Interesting problem with Mountain Lion

If you use a newsreader to download files from a newsgroup with a newsgroup name that ends in ".action", your files will not be downloaded to the designated directory. Instead an Automator icon will be placed in the folder and when you click on it, you will be prompted to install an action with the name "newsgroup name".action which of course doesn't exist. No way to disable automator, no fix.

Is there a question somewhere in your post? What kind of files are you downloading from the newsgroups and which reader are you using? Normally, newsgroups are in NNTP format and can be read by a compatible newsreader such as the free Thunderbird reader from Mozilla. News items with attached files are treated the same way as email with attached files.

I'm downloading binaries using a reader called Unison I also was able to duplicate the problem using a window based reader under a program called Crossover. Both applications downloaded files fine as long as the newsgroup name did not end in ".action". That triggers it because the action filenames used by Automator use that suffix.

BTW, I wasn't aware that every post needed to contain a question.

BTW, I wasn't aware that every post needed to contain a question.

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They don't and I didn't mean to imply that. I was curious as to what you were asking or maybe just advising us of something. Anyway, if you feel up to it, download Thunderbird from the Mozilla site (it's free) and see if you can fare better with that. Thunderbird also has a version for Windows.

Actually, it was only an advisory. I had determined the same problem with two different news readers and I was able to duplicate it with different programs with the same result so it is a Mountain Lion issue. I am able to download successfuly from any group that does not use that suffix on the group name. Also, this occurs only when you have the reader create a folder for that particular newsgroup and not when the files are downloaded to a generically named folder. This just something that Automatror picks up on. Considering the relatively few newsgroups that are named like that, I doubt that this is something Apple would even bother to address.

Have you tried just setting .action to be opened by the newsreader of your choice?

In the same way that if a website decided that it's product list was a file called products.htm OSX would try and open it in a browser. Even if products.htm was a bespoke file for a catalog app to read.

You should just be able to get info on a .action file and change the app that opens them.

That's just it. It's asking you to install an action that does not exist.

rlandry6 said:

That's just it. It's asking you to install an action that does not exist.

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My point exactly, that's way you need change the application that .action files open with to something other than Automator

How do I do that since Automator is built into the OS?

mrplow said:

You should just be able to get info on a .action file and change the app that opens them.

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As per my post above. Via Get Info.

But in Lion you can also right click and choose Always Open With - pick the app if it's on the list or choose Other and navigate to the app of your choice

No one is reading what I'm saying. There IS NO action file. I'm being asked to install an action file that does not exist.

rlandry6 said:

No one is reading what I'm saying. There IS NO action file. I'm being asked to install an action file that does not exist.

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Just reading what your writing....... your first post says exactly that.