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Status Submitted
Workspace IBM i
Categories IBM i Access Family
Created by Guest
Created on Jul 6, 2026

Fix .HOD file icon associations on MacOS version of ACS

After installing the latest version of IBM i Access Client Solutions (ACS) on the latest version of macOS, I encountered several issues when attempting to associate .hod session files with ACS.

Steps to Reproduce

  1. Install ACS using the standard macOS installation procedure.
  2. Create or copy a .hod session file to my desktop using the Session Manager Context Menu.
  3. Attempt to associate the .hod file with IBM i Access Client Solutions.app.

Observed Behavior

  • In the Choose Application dialog, ACS does not appear as a recommended application for .hod files. It is necessary to change the filter from Recommended Applications to All Applications before ACS can even be selected.
  • The user must explicitly also enable the Always Open With option in order for the association to persist.
  • Once associated, double-clicking the .hod file correctly launches the configured 5250 session.
  • However, the .hod file continues to display a generic document icon in Finder rather than an ACS or 5250 session icon.

Expected Behavior

  • ACS should appear as a recommended application for .hod files.
  • Associating a .hod file with ACS should be straightforward and consistency with other macOS applications and Windows.
  • .hod files should display a meaningful ACS document icon in Finder after association.

Impact

For organizations deploying ACS to end Users (for example, kiosk or point-of-sale environments), .hod files are often used as the primary mechanism for launching predefined sessions. As we do not want to give them direct access to other things like creating new sessions. The current Finder integration gives the impression that the file type is unknown or unsupported, even though the association works correctly.

Providing proper Finder integration, including a dedicated document icon and more natural file association behavior, would improve the user experience and reduce deployment confusion on macOS.

Idea priority High
  • Guest
    Aug 19, 2026

    The CAAC has reviewed this IBM Idea and recommends that IBM view this as a high priority Idea that is important to be addressed.

    Background: The COMMON Americas Advisory Council (CAAC) members have a broad range of experience in working with small and medium-sized IBM i customers.  CAAC has a key role in working with IBM i development to help assess the value and impact of individual IBM Ideas on the broader IBM i community and has therefore reviewed your Idea.

    For more information about CAAC, see www.common.org/caac

    Brandon Pederson - CAAC Program Manager