Expanding Files with StuffIt Expander

By default many of the formats supported StuffIt are automatically associated with StuffIt Expander and identified by the "ball in cube" icons. Refer to the "StuffIt 2009 Users Guide.pdf", Appendix A for a complete list of supported formats. Expanding compressed and encoded files is a simple as double-clicking them. StuffIt Expander will launch, expand the files and then quit.

You can change the file associations for the different supported formats in Expander's File Mapping preferences.

    Tip: You can also set which program will open when you double-click a file by selecting the file in the Finder and then selecting "Get Info" from the File menu. In the "Open With " section, choose your preferred application from the list or select "Other..." at the bottom of the menu. Once selected, click the "Change All..." button

Expanding Files by Drag and Drop to Application Icon/Dock Icon

Some files that Expander can open may not be associated with it. You can try to open them by dragging them to StuffIt Expander's application or Dock icon. If Expander is closed, the program will launch, expand your files and quit.

Expanding Files by Drag and Drop to the Drag Window

When you launch StuffIt Expander, a Drag Window will appear. You can drag files and drop them onto the StuffIt Expander Drag Window to expand them.
    Tip: You can expand more than one file at a time by dragging multiple items onto StuffIt Expander.

Finding the Expanded Files

When Expander finishes, the expanded content will be located in the same directory as the original files (this setting can be changed in the preferences).

Once you've expanded files from an archive, you may not need the archive in which they were packaged anymore and can delete it.

If there is a "package within a package" that Expander recognizes, it will continue to expand the resulting files (this setting can be changed in the preferences).

Expanding Segmented Files

StuffIt Expander can join several types of segmented files. To join a segmented file, you must have all of the segments in the same location (ie: a folder). To join the segments into a single file, drag only the first segment of the set onto StuffIt Expander. When Expander is finished joining the segments, the resulting file will be located in the same directory as the original segments (this setting can be changed in the preferences).

If the segmented archive you want to expand is stored on multiple CDs or DVDs, you can expand the segments one by one. First insert the disk that contains segment 1, and then drag and drop that segment onto StuffIt Expander. After Expander has finished expanding the first segment, you will be prompted to insert the disks that contain the remaining segments in the set.

Expanding Encrypted Archives

StuffIt Expander will prompt you to provide the passphrase before encrypted files can be expanded. If you do not have the correct passphrase you will not be able to access the files stored in the encrypted archive.

What's in the Package?

While StuffIt Expander can help you to open the compressed, archived, or encoded files (the packages) that you encounter, once the package is opened, Expander's job is done. StuffIt Expander has no knowledge of what's inside the archive. You will still need an application installed on your Macintosh to view, edit, or otherwise work with the files you have expanded.
    Tip: If you have questions about files expanded with StuffIt Expander, we suggest that you contact the party that posted or sent you the files to find out what program is needed to open them.

Advanced Expander Features

One Time Preferences

If you hold down the "Option" key while dragging files to StuffIt Expander, you will be presented with a special "One Time" Preferences dialog.

This allows you to change preference settings that apply only to the current operation. When you click "OK" to dismiss the Preferences dialog, your file would be expanded to this new location for this one time. Future expansion operations will use the regular preference settings.

Version Checking

StuffIt Expander now uses Sparkle for version checking and self-updating. If there is a new version of Expander available, you will receive an alert. You can choose "Install Update" which will download the new version, quit Expander, and install the new version in its place; you can choose "Remind Me Later" which will dismiss the dialog, but it will reappear the next time you launch Expander; or you can choose "Skip This Version" which will dismiss the dialog and prevent it from reappearing until the next revision is available.

Growl

If you have the notification system Growl installed on your machine, Expander will use it to display alerts and other messages.



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