JLabTextQuickLook

JLabTextQuickLook teaches macOS that several text-based JLab and nuclear physics file formats are plain text. Finder can then display them using its native Quick Look interface: select a file and press Space.

Supported formats

Extension	Registered type
.inp	JLab input text
.hist	JLab history text
.report	JLab report text
.dat	JLab data text
.gen	JLab generator text
.geni	JLab generator information text

The app does not parse or modify files. It registers each extension as a type that conforms to public.plain-text; Apple provides the actual preview UI.

Requirements

• macOS 13 Ventura or later
• Apple silicon or Intel Mac
• Apple's free Command Line Tools

Install

Install Apple's free Command Line Tools if they are not already present:

xcode-select --install

Then clone the source and run the installer:

git clone https://github.com/radwanparvez/JLabTextQuickLook.git
cd JLabTextQuickLook
./install.sh

The installer builds a universal application, ad-hoc signs it locally, and installs it at ~/Applications/JLabTextQuickLook.app. It does not use sudo or modify supported files. Select one of those files in Finder and press Space.

This free release is intentionally source-only. The application is built on your Mac and is not Apple-notarized. The GitHub release does not contain an unsigned .app, .zip, or .dmg download.

Upgrade and uninstall

To upgrade or repair the installation, update the clone and rerun the installer:

git pull --ff-only
./install.sh

To unregister and remove only the installed application:

./uninstall.sh

Uninstalling the app does not remove or modify any JLab data files.

Troubleshooting

If Finder still shows a generic icon or an empty preview:

1. Confirm the app is in ~/Applications.

2. Rerun ./install.sh.

3. Close existing Quick Look windows.

4. Restart Finder, or run:

   qlmanage -r cache
   killall Finder

The qlmanage -p command-line preview harness has a known failure on some macOS 26 builds even when Finder Quick Look works. Use Finder's Space-bar preview for the authoritative test.

Other applications may also claim broad extensions such as .dat. The active type association can therefore depend on the applications installed on a Mac. Syntax Highlight and PreviewText do not have to be removed automatically. Temporarily disable their Quick Look extensions in System Settings → General → Login Items & Extensions → Quick Look, refresh Finder, and test again to identify a conflict.

Please open an issue with the output of:

mdimport -t -d2 /path/to/example.dat

Do not attach private experiment data; use a minimal synthetic example.

Build from source

Full Xcode is not required for local development. Install Apple's Command Line Tools, then run:

./scripts/test.sh

This creates an ad-hoc-signed universal application at:

build/JLabTextQuickLook.app

To exercise Launch Services and Quick Look thumbnail integration:

RUN_LAUNCH_SERVICES_TESTS=1 ./scripts/test.sh

GitHub Actions validates the same universal build but does not upload the ad-hoc-signed application. Official free releases contain source archives generated by GitHub only.

Maintainer release process

Update the plist and changelog, commit the change, and push a matching tag such as v1.3.0. The source-release workflow validates the version and all six formats before creating a GitHub Release without binary attachments.

A separate manually triggered workflow preserves support for a future Developer ID–signed and Apple-notarized DMG. It cannot run successfully until the required Apple credentials are configured. A conventional Homebrew cask is likewise deferred until a notarized binary is available.

Contributing and security

See CONTRIBUTING.md before opening a pull request. Report security issues according to SECURITY.md.

JLabTextQuickLook is available under the MIT License.