this but I'm not sure how to hook up the association between the folder and the script.

Any ideas?

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