In markdown preview on Mac, "Choose application" popup opens up all the time

[zzxoto]

Current behavior

In markdown preview on Mac, "Choose application" popup opens up all the time

How to reproduce it (as minimally and precisely as possible)

• Download the tool on macOS
• Open markdown preview tool

Expected behavior

• No popup

Screenshots

Workaround

You have to select "Cancel" all the time. It's annoying to have to do that all the time.

Affected platforms

macOS

Affected DevToys kind

DevToys (app with GUI)

DevToys Version

Version 2.0-preview.8

Relevant Assets/Logs

No response

[yuvashrikarunakaran]

Current Behavior
Symptom: Every time the Markdown Preview tool is opened, a "Choose application" popup appears.
Possible Cause:
File Association Issue: The tool might be trying to associate with or open an external Markdown application but cannot find a default handler.
Temporary File Handling: If the preview engine generates a temporary file and attempts to open it outside the application, macOS might prompt for an associated program.
Missing Configuration: The app might not handle file type registrations or internal file preview properly on macOS.
Expected Behavior
The Markdown Preview tool should render the preview inline within DevToys, without invoking external applications or displaying unnecessary popups.
Proposed Fixes
Internal Preview Rendering

Ensure the Markdown preview functionality is fully handled within DevToys, using a lightweight rendering engine like Markdig or Showdown.js for markdown-to-HTML conversion and rendering.
Disable External Invocations

Prevent the tool from invoking external handlers or generating temporary files outside the app's sandbox.
Verify File Associations

If external applications are required (e.g., to edit Markdown), ensure the app gracefully handles missing associations by providing clear options or error messages.
Add a Debug Log

Log the tool's behavior on macOS to identify exactly when the popup is triggered, making it easier for developers to isolate the issue.
Workarounds for Users
While awaiting a fix, here are some temporary workarounds:

Check Default Applications:
Go to System Preferences > Default Apps (or similar settings) and ensure a default application is associated with .md files.
Reinstall the App:
Reinstalling DevToys might resolve potential configuration issues.
Clear Cache/Preferences:
If DevToys uses a configuration or preferences file, clearing/resetting it might resolve the problem.