Hi,
When exporting a file from Pages (PDF, DOCX…) the filename extension (.pdf, .docx…) is automatically hidden, even if it appears in the file save dialog. Since these are mostly files to be sent to collaborators on a PC, seeing the filename extension is very important.
Is there any way to force Pages to let these extensions visible?
Thank you!
Paolo
Mac mini, OS X Yosemite (10.10.3)
It is up to your PC users own settings as to whether they see file extensions or not.
On a Mac just select the file and Get Info (command i) then check the Show file extension checkbox.
There also is a checkbox in the Save dialogue to either show or hide the extension.
Peter
Hi Peter,
Before being the PC user's, the lack of filename extension is my own problem, since I have a list of files with the same name in the Finder (My Document.pages, My Document, My Document). The file icon is not always all that useful, especially if you use the list view.
The Export File dialog does not contain a Show file extension checkbox, at least in Yosemite. The extension is shown in the name field, but then is not shown in the Finder.
Paolo
There is a setting in Finder > Preferences > Advanced to show all file extensions. This preference exists in all versions of OS X at least as far back as Tiger, OS X 10.4.11 (the oldest version I have running on a Mac). The items in the window may be different with the different OS versions, but show all extensions is the first one in all versions I checked.
Pages does not export with extensions shown, and there is no means to force it to do so.
Here is a short AppleScript that will unhide any hidden file extensions. Select the file(s) in a Finder window, and run the script. You can save the script as an application, or script, and double-click it to run it.
-- enable visible file extensions for selected files in Finder
tell application "Finder"
set sel to selection
if sel = {} then
display dialog "No items selected"
return
end if
repeat with aFile in sel
set extension hidden of aFile to false
end repeat
end tell
return
I also have an AppleScript that is voice activated, and all I have to do is speak "show extension" and the extension appears in real time on the selected file.
Thank you all for the hints. Unfortunately, I fear the straight answer, here, is "No, you can't export files with unhidden extensions". I hope sooner or later they will follow my request, and fix this bug.
Paolo
I have never had a problem having exported Pages or Numbers files having the desired extension showing. I just did a brief test again in both Pages 4.3 & Pages 5.6.2 & both exported the file with the .docx extension visible. Perhaps it is because I always have file extensions showing, I don't know.
Peggy, yes, if you have the extensions always shown in the Finder preferences, you get exported files with the extension shown. If you prefer to decide for each type of file, and leave the Finder preference so that you are free to show or hide the extensions, then Pages exports with hidden extensions.
Paolo
That does make sense. I learned years ago to always use file extensions just as I've learned to always show invisibles. I find the benefits out-weigh the negatives.
I agree Peggy.
One of the more astonishing features of Windows, which more or less introduced the concept of file extensions, now that I am using W10, is how it persists in hiding the extensions, much to my annoyance.
Peter
One benefit of using file extensions is that you can have multiple files of the same name & content in the same location. As long as the file extension is different, Finder recognizes that they are different files.
I got used to using file extensions way back when I moved to OS X with Jaguar, OS X 10.2, & AppleWorks files.
Unhiding filename extension of exported files
