"Open With..." Settings Reverted on Reboot

All of my "Open With..." settings are being reset whenever I reboot and I'm unsure why. I noticed the problem started after I upgraded to Snow Leopard and turned on FileVault. I'm thinking I could solve the problem if I turn off FileVault, save the settings again, and then turn FileVault back on, but that's obviously less than ideal -- it's rather time consuming and there is no guarantee it will work.
Any ideas?

I ended up following the link at the end of that tip to find other solutions (I wasn't content with running a script when logging in), which, interestingly enough, linked back to the Apple support forums.
Anyway, I came across this post which works perfectly and doesn't require a script:
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=9468630#9468630
At the end of that thread, there are a few people who said that they no longer have this problem in Snow Leopard... Maybe I'm experiencing an edge case?
In any case, thanks for your help!

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"Open With" settings lost on reboot

All file type associations are reset to their defaults when the machine is shut down. Where are the configuration files stored?

I ended up following the link at the end of that tip to find other solutions (I wasn't content with running a script when logging in), which, interestingly enough, linked back to the Apple support forums.
Anyway, I came across this post which works perfectly and doesn't require a script:
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=9468630#9468630
At the end of that thread, there are a few people who said that they no longer have this problem in Snow Leopard... Maybe I'm experiencing an edge case?
In any case, thanks for your help!

How to change "Open With" Settings

At work I use a PowerMac to do artwork and such, but I haven't had it long. Before then I had a crappy PC (that thankfully died, so I could convince my boss to get me a PowerMac XD). The boss for a while used CorelDRAW, and a lot of old files are in this format on an external hard drive. Unfortunately for Mac users the file extension is .cdr which is also a disc image format. I want to change the "Open With" settings on all of these files, but I want to be able to double-click on cdr disc images and mount them. Is there some way to do this, someway to get OS X to know that those files aren't disc images but CorelDRAW documents? If it makes it any easier (dunno if it would matter) all of the CorelDRAW documents will always be stored on the external hard drive.

I have about 4 or 5 of them on my desktop right now. OS X by default can mount them, and by default has the cdr extension labeled as a disc image. They're typically used by Toast to clone CDs directly without changing their file structure in any way, especially useful for bootable discs. There's some Windows and UNIX programs that can use them as well.
I've already made the CorelDRAW files easily searchable through Spotlight by inserting metadata, but I was just wondering if there was a way to tell OS X that these aren't disc images, but CorelDRAW files and have them open in Illustrator by default. If there isn't oh well.

"Open With:" option reverts to previous app, how do I fix?

Hello
I installed the CS6 suite today, but I still want Photoshop documents to default open in CS5. When I get info on a .psd, I can change the "open with" to CS5 and press the "Change All" buttn, but it reverts back to CS6 when I click the "Accept" button on the following dialog box:
Are you sure you want to change all your Adobe Photoshop CS6.app documents to open with the application “Adobe Photoshop CS5.app”?
Any ideas here? I don't know how to fix this.
Thank you.

You might try looking/posting here.
Adobe Support
Adobe Forums

Who do "open with" defaults change after rebooting??

All,
I tried to launch this question in different words before but somehow never got a reply.
I know in "get info" you can supposedly change the default with "open with ---> change all".
Supposedly.............it works, until you reboot.
I want NOT to use preview to look at pictures because I do not like the fact that you can`t work with the arrow "next / last" or with the keyboard arrows.
Now people already explained to me how to select all pics in preview etc, but that´s too complicated for just looking at a few picture quickly. Also it´s not my question.............
My question is: how do I change my default picture viewer for good??
I tried it the windows way............right click on a picture, open with and tick the box "always open with" at the bottom but that don´t work either, I´m afraid.
I spent 2 hours trying............I even deleted Preview from "programs" but this defaults to a picture adjustment program..........still not what I want.
I like Xee, went into preferences of "Xee", ticked the files that it has to open, it works fine............until I reboot. Am I the only one in the world that struglles with this??
Please Apple-gurus...........help me!!
Surely Leopard hasn´t got this error?? Why bother with an "open always" button if it gets reset as soon as I happen to switch off my Macbook Pro??????
Does Snow Leopard change this perhaps??
Cheers,
Not a Clue.

Well, not exactly. You said you tried using Open With, but that could have been from the contextual menu as opposed to using Get Info. I interpreted the former from your post.
If they are not permanently changed it could be for a variety of reasons. One is the filetypes/extensions are not similar. For example changing the default for a .doc file is not the same as changing the default for a .docx file. Also changing the default for a document without an extension isn't likely to work. To work properly the document file must have the normal extensions assigned by the default application that opens that file.
Another possibility is a problem with the LaunchServices database. You can try resetting it as follows:
Rebuild LaunchServices Database
For Tiger users
Open the Terminal application in your Utilities folder. At the prompt paste in the following command in its entirety:
/System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Frameworks/LaunchServic es.framework/Support/lsregister -kill -r -domain local -domain system -domain user
Press RETURN.
For Leopard users
Open the Terminal application in your Utilities folder. At the prompt paste in the following command in its entirety:
/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/LaunchSe rvices.framework/Versions/A/Support/lsregister -kill -r -domain local -domain system -domain user
Press RETURN.
And, if you haven't done so already I would suggest the precautionary:
Repairing the Hard Drive and Permissions
Boot from your OS X Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Installer menu (Utilities menu for Tiger and Leopard.) After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the installer. Now restart normally.
If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior (4.0 for Tiger, and 4.1 for Leopard) and/or TechTool Pro (4.6.1 for Leopard) to repair the drive. If you don't have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X.

Open with & Change All revert back to Preview. Can't set Photoshop instead.

To help with analysis of this issue, my system is a G4 PowerMac running OS X Tiger 10.4.11. This issue also involves Photoshop 6.0.1 running in Classic mode.
For my Photoshop files, the default application is no longer set as Photoshop, but instead as Preview. I would like to reset Photoshop as the default application for all files ending with the ".psd" extension. When I right-click (or control-click) on a file ending in a ".psd" extension, select "Get Info", then under "Open with" choose Photoshop, and finally click the "Change All" button, the "Open with" setting reverts back to Preview. I am able to change one file at a time, by selecting Photoshop under "Open with" and by then avoiding clicking on "Change All". Regrettably, it is not feasible to change the settings for every single ".psd" file on the computer in this one-by-one manner.
Does anyone know how to change the default application globally for all ".psd" files to Photoshop, using the command line? I have searched for information on the Internet about the "defaults" command line utility, but have been unable to find an answer in that regard.
Does anyone know of an alternative means by which to resolve this issue?
Thank you for your time and help.
-John

Thank you for the suggestion, BDAqua. Regrettably, the problem continues to persist. The command at that link did indeed do something because the choices for "Open with" were different. Also, after running the command, Photoshop was not among the default choices, although it could be found after clicking on "Other". This might be shedding light on something. The copy of Photoshop is on a secondary hard drive in order to save space on the main hard drive. Maybe if Photoshop is on the main drive and then the command from the linked page is run, that might solve the issue.
After the opportunity to test that, I plan to post a follow-up message. I must confess that it might be a few days before that happens.
Thank you again for you help, BDAqua.
-John

'Open with'/'Always open with' file settings not saved after Mac get's shut down.

Every time I restart the computer, I have to re-change the 'open with' settings to files. How do you get the Mac to remember the settings after the computer is shut down. It used to not have this problem.

/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/LaunchSe rvices.framework/Versions/A/Support/lsregister -kill -r -domain local -domain system -domain user
on Terminal does nothing.

How to change "open with" defaults via command line?!?

folks,
i know that if i get info on a file -- in this case, a filemaker 5.5 file -- i can choose the default "open with" settings and apply those settings to all files of that kind. see the attached image for what i mean.
but how do i do that via the command line?
thus far, here's what i've got: i know that i can open a document called "scrubbing shell.sh" on my desktop WITH either MS Word of TextEdit by calling:
open -a textedit /Users/david/Desktop/scrubbing-shell.sh
or
open -a Microsoft\ Word /Users/david/Desktop/scrubbing-shell.sh
no sweat. BUT....how do i set the defaults so that it ALWAYS opens with that app in the future when double-clicking via the GUI?
many thanks, ya'll!
david koff
associate systems admin
the j. paul getty trust
dkoff AT getty DOT edu

Hi David,
   OK, I investigated the new format and treatment. It appears that the first entry in the property list file that matches the file being opened wins. The Finder may still honor the new format; when I moved my old Panther file into Tiger it seemed to work. However, in other ways, the Finder doesn't recognize the old format, which is the format of the FileMaker entries you posted.
   The Finder puts all of the new format entries at the beginning of the property list file. If you change a preference that was controlled by an old format entry, the Finder won't edit that entry. What it will do is to create a new entry in the new format closer to the beginning of the file than any of the old-format entries. SInce the new entry comes first, the old one doesn't apply. If you then edit the preference and change it back to what it was before, the Finder will edit the new entry. Consider the following sequence of events and commands:
% cp ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.LaunchServices.plist ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.LaunchServices_copy.plist
I change all GIF files to be opened by GraphicConverter instead of Preview, which is an old setting in the old format.
% plutil -convert xml1 ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.LaunchServices.plist
% diff --text ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.LaunchServices.plist ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.LaunchServices_copy.plist
404,409d403
<      <dict>
<         <key>LSHandlerContentType</key>
<         <string>com.compuserve.gif</string>
<         <key>LSHandlerRoleAll</key>
<         <string>com.lemkesoft.graphicconverter</string>
<      </dict>
Then I change all the GIF files to be opened by Preview again.
% plutil -convert xml1 ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.LaunchServices.plist
% cp ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.LaunchServices.plist ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.LaunchServices_copy2.plist
% diff --text ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.LaunchServices.plist ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.LaunchServices_copy.plist
404,409d403
<       <dict>
<          <key>LSHandlerContentType</key>
<          <string>com.compuserve.gif</string>
<          <key>LSHandlerRoleAll</key>
<          <string>com.apple.preview</string>
<       </dict>
% diff --text ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.LaunchServices.plist ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.LaunchServices_copy2.plist
408c408
<          <string>com.apple.preview</string>
          <string>com.lemkesoft.graphicconverter</string>
   Note that I had to change the file to text after every change because the Finder converted the file to binary format every time it edited it. I didn't have to logout or reboot; the property list file change less than a second after the preference was set. I'm guessing that because you were just looking at the old-format entry, you missed the real changes to your property list file. Did it change from text to binary format? Try the command line tools that I used above.
   Note that this means that it matters where you put your entries in the property list file if you edit it.
Gary
~~~~
   There are only 10 kinds of people in the world. Those
   who understand binary numbers and those who don't.

Need to find a scripts for changing default "Open with" iTunes app to Quick

Hello all...
I'm new to scripting but need a script really quickly...
I was wondering if anyone knew where I could find a script that will change the default "Open with" of audio files placed within a certain folder on my desktop...
I'm making sound clips with WireTap and dumping them in a folder called WireTapExports as .mp3. I then need to play them without using iTunes (and importing them by default) but going into the "Get Info" and manualy changing the "Open With" settings for each file is taking ages...and it's very irratating...
Is there a way I can make all audio file put in that folder automaticaly open with Quicktime instead.
I know this is quite easy to most but I've only just started looking at Applescript (i.e. a few days ago) and but I need this to work now...
Many thanks in advance...
PigeonCake...

Not what you want, but if you hold the control key while getting info it changes to summary info which then lets you change the preferred application on a batch of files in one go.

Temporarily changing the "open with" app for a batch of files

I've written a number of scripts which have been saved as application bundles. One of the resource folders (named "Image Files") contains all the image files used in the script -- but the image files may have a variety of default applications for opening.
I'm working on a separate script to facilitate editing the application bundles if and as necessary, and editing the image files is part of that. I need the option of opening the image files with an application other than the file's default application -- for example, I might want to open the image files with Photoshop.
In my editing script I can easily enough get a list of the image files. But to open them with, say, Photoshop, I find that I have to use a Photoshop tell block and the full path to each file as it is called (otherwise it opens with its default application). If there are hundreds of image files, that's a lot of work!
I'm seeking a "global" command that will tell all files in folder "Image Files" to open with app "Photoshop" (just in this script, as I don't want to change the defaults).
Possible?

I probably didn't explain my requirements thoroughly
Your suggestion:
"You mean like:
tell application "Finder"
open every file of folder "Macintosh HD:path:to:Image Files" using "Macintosh HD:Applications:PhotoShop.app"
end tell"
isn't quite it.
(For one thing, that has the somewhat alarming result of opening all the image files in the folder simultaneously, and there may be hundreds.)
In plain English, what I had in mind was more like:
"Set the 'open with' application of every file in folder 'Macintosh HD:path:to:Image Files' to Adobe Photoshop.app"
such that, if I were to have those files in a list, and were to open them one at a time, they'd open with Photoshop without further instruction -- this without affecting the default applications (or 'open with' applications) of the files from which those files were duplicated (assuming that there are such 'original' files).
Since this still may be unclear, here's another explanation:
• Say I have ten .jpg files on the desktop, all set to 'open with' Preview.
• I duplicate those ten files to the Image Files folder of the application bundle.
• If I open any one of those files at the desktop, I want it to open in Preview.
• But if I open any one of those files in the Image Files folder, I want it to open in Photoshop. (The
files in the Image Files folder could each have its 'open with' application reset manually, but
with hundreds of files I'd much prefer AS to do that. As far as I can tell, doing that -- manually
or with AS -- would result in different 'open with' settings for a file on the desktop and the
corresponding file in the Image Files folder, which is basically what I'm after.
Can I get AS to do this?

Preventing app install from subverting my "open with" preference

Howdy,
I'm using a machine with OSX 10.5.8 in a lab setting in which a system administrator periodically installs new versions of Open Office. It seems that whenever he does this, the "open with" settings for .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, and .pptx are subverted so that they launch Open Office. My preference is to launch the Microsoft Office programs (e.g. Word, Excel, Powerpoint). It has become something of a nuisance that every couple weeks I have to go through the tedious task of resetting those six launch preferences (by selecting a doucment with that extension, doing "get info", setting "open with", then doing "change all").
Is it possible for me to set my launch preferences in a way that new installs can't change them?
Or, is it possible for the sys admin to do the install in a way that doesn't clobber my launch prefs?
Thanks for any help

Is there a better place I should post my question?

"Open with" / Get Info / Change All not working

10.4.9 -- I want to open all PHP files with Gvim.
a) Gvim doesn't show in the "Open With" Applications list, I need to browse to find it.
b) When doing this from Get Info with the intent of "Change All" I select the "Open with" to "gvim.app" and select "Change All..." but the "Open With" selection reverts to TextEdit after answering "Continue"
c) This change stuck once, about a week ago, for a few days. But now it's back to TextEdit.
Am wondering where the resource can be found so I can hack this myself, for good.

I picked up "OnyX" and the associated "Maintenance" utilities. "Maintenance" has a tool to reset the LaunchServices database, and that seems to have allowed the association to stick.
http://www.titanium.free.fr
OnyX even has a formatting utility for the UN*X "Man" pages!
Tom_X -- now that's a cool feature, it restores some controls in a handy spot lost long ago... It didn't show php files in the list, so I added it and it shows gvim.app as associated already.

File associations (always open with...) are constantly reverted

Hi,
This sounds like a minor problem but is a major hassle on every workstation. We want to change file associations for all types like opening all .eps with illustrator instead of Preview.app and many others.
Our Workstations run Lion 10.7.1 and have Network Homes hosted on a Snow Leopard Server. Whenever the user changes the file associations (Get Info... dialogue) this change is reverted after a reboot. Strangely enough the new association is still in place if the user just logs out and back in again. There is no such problem with local users on the machines.
The com.apple.LaunchServices.plist where these settings are stored reflect changes made in the Get-Info dialogue. Upon reboot the Finder seems to ignore this settings file although it stays unchanged!
Any help is greatly appreciated!

You should have used the unistaller rather than delete.
Try this may work.
Start >> Control Panel >> Double-click Default Programs.
Click Associate A File Type.
Select .ai from the list.
Click Change Program.
If your desired version of Illustrator is listed, choose, it. Otherwise, click Browse to locate it and click Open.
Ensure the "Always use the selected program..." option is selected. Click OK to close the Open With dialog box
If that dont work, use the Adobe unistaller, then reinstall.

Unable to remove login items (Revert after reboot) I am having issues and permanent encounter in having my removed login items reappearing after reboot. Here's the steps I have taken: 1) Open Setting, Account Preferences, Click under an account, Login i

Unable to remove login items (Revert after reboot) iOX10.5 iMac
I am having issues and permanent encounter in having my removed login items reappearing after reboot. I have very MANY of the same programs in 'open at Login accounts' eg: Messenger,Safari,Skype,Evernote,Dropbox,antivirus, but they are listed dozens of times. in this 'open at login' area.
Here's the steps I have taken:
1) Open Applications, Account Preferences, cluck my administrator acc, select program to delete, click on - and wait.
2) Remove some login items (with or without unlocking the lock, doesn't seem make a difference, tried both)
3) Login items are now fewer
4) Reboot
5) voila, the removed login items are still loaded and displayed in login item tab.
How does one solve this? Tried to google, but....

Strange,but try these 2...
AppDelete...
http://download.cnet.com/AppDelete/3000-2096_4-10614485.html
AppZapper...
http://www.appzapper.com/

Reverting files to open with the original applications

I recently changed the default opening application for a few files that originally opened in Preview (certain JPGS) to open in Photoshop. I selected "use this application to open all documents like this". So of course, all JPGS now open in PS. I'm definitely not happy I did this, because now every time I pull a photo off a web page or take a screen shot (my default screen shot settings are JPGS), they will now open in Photoshop which is not what I want. I would like to have them open in Preview the way they used to. But, if I now select "use this application (Preview) to open all documents like this" for these files, all my Photoshop JPG documents will open with Preview. So, my question is, is there any way to revert things back to the way they used to be - screen shots and web photos automatically opening with Preview and all my Photoshop JPGS still opening in Photoshop?

Copied from the link I provided.
* com.apple.LaunchServices-014nnn.csstore
where nnn is the uid number, as listed in the NetInfo database, of the affected account.
You can find the uid number for any account as follows:
1. Launch NetInfo Manager, which is in the Macintosh HD > Applications > Utilities folder.
2. Select users in the middle column of the NetInfo Manager window.
3. Select the desired user account in the right column of NetInfo Manager.
4. The data for the selected user, including uid, is displayed in the lower pane of the NetInfo Manager window.

"Open With..." Settings Reverted on Reboot

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