Setting the Default Application

From NeoWiki

On Mac OS X, in the absence of an HFS+ creator code, the last-installed application that claims it can open a certain type of file becomes the default application to open that file type (most Cocoa or UNIX applications fail to properly set the creator code on files they create).

The following instructions apply equally for Start OpenOffice.org and for NeoOffice/J with the following exceptions:

1. Start OpenOffice.org does not contain the proper information to claim it can open Microsoft Office file formats or most "generic" formats like RTF and plain text, so it will not be listed in the Finder's drop-down lists by default.
2. OpenOffice.org/X11 cannot open WordPerfect documents.
3. NeoOffice/J properly claims it can open all of the document types it can open, but it respects established settings of installed applications (e.g. Microsoft Word, TextEdit, WordPerfect, or Safari) and will not set itself as the default application for their document types if those applications are already installed on your Mac.

Setting the default application to open NeoOffice/J or OpenOffice.org, Microsoft Office, WordPerfect, and HTML, RTF or plain text documents

General method:

• Select a document of one of the types, i.e., foo.sxw, in the Finder
• do File>Get Info (or type cmd-I).
• Click on the disclosure triangle next to "Open with:" to expand that section.
• Choose the appropriate launcher application from the drop-down list.
• Click the "Change All" button and "OK" in the resulting dialogue.

Repeat these steps for each additional document type you want to open in OOo (.sxi, .sxc, .sxd, etc.).

If NeoOffice/J (or Start OpenOffice.org) is not listed in the "Open with:" drop-down list:

• Select "Other"
• A window will open that looks like the standard OS X "open file"-dialog window. At the top of this window, there is selector that reads "Recommended Applications". Change this to read "All applications".
• You should now be able to select any application in your "Applications" folder, including the ones that were previously greyed out. Select NeoOffice/J
• Check the "Always open with..." box in the lower part of the window and confirm.

Additional suggestions and alternative wordings are available on trinity.

Caveats

• Since some past OS X security update from Apple, a user must have first launched the application before it can be set as the default.
• Some file types come without extensions or different file extensions for the same document type (for instance, some internet apps set WDBN instead of W6BN or W8BN). These have to be set seperately so for such a document, the user might have to repeat on 4-6 "variations" of Word doc to get all Word docs, etc.
• The method related above changes the default for all documents. To change the default for any one individual document, use File>Get Info, select the appropriate application and close the Info window.