Time Machine drive and File Associations

So one thing I noticed about Time Machine that bugs me...

Apparently, file associations (when you right click a file etc.) searches for applications on your time machine drive...

So even if I delete a file from my Apps folder, if it exists on my backup, the app still shows up when I rightclick the file that was associated with it. (the app even opens!).

Similarly, now when I right-click an mp3, I get a list of iTunes, iTunes 7.3, iTunes 7.2.1, etc. to open it with.

Is there a way to stop it from doing this other than disconnecting the backup drive (this actually works, but obviously is not a real solution)?

 

I would try not including your programs in the backup maybe. Other than that since I have not used Time Machine, I got nothing.

 

Yea...I'd prefer not to go this route since I add/change/delete a few applications every day so the backup can be useful if I ever delete something I shouldn't have...

Ah well, it's just an annoyance - not OS-breaking.

 

what do you mean when you right click a file? like the default "Open With" file associations?

I don't really understand why that would even be useful to constantly do. Just stop right clicking files to open them? honestly I don't think there are many file types that that is even necessary is there? especially since you can set file type association in the "Get Info" window for all files of that type.

 

Actually, I use different programs to open different files fairly often.

For example, media files are often in containers, and depending on what I'm doing with them, I want them to be open with different programs. Even for the same type of container and if I'm only watching them, I use different programs to open them depending on how they were encoded. Each player has it's own specialty and differences, and there are reasons to open even the same file with different media players depending on what I want to achieve, not to mention files using the same container file type that were encoded differently or have different tracks embedded.

The same applies to music files depending on whether I'm editing them, converting them, compressing them or listening to them or doing something else to them.

Also, another example would be various compression formats. The built-in Archive Utility has the best unpacking speed, but BetterZip allows more formats and offers an in-file browser. Depending on what I need to do with any compressed file, I'll need to open it with different programs. Furthermore, depending on the contents of the compressed files, I can open the file directly up in certain applications and work with the files while they're still inside the archive - this of course requires different programs to open that same file as well.

The same even applies to regular documents. Some of the documents I work with are formatted in Word to the degree that neither NeoOffice nor TextEdit can open them properly - each manages to get a different aspect correct, but not all. Before Word 2008 comes out, depending on why and what I want to use the file at any particular time, I'll choose which application to open it with on the fly.

Some of this can be solved by keeping the program itself open (unwieldly because it involves more steps), or keeping the program icon on the dock, etc...but I already have an over-filled Dock.

Of course, there's always Quicksilver, but that actually ends up being a bit slower since I work with so many files that are named similarly with all sorts of weird naming conventions and codes. Even if I remember the filename or approximate it, I end up having to scroll quite a bit to find the one I'm looking for...

But in any case, as you mentioned, this is just an annoyance where the workarounds take up a few extra seconds each time. Not a huge deal by any means.

 

ahh i see, but honestly, I think you are honestly making it slightly more difficult for yourself, if it is a laptop? I would just connect the Time Machine HDD periodically, or just sacrifice backing up Applications automatically.

really, it is always about different compromises. just find the one that works best for you.