Resolving problems in File Buddy

Since 1993

If you have encountered a problem with File Buddy which is not addressed here and still need help, please write to us so we can have a chance to help. When requesting technical assistance, please describe the problem you are having as completely as possible, tell which version of File Buddy you are using and which version of the Mac OS you are using when the problem occurs.

Serial Numbers | Resolving Problems | How To | Other

File Buddy 8 & 9

The contextual menu doesn’t do anything
Droplets can't find File Buddy

These are both symptomatic of a problem in Launch Services, the part of Mac OS X responsible for locating and launching applications. Read a discussion of the problem and what you can do about it.

Issues in Mac OS X (File Buddy 7 – 9)

The help opens a blank page in Apple Help Viewer

Apple Help Viewer caches a lot of information. If File Buddy’s help doesn’t appear when you open it, it could be a problem with Help Viewer’s cache. The following sequence of steps generally corrects the problem:

1. Quit Apple Help Viewer.
2. Quit File Buddy.
3. Delete this folder: ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.helpui
4. Delete any File Buddy Help aliases in: ~/Library/Documentation/Help
5. Relaunch File Buddy and try opening the help.

Crashes and unexpected quits

On occasion someone will report frequent crashes or unexpected quits. Often the problem has been traced to a third-party product which modifies system-wide behavior. If you experience frequent crashes in File Buddy while using Mac OS X:

Be sure you are using the latest version of File Buddy and any such products.

Configure any software which may be operating within File Buddy (such as a spelling checker) to exclude File Buddy.

Please report any problems you continue to encounter so we can look into them.

Making files visible/invisible in Mac OS X

The Mac OS X Finder continues to exhibit a longstanding (present since 10.0) bug in which it ignores changes to a file or folder's visibility made by File Buddy. Apple is aware of the problem, but it is not known when it will be addressed. Until Apple fixes the problem, the workaround is to relaunch the Finder or log out and back in.

File Buddy 7 in Mac OS 9

You’ve installed File Buddy, but you can’t drop anything on it in the Finder.

The desktop needs to be rebuilt so the Finder will know what kind of items File Buddy will accept.

Why is that?

As you drag one or more items to an application’s icon, the Finder looks in the Desktop database to see what kinds of items that application will accept. File Buddy is set up to tell the Finder it can accept anything, but that information has to be entered into the Desktop database so the Finder can access it while you're dragging. Sometimes that doesn’t get done during an installation (for reasons unknown). In that case the Finder will not highlight File Buddy’s icon for anything. Sometimes people think it’s a bug in File Buddy, but File Buddy isn’t involved in the process of highlighting its Finder icon. When the desktop is rebuilt, the required information is added to the desktop and dragging to File Buddy produces the desired result.

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