Setting default apps in iPad

[dbaron44]

hi,
Is there any option to set the default apps for opening specific files?
David

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

It's not really necessary because there is no global file system in iOS and each app keeps its own local copy of a file. For those apps that do handle multiple formats - such as GoodReader - they can make use of iOS' 'Open In' facility, whereby an app can register with iOS its capability to process certain file types. Then, when you 'touch' a file in GoodReader you get the 'Open In' option and a list of those apps that have registered their capability to process that type of file.

Tim

 

[pmcd]

It's not really necessary because there is no global file system in iOS and each app keeps its own local copy of a file. For those apps that do handle multiple formats - such as GoodReader - they can make use of iOS' 'Open In' facility, whereby an app can register with iOS its capability to process certain file types. Then, when you 'touch' a file in GoodReader you get the 'Open In' option and a list of those apps that have registered their capability to process that type of file.

Tim

The problem with that is apps come and go in the "Open in" facility. I can't get PDF files to open in certain PDF apps using Open in" because there seems to be no way of knowing what will be in that list. I have to export them to DropBox and then get them that way. It's crazy! There should be a way of managing the " Open in" list. Every time you buy a new app something disappears.


Philip

 

[MikesTooLz]

You have no control over that. It is up to who ever made the app to support that option and implement it properly so that it shows up as an option in the 'Open In' list.

 

[pmcd]

You have no control over that. It is up to who ever made the app to support that option and implement it properly so that it shows up as an option in the 'Open In' list.

Hi again. That is simply not true! It is some weird thing to do with the number of apps allowed into the list by the system.

Philip

 

[MikesTooLz]

Hi again. That is simply not true! It is some weird thing to do with the number of apps allowed into the list by the system.

Philip

well sure if you have more apps than can fit in the list, deleting apps will be the only way of making sure all of the apps you want show up. The "Open In" list is generated automatically, it does a check for installed apps that support the option and displays the list.

You the end user has no control over the list, and the developers only have the option of making sure their apps get included in the list when iOS checks for compatible apps.

 

[pmcd]

well sure if you have more apps than can fit in the list, deleting apps will be the only way of making sure all of the apps you want show up. The "Open In" list is generated automatically, it does a check for installed apps that support the option and displays the list.

You the end user has no control over the list, and the developers only have the option of making sure their apps get included in the list when iOS checks for compatible apps.

This may be ok for most file types but so many apps handle pdf files that the important ones get bumped off the list. That is why I was asking for a list manager utility. To me this is a very unfortunate design flaw with iOS. I guess it may not be something that affects too many users or Apple just overlooked it. I have GoodReader being bumped off by the oddest apps whose main usefulness is not as pdf utilities, though they can read them.

philip

 

[MikesTooLz]

This may be something you have already been doing but I thought I should suggest it anyway. Have you tried scrolling down to reveal more apps in the Open With list?

 

[pmcd]

This may be something you have already been doing but I thought I should suggest it anyway. Have you tried scrolling down to reveal more apps in the Open With list?

Yes. It's really the changing full list that is very inconvenient for PDF handling.

Philip

 

[modemjunkie]

This is one of those things that makes me dream of WebOS. it is all fine and well to say just delete one or more of your apps to make more room in the for other apps in the file open list, but since there is no file structure, if you delete an app you lose the files stored there.

 

[modemjunkie]

Why not just a simple chek box or button in the settings for each file reading type of app, e.g., Goodreader, iBooks, Zenrrader etc, that would allow you to include or exclude the app from the "open in" dialog?

 

[pmcd]

Why not just a simple chek box or button in the settings for each file reading type of app, e.g., Goodreader, iBooks, Zenrrader etc, that would allow you to include or exclude the app from the "open in" dialog?

Yes, that would be great. I don't know why this is not bothering more people. It's a really major design flaw in my opinion. The deleting of apps is not acceptable for reasons you mentioned earlier.

Philip

 

[modemjunkie]

It should also be possible to move ... Or if the ghost of Mr. Jobs insists, copy a document from one app to another.... Or open a document housed in one app in another. Different file readers are better at one thing than another. Why should I have to go back to the source...

Or heaven forfend...real file management. But I know that is heresy

 

[seeker.saurabh]

Can we open ms excel from our website directly into number instead of appleworks? how can we make number as default software for opening all excel in ipad.