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UTI

How does QuickLook create Thumbnails and Previews? With an update to Mints

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How to discover which QuickLook generator or app extension should be creating Thumbnails or Previews for different file types, using this new version of Mints.

November 4, 2024 Macs, Technology, Updates

How macOS opens a file in the correct app

Details of the chain of information, from the UTI of the file to be opened, through LaunchServices’ database of document types. How to deal with problems.

April 10, 2024 Macs, Technology

How to get the right app to open a document and fix LaunchServices problems

What if, when you double-click a document, the wrong app tries to open it, or maybe the right app but wrong version? Includes command tool use.

July 6, 2023 Macs, Technology

How does macOS tell the type of a file?

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How does the Finder know the right app to open a file with? Or QuickLook how to preview its contents? Or other services like Spotlight know how to index and handle files? UTIs.

December 24, 2022 Macs, Technology, Updates

Why won’t that Help book open?

In Big Sur and Monterey, if you’ve not opened an app’s Help book, the first time you do it may appear empty, or simply not work. Here’s why and how to fix it.

November 16, 2021 Macs, Technology

Explainer: file types

Many think that a file’s type is determined by its extension. Although partly true, that’s indirect: it’s the UTI which sets the type, as explained here.

October 16, 2021 Macs, Technology

There’s more to files than data: Attributes

Explaining inodes, names, dates, permissions, file types, and specialised attributes used for iCloud.

October 22, 2020 Macs, Technology

UTIutility version 1.1 is now a Universal App

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Explore UTIs, MIME and file types, extensions, and more. Now runs native on Intel and Apple Silicon Macs.

August 22, 2020 Macs, Technology, Updates

Cut-Copy-Paste: Inside the Pasteboard/Clipboard

How these fundamental features work in macOS, using the pboard daemon and UTIs. With full log transcripts too.

May 12, 2020 Macs, Technology

What happens when you double-click a document? Processes, problems and solutions

An explanation of the magic which takes place when you double-click a document, the things that can go wrong, and how to fix them.

May 4, 2020 Macs, Technology

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