[nuggetman]

Subject says it all - this is a fresh tiger install and all programs like Photoshop, Preview, QuickTime, etc have two entries in the "open with" menu. I don't have any other system folders on here and using Spotlight only yeilds one copy of each program.

[SpaceMonkey]

Originally Posted by nuggetman

Subject says it all - this is a fresh tiger install and all programs like Photoshop, Preview, QuickTime, etc have two entries in the "open with" menu. I don't have any other system folders on here and using Spotlight only yeilds one copy of each program.

Do you clone your system to an external hard drive? I remember reading once on here that using Superduper or Carbon Copy Cloner can sometimes cause this behavior, even when the external is unplugged.

[P]

Happens when LaunchServices gets confused. It's some cache you're supposed to delete. Googling for it turned up this commandline trick

/System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Frameworks/LaunchServices.framework/Support/lsregister -kill -r -domain local -domain system -domain user

(on one line) which is supposed to do the resetting for you. Never tried it myself.

[dr. zoidberg]

i think this can also happen when you have another (probably older) system installed on some other partition ...

[Madrag]

it is related to the cache.

I think the advice to clean the cache does the trick, but resets the list to the system apps and the other will be taken out!!!!

[nuggetman]

cache clearing did the trick, and unlike madrag said, everything is listed that should be (and only once)

[Madrag]

After testing it, most of my apps (non-apple) disappeard from the list (photoshop included).

[CharlesS]

Originally Posted by Madrag

After testing it, most of my apps (non-apple) disappeard from the list (photoshop included).

At startup time, all applications under /Applications get added to the LaunchServices cache. So rebooting will re-add any apps that are in /Applications or a subfolder thereof. If your apps are stored somewhere else, LaunchServices will automatically add them if you browse to their parent folders in the Finder or launch the apps.

[CaptainHaddock]

LaunchServices can find apps that aren't in /Applications too, though. I used to have a separate beta copy of Camino in my /Documents folder that always appeared in OS X's list of web browsers.

Edit: I apologize for not reading CharlesS's post thoroughly.

[CharlesS]

Originally Posted by CaptainHaddock

LaunchServices can find apps that aren't in /Applications too, though. I used to have a separate beta copy of Camino in my /Documents folder that always appeared in OS X's list of web browsers.

Uh, yeah, like I just said:

Originally Posted by CharlesS

If your apps are stored somewhere else, LaunchServices will automatically add them if you browse to their parent folders in the Finder or launch the apps.

[Madrag]

thanks for the explanation CharlesS, because I almost never restart my mac I didn't realise that...

[Douglashh]

The easiest way to fix this is to get the utility Cocktail and use the command to Rebuild Launch Services Database. Works like a charm and not need to delete cache files etc.

Doug

[CharlesS]

Originally Posted by Douglashh

The easiest way to fix this is to get the utility Cocktail and use the command to Rebuild Launch Services Database. Works like a charm and not need to delete cache files etc.

Doug

Um, what Cocktail will actually do is just delete the cache files. Basically, it will just do the stuff we've already been talking about in this thread.

[Madrag]

yes that's correct, and in previous versions, when you cleaned the cache with cocktail, it would clean the LaunchServices cache...
This has been taken out of the clean cache section (I think because some people my have complained).