Default Apps Across Platforms in Parallels
I found something neat when I updated my Parallels install at work today - SmartSelect. For someone like me, already unable to function without Parallels’ Coherence mode, this is just a further step in this app’s takeover of the way I work. For those of you who haven’t seen it yet, it’s a pretty simple concept (that was probably a bit harder in execution.) You can choose to open any file with any app – on your Mac, or on the virtual machine.
A quick screenshot from my computer, and there you see it.
Parallels will automatically start your VM, run the app, and open the file. It doesn’t need to be running, either.
Why so nice?
-Comparing webpages in IE, Firefox for Mac and Windows, Safari for Mac and Windows, Opera, whatever.
-That stubborn app that doesn’t have a Mac version? Default its file types to open in Parallels, and Parallels will automatically detect the request and start the app.
-Any Adobe CreativeSuite app. There is no need at all for a Windows and a Mac version of that expensive license, and you still don’t have to wait for massive .psd documents to copy to the Parallels VM. Or even better, for those who don’t want to run it in Rosetta.
-Applescripts in Windows file trees. Dave’s AppleScripts for iTunes, anyone?
That’s four reasons for my 40$ upgrade, but here’s another: I need to know whether I can do this with my Ubuntu VM too.
#1 Paul says:So you’d rather emulate Windows to run CS1/2 than run the app through Rosetta? I think that Rosetta would still win the speed test.
$500 upgrade to CS3? Worth every penny.
#2 Matt Radel says:I’d agree with that. But what drives me nuts is that Parallels sees the Mac apps as newly installed programs, so you always have “new programs where added” balloon pop up all the time.
I love Parallels, but it still has a ways to go.
#3 seth says:Matt you can turn off the new apps installed thing in the task bar properties within windows. But I do agree, Parallels has a ways to go to be perfect, but at least there is competition to make them step up their game, i’m referring to VMWare Fusion.
#4 Ben says:Okay, off the topic, now, but what GUIKit are you using? And the icons? That looks pretty slick.
#5 Stephanie Guertin says:@Matt - One of the first things that I turn off in Windows is that annoying notification, so I didn’t even know that. Thanks for the note!
@Ben - The guikit is Samui 2.0, and the icons are Agua with select changes. Samui 2.0 is Brian Zeitler’s, and is downloadable here: http://www.pixelnetdesign.com/downloads/themes/
Agua is designed by David Lanham, and can be found here: http://www.dlanham.com/art/agua/
#6 Daniel Nordstrom says:Oh, I tried that emulation thing (whatever they call it) for Windows applications, worked very nice. Too bad I’ve got low memory though. Anyhow, recommended software indeed.