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I'm running 10.7.5 and I have noticed a problem with associations between files and applications. The main symptom is that Finder shows more than one copy of the same application to open a file.

At first everything worked, but now the com.apple.LaunchServices.plist file is not updated anymore. In particular, if I launch through terminal lsregister -dump the association appears, but if I open the plist file the association is not present. If I reboot, instead of updating the plist file, the system eliminates the association from the database (the option -dump doesn't show it anymore). I tried to launch lsregister -kill -seed several times, but the situation doesn't change.

How can I permanently fix the associations between files and applications?

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Reset to default
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The LaunchServices database is built with data from as many as four domains. (See 'lsregister --help' for more info on these domains.) You might not be rebuilding the LaunchServices database correctly. This is the command I use to rebuild the database on my Mac:

sudo /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/LaunchServices.framework/Versions/A/Support/lsregister -kill -r -domain local -domain system -domain user

If you really want to get into the nitty gritty of file associations (plus a whole lot more) and want a nice GUI to boot try installing RCDefaultApp.

http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/14618/rcdefaultapp

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  • I tried running sudo opensnoop -n lsregister, and there were much less lines when -domain local -domain system -domain user was left out. I don't know if the -r or -seed options are needed though.
    – Lri
    Oct 10, 2012 at 2:21
  • I had to use the command without sudo to clean-up the list.
    – BetaRide
    Mar 20, 2013 at 7:36

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