An often asked question is "Why do my files open in HexEdit" or "Why has HexEdit grabbed all my file associations".
The short answer is that HexEdit is only associated with one document type, the HexEdit document. So if a file has the HexEdit icon, it has to have been assigned the HexEdit document filetype. (There is no HexEdit suffix, only the filetype).
The long answer is this:
Other programs are assigning files the document type for HexEdit, especially Web Browsers (Explorer, Safari, etc) and FTP programs. I realize that some people find this to be a problem and it's easy to blame HexEdit for it, but even if you never put HexEdit on your system the files will still be associated with HexEdit... the HexEdit icon just won't display if HexEdit has never been on the system.
HexEdit NEVER registers itself for any files; it simply has a finder resource that says "this is my file type and this is my document type". That's it. HexEdit NEVER takes ownership over another file or filetype or file suffix. In order for a file to be associated with HexEdit (ie, have the HexEdit icon) one of three things must occur:
You save a new file with HexEdit
You manually change the filetype of a file to associate it with HexEdit
Another program sets the filetype of a file to the filetype of a HexEdit document.
All files are associated with an application via a filetype or a suffix. If a file has neither or it has a filetype or suffix without an associated application, then that file is associated with no application (and thus a generic icon). If, at a later time, a program is put on the machine that can open the document filetype or suffix then the finder displays that program's document icon for the appropriate files. The FINDER does this, NOT the program.
For instance, if you never have Excel on your Mac, then .xls files are generic icons and do not open in a program automatically. If you then put Excel on your Mac then ALL .xls files are displayed with the Excel document icon and open in Excel. Excel never even has to be run for this to occur, the finder just needs to see the Excel application. The Finder hanles HexEdit and it's documents in exactly the same way.
Again, programs are PURPOSEFULLY saving files using HexEdit's document filetype; Explorer WANTS all partial downloads to be associated with HexEdit. This associates these with HexEdit even if HexEdit is NEVER on the machine. The only "fix" for this is to cause the programs to save these files using a different document filetype.
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An often asked question is "Why do my files open in HexEdit" or "Why has HexEdit grabbed all my file associations".
The short answer is that HexEdit is only associated with one document type, the HexEdit document. So if a file has the HexEdit icon, it has to have been assigned the HexEdit document filetype. (There is no HexEdit suffix, only the filetype).
The long answer is this:
Other programs are assigning files the document type for HexEdit, especially Web Browsers (Explorer, Safari, etc) and FTP programs. I realize that some people find this to be a problem and it's easy to blame HexEdit for it, but even if you never put HexEdit on your system the files will still be associated with HexEdit... the HexEdit icon just won't display if HexEdit has never been on the system.
HexEdit NEVER registers itself for any files; it simply has a finder resource that says "this is my file type and this is my document type". That's it. HexEdit NEVER takes ownership over another file or filetype or file suffix. In order for a file to be associated with HexEdit (ie, have the HexEdit icon) one of three things must occur:
You save a new file with HexEdit
You manually change the filetype of a file to associate it with HexEdit
Another program sets the filetype of a file to the filetype of a HexEdit document.
All files are associated with an application via a filetype or a suffix. If a file has neither or it has a filetype or suffix without an associated application, then that file is associated with no application (and thus a generic icon). If, at a later time, a program is put on the machine that can open the document filetype or suffix then the finder displays that program's document icon for the appropriate files. The FINDER does this, NOT the program.
For instance, if you never have Excel on your Mac, then .xls files are generic icons and do not open in a program automatically. If you then put Excel on your Mac then ALL .xls files are displayed with the Excel document icon and open in Excel. Excel never even has to be run for this to occur, the finder just needs to see the Excel application. The Finder hanles HexEdit and it's documents in exactly the same way.
Again, programs are PURPOSEFULLY saving files using HexEdit's document filetype; Explorer WANTS all partial downloads to be associated with HexEdit. This associates these with HexEdit even if HexEdit is NEVER on the machine. The only "fix" for this is to cause the programs to save these files using a different document filetype.