The Desktop and Finder illusions rely on files having a type and creator, and an icon association. These were kept in the Desktop Database, and are now the responsibility of Launch Services.
Finder
Used to override the global mapping for any given file type, this reflects the Finder’s individual setting for a document.
Contains the legacy file type and creator information dating back to Classic Mac OS, plus 24 bytes of undocumented flags. Very common.
How to access hidden and protected folders and files in the Finder, including a natty shortcut for Sierra and later.
Four versions of the same app to demonstrate different app states in Sierra and High Sierra, and how your apps can join the undead.
This week, I have been attacked by zombies – half-dead apps which appear to have quit automatically, but […]
Why would anyone tell the user that an app had quit, but actually leave it hanging around, near-useless, in memory?
Put TextEdit or Preview into the background when they haven’t got an open window, and they quit automatically, don’t they? Actually they don’t, they just become zombies.
Does APFS support its major new features – clones, snapshots, etc – yet, and how can you use them?
What do you do when you open a document, only to find that the wrong app opens it? Here’s how to tackle that and more.
The Eclectic Light Company 