Here are some questions and problems that people often encounter when using Default Folder X.

Before consulting this list, please check to make sure you are running the latest version, which is Default Folder X 4.4.8. If you need an update, you can get one by clicking on the download link in the right margin of this page. If you have a problem that is not addressed here or feel a question should be here but isn't, please send mail to support@stclairsoft.com

General Questions

Default Folder X Compatibility

Troubleshooting

General Questions

What applications does Default Folder X support?

Default Folder X enhances the Open and Save dialogs in both Carbon and Cocoa applications, so it should appear in all OS X-native applications. It cannot enhance non-native Java applications, however, because they do not use the standard OS X file dialogs. For more on compatibility, see below.

Is Default Folder X a 64-bit application?

Default Folder X is a combination of 64-bit and 32-bit code. This is necessary in order to enhance the Open and Save dialogs in all Carbon and Cocoa applications in both 32 and 64 bit mode. It should appear in all OS X-native applications. For more on compatibility, see below.

Does Default Folder X patch my system?

Default Folder X does not patch Mac OS X, but it does extend individual applications when they are launched. This means that Default Folder X loads a small piece of program code into each application's memory space (in RAM) so that it can communicate with Navigation Services, the OS X service that provides the Open and Save dialogs. Default Folder does not make any changes to your application or system files. Simply turning off Default Folder X or removing it from your system will completely remove it and all of its effects.

Default Folder X has been carefully designed and tested, but there is still a possibility that it may cause undesirable behavior or instability in an application. Fortunately, the robust design of Mac OS X isolates those effects to the application that is affected - Default Folder X cannot crash Mac OS X itself.

If you do encounter problems, please let us know at support@stclairsoft.com. We try our best to make sure that our products work seamlessly with the applications you need.

When I use FoldersSynchronizer X, why doesn't Default Folder X's toolbar appear?

Default Folder X cannot patch applications that are running with root permissions. FoldersSynchronizer has a preference that allows you to run it as root, and when you do so, Default Folder X can not enhance its Open and Save dialogs. This is a security restriction built into OS X and cannot be circumvented.

Can Default Folder X make "Replace" the default button in the "Are you sure you want to replace that file?" alert?

This was never added to Default Folder X because you can press Command-R to activate the "Replace" button in those alerts. We didn't think it was worth the potential compatibility problems to provide a redundant feature.

Can I rename folders in Default Folder X's Favorites menu?

We plan on adding this feature to Default Folder X's preferences in a future release, but you can use the following workaround to do it now:

In the Advanced tab of your Default Folder X preferences, turn on "Create aliases of Recent Folders and Favorites in your Library folder". Use a file dialog once to make sure the aliases get created. Now go to HOME/Library/Favorites/ and rename the aliases for the folders that you want to rename. Default Folder X will rename the Favorites in its menu with those names the next time you use a file dialog.

How do I uninstall Default Folder X?

To delete Default Folder X, just run the installer again and click on the Uninstall button. If you no longer have the installer, you can download it from http://www.stclairsoft.com/Main/download.html

Alternately, you can just remove these files (HOME refers to your home folder):

HOME/Library/PreferencePanes/Default Folder X.prefPane 	
HOME/Library/ScriptingAdditions/Default Folder X Addition.osax	  
	  

Default Folder X Compatibility

Does Default Folder X work with Lion?

Yes, Default Folder X 4.4 is compatible with Lion, Snow Leopard and Leopard, and we recommend that all users running Mac OS 10.5 or higher use version 4.4. Releases of Default Folder X prior to version 4.4 will not run reliably on Lion. You should upgrade to the latest version in order to avoid problems.

Please note that there are currently a few known issues with Default Folder X when running on Mac OS 10.7 Lion:

• You will be asked for your admin password the first time you turn on Default Folder X.
• There are currently some issues with Lion's window handling, so Default Folder X cannot be run with its icon in the Dock. The "Put Default Folder X's icon and menus in the Dock" option will be automatically turned off in your preferences when you run Default Folder X under Lion.
• Default Folder X doesn't work in Preview, TextEdit, or in Safari when uploading files or attaching files to email messages.
• Contextual menus do not work in some file dialogs.

Does Default Folder X work on Intel-based Macintoshes?

Yes, Default Folder X 3 and 4 are both Universal Applications that run on both Intel- and PowerPC-based Macintoshes.

What version of Default Folder X do I need?

For most users, we strongly recommend the latest version of Default Folder X, 4.4. It works correctly in Mac OS 10.5 (Leopard), 10.6 (Snow Leopard) and 10.7 (Lion). If you are still using Mac OS 10.4, you'll need to download Default Folder X 4.3.10.

Finally, if you're running a PowerPC Mac and would like to have Default Folder X in your Classic applications, you will need to install a copy of Default Folder 3.1.5. Registered users are entitled to a free copy of Default Folder 3.1.5, so just drop us a line at support@stclairsoft.com to ask for a registration code.

Can I make Default Folder X appear in an Applescript applet's file dialog?

In AppleScript applets there is a situation in which Default Folder X won't appear. Because Default Folder X takes a few seconds to start up inside an application once that application is launched, an AppleScript applet that displays a file dialog box immediately after it starts up will not be enhanced. Default Folder X doesn't have time to get itself set up before the file dialog appears. The best solution for this is to add a delay of a few seconds at the beginning of the AppleScript using the Delay verb.

Troubleshooting

How do I delete my preference file? Default Folder X is crashing, behaving strangely, or is causing other applications to crash.

This is almost always caused by damage to Default Folder X's preference file. Please use the steps below to remove your preference file:

1. Download the latest version of Default Folder X if you do not already have it. You can get it from http://www.stclairsoft.com/Main/download.html
2. Double-click the downloaded .dmg file to mount it on your Desktop.
3. Run the Default Folder X Installer that appears in the Finder.
4. Click on the Uninstall button.
5. Turn on all the checkboxes in the subsequent window.
6. Click "Continue".
7. Once you have done this, reinstall Default Folder X.

When an Open or Save dialog appears, my entire screen turns gray. How do I stop this?

What you're seeing is part of Default Folder X's "Finder-click" feature.

Whenever you move the mouse over a Finder window, Default Folder X draws a gray shadow over the window. This shows you that clicking on the window will switch to that folder in the file dialog.

There's an option in your Default Folder X preferences called "Choose the Desktop for all other clicks outside a file dialog." This makes Default Folder X treat the entire screen as a window showing the Desktop, so it grays out the entire screen to show you that clicking there will do something. Turning off this option will stop the screen from turning gray. Alternately, you can turn off "Show gray outlines of Finder windows when the mouse passes over them" if you prefer to keep the behavior but don't want the visual effect.

There's a file in my Trash called 'Default Folder X Addition.osax' and it can't be deleted when I empty my Trash.

The short answer: Restart your Mac.

The longer answer: Whenever you install a new version of Default Folder X, the old one is moved to the Trash. The Default Folder X Addition.osax file is part of Default Folder X. The problem is, as a scripting addition, this component gets loaded into each application when that application is launched. It stays in use - and therefore can't be deleted - until all applications that have loaded it have been quit. Since this includes the Finder, it means that you effectively need to log out or restart before you'll be able to delete it from your Trash.

Default Folder X will also move its scripting addition to the Trash and install a new copy of it whenever you upgrade OS X. It does this to make certain that the scripting addition you have is compatible with the version of OS X you're running (different versions of OS X require different scripting additions). So you may run into this situation after installing an OS X update or upgrade.

Unfortunately, there isn't anything we can do to avoid this annoyance - it's part of the way OS X works.

The Default Folder X toolbar and windows all flash repeatedly whenever I use an Open or Save dialog.

You're probably running Spirited Away. That flashing is Spirited Away trying to repeatedly hide Default Folder X and Default Folder X insisting that it remain visible when you need it. Change your Spirited Away preferences so it ignores Default Folder X and the flashing will stop.

Weird things are happening in Mail, Xcode or some other application and I HAVE A LOGITECH MOUSE

Logitech's software includes a scripting addition called LCC Scroll Enhancer Loader that causes problems in numerous applications. Default Folder X makes these problems more visible because it tells OS X to load scripting additions into all applications as soon as they launch, so the LCC Scroll Enhancer is running in all of your apps, even if you're not using AppleScript.

To fix this problem, do the following:

1. In the Finder, go to the folder /Library/ScriptingAdditions/
2. Locate the LCC Scroll Enhancer Loader.osax file.
3. Throw LCC Scroll Enhancer Loader.osax in the Trash
4. Quit and relaunch any applications in which you've been having problems

Doing this does not appear to affect the operation of Logitech mice and will definitely get rid of some annoying bugs if you use Apple's Mail or Xcode. It may also clear up problems in other applications.

When Default Folder X switches to a new folder, it takes me to the folder that contains the one I asked for.

This most often happens when switching to a folder that resides on a file server or other external disk. To fix the problem, do the following:

1. Unmount the problem disk by dragging it to the Trash.
2. Go to any open window in the Finder and press cmd-shift-G.
3. Type in "/Volumes" and click th OK button.
4. You should see a folder with aliases for all of your drives. Throw any aliases to the problem disk or server in the Trash.
5. Log back in to the server or mount the external disk you dragged to the Trash in step #1.

Default Folder X should now take you to the right folder when you select one from a menu or click on one in a Finder window.

I have installed Default Folder X for all users on my machine, but it will not run for users configured with limitations.

If you set limitations on a user account so that a user can only run certain applications, you must add the Default Folder X background applications to the list so that they can be run at startup. To do this, take the following steps:

1. In the Finder, locate Default Folder X.prefPane (I assume you have it installed for all users by putting it in /Library/PreferencePanes).
2. Once you have located it, control-click on the Default Folder X.prefPane file and choose "Show Package Contents" from the popup menu.
3. When the contents window opens, open the "Contents" folder, then the "Resources" folder within it. You will see two applications, "Default Folder X" and "Default Folder X Helper".
4. Open System Preferences, choose the Accounts preferences, and select the desired user and go to the Startup Items tab.
5. Drag the two Default Folder X applications into the application list and turn on the checkboxes to give the user permission to run them.