Show the Contents of a .app package. by Michael Coyle

With MacOS X, Apple created a new type of application with the extension .app. What looks to the user like a single application is really a specially packaged folder containing the application, help files, and other resources.

May of the modifications posted on ResExcellence require you view the contents of this package application.

As an example, we will look at the Address Book listed below. While you can view a package's contents in MacOS X, because of permissions and ownership problems it is almost always easier to work on a package in MacOS 9.

Control-Click on the application icon to bring up the contextual menu. Select the option "Show Package Contents".

The icon of the application will change to a special folder with the package badge. Double-click this folder to reveal the contents just as you would with a standard folder.

When you have finished with the contents of the folder, Control-clicking on the folder now reveals the menu option to hide the package contents.

The application is now ready to use.