remove file association on leopard

whitehexagon · Jun 16, 2008, 04:12 PM

I have some files that have an association I want to remove. I also don't have an alternative association which would be easier. Anyway to remove the associations with a file type?

GGJstudios · Jun 16, 2008, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whitehexagon

I have some files that have an association I want to remove. I also don't have an alternative association which would be easier. Anyway to remove the associations with a file type?

So if you don't have an alternate application you want to use with those files, how will you open them? What would be the purpose of eliminating a file association without replacing it with another? To change them is simple: Get Info on a file of that type and change the "Open with" to whatever application you choose.

whitehexagon · Jun 17, 2008, 01:57 AM

I have quite some binary data files kicking around that are associated with all kinds of weird and incorrect applications, I can't really open these files, or associate them with another application, so I just want to remove the current faulty associations.

kanenas · Jun 20, 2008, 07:23 PM

"Launch Manager" is responsible for opening files based on associations. Launch Manager settings are held in ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.LaunchServices.plist. Some associations are cached in /Library/Caches/com.apple.LaunchServices*.csstore (the exact name varies with OS version). To remove the offending association:

rename/move the cache(s) (you could delete, but a rename/move is safer)
restart
open the LaunchServices preferences in the Property List Editor
search for and remove the association for the binary files.

It's possible there's another location where file associations are stored, but I don't know where it is if it exists.

chocodup · Jun 21, 2008, 04:21 AM

Have a look at RCDefaultApp (http://www.rubicode.com/Software/RCDefaultApp/).
This is a 3rd party prefPane that allows you to manage easily file associations.

With this prefPane, you can remove an existing file association if you want.

kanenas · Jun 21, 2008, 11:13 AM

I had to leave before finishing my post about editing com.apple.LaunchServices.plist (in particular, notes about Property List Editor being in the Development tools on the OSX DVDs). As RCPrefPane includes a "<disable>" option for file extension associations, it's much better than my mucking about with plists.

whitehexagon · Jun 24, 2008, 07:54 AM

Thanks for the solution!

chinarut · Jun 14, 2009, 05:11 PM

thanks for the pointer to RCDefaultApp - I'm a bit confused as to how to remove associations done through the Info pane in the Finder.

I don't see anything to "revoke" the application - if I click "Other..." - it asks me to point it to another application.

not urgent, just thought I'd clean up an association that didn't work out as I expected...

Jun 16, 2008, 04:12 PM	#1
whitehexagon macrumors regular Join Date: May 2007	remove file association on leopard I have some files that have an association I want to remove. I also don't have an alternative association which would be easier. Anyway to remove the associations with a file type?
	0

Jun 20, 2008, 07:23 PM	#4
kanenas macrumors newbie Join Date: Jun 2008	"Launch Manager" holds the key "Launch Manager" is responsible for opening files based on associations. Launch Manager settings are held in ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.LaunchServices.plist. Some associations are cached in /Library/Caches/com.apple.LaunchServices*.csstore (the exact name varies with OS version). To remove the offending association: rename/move the cache(s) (you could delete, but a rename/move is safer) restart open the LaunchServices preferences in the Property List Editor search for and remove the association for the binary files. It's possible there's another location where file associations are stored, but I don't know where it is if it exists.
	0

Jun 21, 2008, 11:13 AM	#6
kanenas macrumors newbie Join Date: Jun 2008	RCPrefPane is the better solution I had to leave before finishing my post about editing com.apple.LaunchServices.plist (in particular, notes about Property List Editor being in the Development tools on the OSX DVDs). As RCPrefPane includes a "<disable>" option for file extension associations, it's much better than my mucking about with plists.
	0

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Jun 17, 2008, 01:57 AM	#3
whitehexagon Thread Starter macrumors regular Join Date: May 2007	I have quite some binary data files kicking around that are associated with all kinds of weird and incorrect applications, I can't really open these files, or associate them with another application, so I just want to remove the current faulty associations.
	0

Jun 21, 2008, 04:21 AM	#5
chocodup macrumors member Join Date: May 2008	Have a look at RCDefaultApp (http://www.rubicode.com/Software/RCDefaultApp/). This is a 3rd party prefPane that allows you to manage easily file associations. With this prefPane, you can remove an existing file association if you want.
	1

Jun 24, 2008, 07:54 AM	#7
whitehexagon Thread Starter macrumors regular Join Date: May 2007	Thanks for the solution!
	0

Jun 14, 2009, 05:11 PM	#8
chinarut macrumors member Join Date: Nov 2005	thanks for the pointer to RCDefaultApp - I'm a bit confused as to how to remove associations done through the Info pane in the Finder. I don't see anything to "revoke" the application - if I click "Other..." - it asks me to point it to another application. not urgent, just thought I'd clean up an association that didn't work out as I expected...
	0