How to set "always open with" applications for hidden file types

I've searched for the answer to my question on other sites as well as this one, but to no avail. Hopefully someone here can help.

I want to be able to associate certain hidden file types with a given application so that it always opens with it.

Specifically, these are .RData files for use with the R programming environment and language. The default save name for this application is .RData (you can change it to XXXX.RData or whatever and i'm sure i'd be able to set an "always open with" application if i did that, but then every time i close that workspace i need to specifically save it to that file (if i just click save, it'll save as .RData)).

I've located a possible solution on a R forum involving process.RData files, but i can't find any such files on my mac. There was nothing else on that R forum and i figure it's a more general problem than that.

I'm using Mac OSX 10.4.9 if that's important.

Thanks in advance.

if you make the hidden files visible, you just press apple+i (get information) and in the lower third of that window you see the "open with". select your preferred application there and don't forget to press the "change for all" button underneath.

hope that's doing what you are looking for.

Thanks for this. I should have said in my post that i have tried this (and have done so again just there, to counteract the observer effect!) and it still doesn't work for all of my .RData files.

It only works for the single .RData file that i clicked (despite clicking the "Change all" button). I'm presuming that this process only works for non-hidden files.

The other problem is that i use a PC in work and frequently have to transfer .RData files. Everytime i transfer from the PC to the Mac i have to redo this "always open with" step, which is not ideal.

Any other ideas?

Welcome to Mac-Forums, biglebowski.

I don't know if one of these would work but it's worth a shot: RCDefaultApp or XRay.

Or the big gun here, I think you'd need to mess with LaunchServices. Not really sure how you would do that either.

Thanks for this. Might try these out over the weekend.

I hope one of those work for you.

Just a quick update in case anyone else is looking for the resolution to this problem. Downloaded RCDefaultApp and tried associating my .RData files with R, sadly to no avail. When i click on the .RData files it still consistently tries to unarchive them (with BOMArchiveHelper of StuffIt expander).

Happily, the RCDefaultApp is a nice little application that i'm quite pleased about having anyway, so all is not lost.

I haven't tried the XRay yet (i am slightly put off by the fact that it isn't free. Although you get 15 days free, then one use per day free, which would probably be fine).


I'll keep you all posted however.

Osx 10.6.8

Have same problem
All I want to do is set TEXTEDIT as the default for for file type SOL
Using Information I can set it for just the one file
Apply to all is disabled