[chasg]

Hi All,

I'm looking for a utility to adjust some of the hidden OSX settings. In particular, I want Firefox to be my default browser (so that if I double click on a url on the desktop, it's Firefox and not Safari that opens).

It'd also be nice to have double arrows at both ends of the scroll bars again.

I did a search on "hidden" in the forums, but that didn't help (but I did find a great thread on OSX features :-)

Thanks in advance for any help,

Chas

[ChrisF]

Originally posted by chasg:
Hi All,

I'm looking for a utility to adjust some of the hidden OSX settings. In particular, I want Firefox to be my default browser (so that if I double click on a url on the desktop, it's Firefox and not Safari that opens).

It'd also be nice to have double arrows at both ends of the scroll bars again.

You change the default browser in the Safari preferences. Yes, it's counterintuitive.
The arrows (and a bunch of other settings) can be changed using Tinkertool. (search Macupdate or Versiontracker.)

[Person Man]

Originally posted by chasg:
Hi All,

I'm looking for a utility to adjust some of the hidden OSX settings. In particular, I want Firefox to be my default browser (so that if I double click on a url on the desktop, it's Firefox and not Safari that opens).

It'd also be nice to have double arrows at both ends of the scroll bars again.

I did a search on "hidden" in the forums, but that didn't help (but I did find a great thread on OSX features :-)

Thanks in advance for any help,

Chas

Well, to set the default browser you use Safari. Open Safari's Preferences, and under the General tab, the first option will allow you to set the default browser. Oh, and to set the default e-Mail application the setting is found in preferences for Mail.

As far as the other hidden features, you can set the manually with the "defaults" command in the terminal (do a search on "defaults write"), or you can use the excellent application, TinkerTool, which will allow you to control all sorts of hidden options. The web page tells you which ones work in which versions of OS X.

Have fun.

[chasg]

Thanks for the really fast reply guys :-)

"Counterintuitive" indeed! I never would've looked in Safari's prefs, thanks for saving me all that extra time searching.

Tinkertool looks like what I'm looking for, thanks to you both for the pointer. Person Man, I didn't know (but I guess I should have) that I could adjust gui elements in the Terminal, I'll check it out.

Thanks again!

Chas

[Hawkeye]

Along with TinkerTool, I'd check out RCDefaultApp. You can find it on MacUpdate or Versiontracker. This System Preferences pane allows you to control the default applications for a number of file types as well as change the default web browser, email application, etc.

[jasong]

"More Internet" also allows you to change the default apps for various internet activities.

-- Jason

[chasg]

More good info, thanks!

Chas