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redonihunter1 year ago

You can't make file associations on windows without admin privileges. Imagine you "install" something hooking on .doc, that is recipe for desaster. Also, if you make installation, you need to make de-installation also.

But you might not need to. Make the user do it. First time they open your file named file.custom windows will ask how to open the .custom extension. Tell users to select your app.

I have two questions here.

Why use this method anyways.   Having associated file extensions only have reason when you navigate to files with os browser. If you open files by opening app first, it does not matter. File extension is only shortcut for making os open the app to open the file. 

And considering installation,  itch app is supposed to install the games, but installation for most stuff is just unzipping it. Not even itch app itself requires admin privileges  to install.

I for one would not want some recreational game or tool install system stuff on my system, like file extension. Not the least for the simple reason you stated. You are one-girl shop. You lack ressources to test your stuff.

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Heartshine1 year ago (2 edits)

> Why use this method anyways.

My reasoning is what I'm building will either be used a ton (resulting in zillions of files), or not at all. I really can't see having any casual users. Given that, not having working file management seems a huge usability hit. It'd be crippling for me, anyway, to have a broken file manager, and not be able to use a CLI as most people can't.

Do people just...not work that way, anymore? I see so many apps that just hide all my files in their config directory and give me a half-implemented riff on Norton Commmander to manage them with like that's a normal thing to do. I thought it was because they were low-quailty ports of phone apps. Is that an accepted practice in 2023?

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redonihunter1 year ago

I still do not get it.

Do you expect people to have files created by your app reside in a user folder and users to navigate there with the os and open the files?

Or do you expect people to open the app and then use the app to open different files.

Because file extensions on system level only matter for scenario 1. Or is this fundamentally different on mac? When I open , for example, a picture viewer and select open file, it prefilters the folder I am looking at, with pictures. But for a picture viewer, it is handy to use the os file browser and just randomly open a file, without opening the app first. 

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