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TICKET ARCHIVE -> Undo File Association in OS X

conservetcp - Aug 23, 2008 - 4:15 am

While trying to determine where the backup file was for my Firefox bookmarks, I tried to open a file in the folder "bookmarkbackups". The file was called "bookmarks-2008-08-22.json. I was asked what application to use. I told it to use TextEdit. Now I would like to unassociate this file and all .json files from the TextEdit application, so that the file icon returns to the original one and the application associated with .json files is "None". In other words I would like to undo the association I made, so that it is as if I never did it. Is this possible? If so, how can I do it? Thanks.

gsahli - Aug 23, 2008 - 7:43 am

Highlight the file, and do Command - i (or right click Get Info). Go to the Open With section and find the correct app and change it, including Change All.

conservetcp - Aug 23, 2008 - 10:46 am

When I do that, I get three choices (TextEdit.app, TextEdit.app (default), and Other...). If I click Other... , I get to choose from all the Applications in my computer.

(1) I don't know what the correct application is for .json files. If you know it, please tell me.

(2) I really just want to unassociate .json files with the TextEdit application (and all other applications). I have not been able to make it do that. Before I associated .json files with TextEdit, it asked me what application to use to open a .json file. I would like it to go back to that state.

Thanks.

gsahli - Aug 23, 2008 - 2:58 pm

.json is a javascript object notation file - found in web pages - used to pass a group of data (like all the entries on a form) along. Can pose security problems, because other scripts can be embedded.

I don't know how to do what you want. to do, so I'm passing you back to the other Techs.

conservetcp - Aug 23, 2008 - 4:14 pm

The .json file that I was trying to open contained a backup for my Firefox bookmarks. I know now I didn't really need to open it. However, I did open it by associating its file type with TextEdit.

1. The good news is that I haven't yet lost my Firefox bookmarks.

2. However, I have uninstalled Firefox 3.0.1 as well as the Firefox folder in the Application Support folder in my Library. I saved a copy of the bookmark .json file on a USB stick. So it seems like I have wiped my computer clean of Firefox stuff. Then I reinstalled Firefox 3.0.1 from scratch. When it asks if I want to import settings, I say no.

3. At that point Firefox creates a new folder called Firefox within my application support folder. One of the two folders within this new Firefox folder is called Crash Reports. The second folder is called Profiles. There is also a file called profiles.ini.

4. I am concerned because of the existence of the Crash Reports folder which is not empty. I think it may be connected to the fact that the bookmark .json file that also appears at a lower level within the Profiles folder is shown with a TextEdit icon rather than the icon associated with Unix files which is what it looked like before I started messing with it.

5. If this doesn't make sense, at least try to help me unassociate .json files with all applications. Then I can determine whether that issue is related to the existence of the Crash Reports folder.

Thanks.

earthsaver - Aug 23, 2008 - 5:12 pm

It doesn't matter what application is associate with these .json files. Firefox will read them just fine using its own coded commands.

If your bookmarks are now missing in Firefox, restore them. In Firefox, go to Organize Bookmarks, choose Restore > Choose File from the Star menu, and choose the .json file you saved.

If you want to export them to HTML for import into another browser, you can do that there, too.

- Ben

conservetcp - Aug 23, 2008 - 5:29 pm

I have already restored my bookmarks to Firefox and that all seems to be working fine other than for the Crash Reports that I discovered from all my nosing around.

One final (probably academic) question though about OS X...

Is it possible for a mere mortal to unassociate a file type from ALL applications once it has been associated with one application by the mere mortal, i.e., .json with TextEdit?

Thanks.

earthsaver - Aug 23, 2008 - 6:13 pm

I don't know where that information is stored. I'm guessing it's a preference file but don't know the name. Outside of changing the association to another app, I don't know how to remove it. Why does this matter?, if you are not planning to manually open these files again.

conservetcp - Aug 23, 2008 - 11:00 pm

It doesn't really matter, except that I get frustrated whenever I try something new and then, without warning, find that it is not easy to return to the default setting.

I will now accept the fact that it is not easy for me to return to the default setting, so I will close this question/ticket.

Thanks again!