Changing default applciations

QuadLeo

I've tried to change my default application for playing avi files. They automatically open with quicktime but I want to use VLC. I've searched the web and found 3 solutions and none work. First I right click on an avi file then click on "get info". Then select the "open with" VLC and choose "change all". It seems to work but resets to quick time after I restart. Then I tried right clicking the avi file and alt clicking "open with" to become "always open with" and I select VLC. This also resets after I restart. I found info online that said to repair permissions on my HD using disk utility to stop them resetting. That didn't work either. Any ideas. It's not just with avi files, pdf files too.

Soundman

Check the quicktime properties as there may be a setting within it that reverts file association back to itself.

ZENER

System Preferences > Quicktime > Advanced > MIME Settings . .



In here you can tell Quicktime which formats to open or not as the case may be.

ZEN

QuadLeo

No luck with either methods. I can't find any settings in quick time to change my file association and the system preferences method only seems to change the plugin settings and not the actual application. It's really annoying, everytime I turn on my mac and play a movie it opens in quicktime and I need to run VLC for advanced settings and stuff.

ZENER

OK I've just changed the file association for .avi files on my Leopard PowerMac so that they open with VLC by default - had been QuickTime. I used the method suggested by youself, Get Info > Open with: and Change All . . .

To be sure I've restarted the machine and the associations still work

Maybe a Repair Permissions in Disk Utility is needed . . .

ZEN

aidan_walsh

Are you using FileVault, OP? Does it work if you create a new user account and try in there?

QuadLeo

aidan_walsh wrote: »

Are you using FileVault, OP? Does it work if you create a new user account and try in there?

Yes, I use filevault. And yes it works on other user accounts. That's strange. A bit of a bug there I think. Do I have to turn off file vault to sort this out?

aktelmiele

ZENER wrote: »

OK I've just changed the file association for .avi files on my Leopard PowerMac so that they open with VLC by default - had been QuickTime. I used the method suggested by youself, Get Info > Open with: and Change All . . .

To be sure I've restarted the machine and the associations still work

Maybe a Repair Permissions in Disk Utility is needed . . .

ZEN

No need to repair permissions but its always good to do it every now and then

THe reason why this worked is that you changed the file association.

When you were going into Get Info, you were telling VLC to always open THIS file and leave the others opening with Quicktime.

That got me for ages at one time.

ZENER

aktelmiele wrote: »

When you were going into Get Info, you were telling VLC to always open THIS file and leave the others opening with Quicktime.

If you click the "Change all . . ." button on the info panel under the "Open with" the association of all similar files is changed, that's what I was referring to.

ZEN