Associate file types to apps

[kahuna]

Hello, it's me again, the n00b guy 

I'd like to automatise the process of mounting a .toast .iso ... CD image using the "virtual CD/DVD-ROM utility"
Ideally, double click on an image file and that will basically mount it automatically.
Is that possible?

Thanks!

[DieHard]

Not exactly what you are asking for... but maybe related

When I would image Educational/Adventure game CDs for Junior High school kids I would use ShrinkWrap:
https://macintoshgarden.org/apps/shrinkwrap

ShrinkWrap images will mount via the finder by a simply double click; you can also do some really cool things like make a whole bunch CD images auto-mount on boot by placing the shrink wrap image alias items in the "startup items". 

So... I then would use a program like "kids menu" which locked them out of all the OS features and gave them a simple desktop, the iMac would boot, automount a shitload CD images (5 to 15 disks), and then give them access to the whole library of programs that thought the actual CDs were mounted while being "kid proof" and not letting them destroy the system

Sorry for the tangent, but ShrinkWrap maybe a solution for you with the double-click mounting needs

[Bolkonskij]

Mac OS does not follow the rather stupid file extension principles of the modern OSes. On Mac OS every file has a type/creator code that tells the OS which program created / edited this file. It allows exactly for what you ask for - You double click it, it opens its "parent application".

I assume your problem stems from the fact that you downloaded stuff from the internet, where this info got lost during the transfer and forces you to manually re-assign it with programs such as FileType etc.

There's been a plethora of such programs for updating type/creator codes, some of which allow to create "droplets". You could put one of those on your desktop. All you'd then have to do is to drag those iso files with lost type/creator code onto the droplet to set them for future use with your preferred application.

You may want to go and explore the Macintosh Garden for type/creator code apps in the utilities section and see which one serves you best.

[IIO]

to open a file with another app than the one which is currently launched by opening it, you´d simply change its creator code.

there are dozens of tools for that kind of thing, and ABFA is probably the best

https://www.publicspace.net/

their "major" OS9 app was called file manipulator.

https://www.macintoshrepository.org/7832-file-manipulator

make sure to work on copies only, until you understand what you do and how to revert it.

to change the association to a new app, you need to know what the creator code of this app is: you will find it in every file it creates.

[Greystash]

You can actually do this with an application called Virtual CD AutoTyper which is usually bundled with the Virtual CD/DVD-ROM Utility - download here. Virtual CD appears to have an auto-mounting function associated with the file type AutoTyper applies to the disc image.

[kahuna]

Thanks a lot for the insights folks!

[kahuna]

By the way, it's good to read the Virtual CD manual as the AutoTyper tool requires you to do a "desktop file rebuild" before it can actually starts working 

[IIO]

why would you need to rebuild the desktop?

[kahuna]

Because it is what the documentation indicates 

It didn't work until I rebuilt the desktop file.

[IIO]

that seems strange and should not happen.

[Greystash]

I can confirm that rebuilding the desktop does effect the AutoTyper. For some reason after reinstalling my OS AutoTyper disassociated itself from being able to read any disc image. I couldn't drag anything into the app so I tried a desktop rebuild as kahuna mentioned and after the next boot it started working as normal. I'm not sure how this affects what sort of file types it will accept?

[IIO]

i would recommend to use one of the various other tools which do the same, but without that insane requirement to rebuild or update the desktop.