File-associations editor

[litefoot]

p.s., if anyone finds a file association editor that _does_ allow us
to edit the icon as well, pls advise. Tx!

Maybe WAssociate at;
http://www.xs4all.nl/~wstudios/Associate/

Good luck.

litefoot

 

[omega]

[...]
(i.e., if I wanted to edit the icon for the AVI file player because
they get knocked out or whatever and need to re-direct the path to
right icon, I can't find AVI, I have to look for "Video Clip". So not
in "A" at the beginning but all the way over at "V".)

http://www.xs4all.nl/~wstudios/Associate/WAssociate.html

If you look at the screenshot on that page.... The entry where it has,
DefaultIcon="C:\WINNT\System32\Notepad.exe". You can select that field,
and paste the path to the icon you prefer.

Have you tried this one, Fitwell? If so, like or dislike?

Note to J44xm. This one does seem to be XP compatible.

Note #2 to J44xm. Your original request, about "locking associates," it did
give rise for me an idea. Alph-stage idea. To be able to set up TUN for this,
to track only certain part of the registry; then run it when wanting to clean
up the changes that programs made against your interests. I'm only now
started testing. Once there's been time for me to judge whether it could be
a workable strategy, I'll try to get back to the subject, in case you're
still after that part of your initial request.


[...]

WAIT A MINUTE, WAIT A MINUTE ....


Here's the one I used to use. Recognized the icon right away and sure
enough, that's the interface, too.

Association Manager v1.3a
http://sac-ftp.externet.hu/utilfile2.html

AAACK !! And spend 20 years trying to clean up after it? Fitwell, it must be
that you have me in your killfile.

 

[omega]

Maybe WAssociate at;
http://www.xs4all.nl/~wstudios/Associate/

HEY!! Did you set your clock back 20 minutes earlier than mine?

 

[fitwell]

[...]
(i.e., if I wanted to edit the icon for the AVI file player because
they get knocked out or whatever and need to re-direct the path to
right icon, I can't find AVI, I have to look for "Video Clip". So not
in "A" at the beginning but all the way over at "V".)

http://www.xs4all.nl/~wstudios/Associate/WAssociate.html

If you look at the screenshot on that page.... The entry where it has,
DefaultIcon="C:\WINNT\System32\Notepad.exe". You can select that field,
and paste the path to the icon you prefer.

Have you tried this one, Fitwell? If so, like or dislike?

Hi, Karen! How ya doin'? <g>

Just in process of dl now. Thanks for tip re icon technique. I saw
that in the screenshot and wondered. Hope this does app can do the

Note to J44xm. This one does seem to be XP compatible.
[snip]

WAIT A MINUTE, WAIT A MINUTE ....


Here's the one I used to use. Recognized the icon right away and sure
enough, that's the interface, too.

Association Manager v1.3a
http://sac-ftp.externet.hu/utilfile2.html

AAACK !! And spend 20 years trying to clean up after it? Fitwell, it must be
that you have me in your killfile.

Wha' happened? I never had problem with it when I used it so pls tell
me what it does wrong if that app is no good. I used it quite
frequently for a few months trying ContextEdit on a recommendation
from this ng. That would be simply awful to mention an app that is no
good. Wow.

Re killfile, NO!! I only have _one_ person in all my Agt instances,
and he knows who he is. So not to worry, you're not killfiled at all.

Now, I _do_ know that this new ISP of mine is in many ways not as good
as the old one. I miss posts with too much frequency.

Anyhoo, going to try WAssociate now. Pls, pls advise re the other
app.

Thanks! D

 

[fitwell]

[snip]

http://www.xs4all.nl/~wstudios/Associate/WAssociate.html

If you look at the screenshot on that page.... The entry where it has,
DefaultIcon="C:\WINNT\System32\Notepad.exe". You can select that field,
and paste the path to the icon you prefer.

Have you tried this one, Fitwell? If so, like or dislike?

Hi, Karen! How ya doin'? <g>

Just in process of dl now. Thanks for tip re icon technique. I saw
that in the screenshot and wondered. Hope this does app can do the
trick easily <fingers crossed>. I've never had a way to edit the
icons besides OS way. Will report back.

YIKES!!! Nope backed out of that one. I studied it carefully but the
warnings author put on her/his site are right on. This looks like
it's only about _one_ step away from editing the registry so only
fairly knowledgeable people should use it, I feel.

It's pretty neat though. It's small and doesn't install and does seem
to pull up all the pertinent registry keys and information for any
file type extension you choose. So that feature makes it much more
efficient than the OS' way. The reg editor would benefit by having
something like this already built into it. But I feel that even
though it's pretty awesome we newbies should stay away until we have
more experience with reg editing - if and when we ever do.

Also, in my case, a bit too much app with too much risk just to get
the icon display back after something knocks it out.

Thanks. Always love to try new things.

[snip]

 

[omega]

J44xm <[email protected]_g>:

[...]

Windows XP? (It's a plus if it can "lock" associations, making them
unchangeable to applications.) Thanks much.

Hey J44xm, I just came across something. That you XP'ers only have to set
one reg key and your associations are locked?


http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/regs_edits/fileassociationsdon'tchange.reg

--fileassociationsdon'tchange.reg-----------------------------------------------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\Explorer]
"NoFileAssociate"=dword:00000001

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/regs_edits/fileassocundo.reg

--fileassocundo.reg-------------------------------------------------------------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\Explorer]
"NoFileAssociate"=dword:00000000

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Three hundred items. Reg, vbs, exe.

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

| Note: The majority of these tweaks and fixes are my own work. Others are
| collaborative efforts with MVP's Doug Knox, Bill James and David Candy.
| Copyright Kelly Theriot MS-MVP(DTS)

 

[omega]

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/regs_edits/fileassociationsdon'tchange.reg [...]

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm
Three hundred items. Reg, vbs, exe.

I downloaded one of the exe's from there, and that one was payware. I don't
know the status of the various other programs (as opposed to the scripts
and .reg files) available on that site.

 

[J44xm]

["omega"; Sat, 13 Dec 2003 20:10:35 GMT]

Once there's been time for me to judge whether it could be a workable
strategy, I'll try to get back to the subject, in case you're still
after that part of your initial request.

I sure will be. Thanks.

 

[omega]

YIKES!!! Nope backed out of that one. I studied it carefully but the
warnings author put on her/his site are right on. This looks like
it's only about _one_ step away from editing the registry so only
fairly knowledgeable people should use it, I feel.

That's true with all of them. That's what you're doing: editing (changing)
the registry. You're just using a front-end program, instead of doing it
directly with a registry editor. Same deal with Context Edit, the one
you were in the habit of using. The only difference here, with this and
another association editor, is that the author chose to put one of those
traditional, dramatic registy warnings. It's just associations you're
editing. Yet if you truly feel hesitant about changes you're doing?
Back up. Take notes. Perhaps run an installation monitor while you use
it, to create undo files.

It's pretty neat though. It's small and doesn't install and does seem
to pull up all the pertinent registry keys and information for any
file type extension you choose. So that feature makes it much more
efficient than the OS' way. The reg editor would benefit by having
something like this already built into it. But I feel that even
though it's pretty awesome we newbies should stay away until we have
more experience with reg editing - if and when we ever do.

Maybe others, but, hey, /you/ were already using Context Edit...

Also, in my case, a bit too much app with too much risk just to get
the icon display back after something knocks it out.

Thanks. Always love to try new things.

In case you might end by wanting to try yet another... There's one I've
not seen mentioned around here: DLTypes.

http://dlsoftware.pair.com/

| DLTypes v3.0 - File Types Manager
|
| DLTypes offers a quick, simple, and safe way to manage, catalogue,
| and monitor the numerous registered file types in Windows. [....]

[snipping the part about precautions and advanced users ]

It has a feature which apparently you want:

| To keep things safe, DLTypes automatically backs up Registry entries
| when deleting extensions or changing values and tracks changes made to
| registry

It includes some cleanup functionality:

| DLTypes retrieves all registered file types from the Windows registry
| and presents them along with the number of files, file sizes, and invalid
| entries for each extension and file type.

Plus, special treatment for icon changes:

| Icons can be located or built easily by using the scan function. After
| the scan, create a favorite icon list by browsing and selecting the icons.

Quick note - a cool thing here is that the icons for filetypes are displayed
as inline graphics in the program's interface.

.. . .

It's a big download, I want to warn. A large-sized program, as far as usual
system utilities size. Plus there are some .ocx's as part of it (.ocx's ==
+++registry entries). Still worth it IMO.

http://dlsoftware.pair.com/fifteen.gif
http://dlsoftware.pair.com/
http://dlsoftware.pair.com/dltypes.zip 1.8mb

http://dlsoftware.pair.com/dltkey.zip *

* Registration key. Shareware turned freeware. The readme.txt, the author
did not bother to rewrite about that. But clear in his distributing the key
with his program, he's changed its status.

.. . .

Note to others reading. Its release date made me think it would not be XP
compatible. On the other hand, it includes W2K as a supported platform, so
maybe that means ok for XP too (??)

| Release date: 30-10-1999
| Platform: W2K/NT4/W95/W98/ME

 

[omega]

Good, now that I'm arisen back out of your killfile.

YIKES!!! Nope backed out of that one. I studied it carefully but the
warnings author put on her/his site are right on. This looks like
it's only about _one_ step away from editing the registry so only
fairly knowledgeable people should use it, I feel.

That's true with all of them. That's what you're doing: editing (changing)
the registry. You're just using a front-end program, instead of doing it
directly with a registry editor. Same deal with Context Edit, the one
you were in the habit of using. The only difference here, with this and
another association editor, is that the author chose to put one of those
traditional, dramatic registy warnings. It's just associations you're
editing. Yet if you truly feel hesitant about changes you're doing?
Back up. Take notes. Perhaps run an installation monitor while you use
it, to create undo files.

It's pretty neat though. It's small and doesn't install and does seem
to pull up all the pertinent registry keys and information for any
file type extension you choose. So that feature makes it much more
efficient than the OS' way. The reg editor would benefit by having
something like this already built into it. But I feel that even
though it's pretty awesome we newbies should stay away until we have
more experience with reg editing - if and when we ever do.

Maybe others, but, hey, /you/ were already using Context Edit...

Also, in my case, a bit too much app with too much risk just to get
the icon display back after something knocks it out.

Thanks. Always love to try new things.

In case you might end by wanting to try yet another... There's one I've
not seen mentioned around here: DLTypes.

http://dlsoftware.pair.com/

| DLTypes v3.0 - File Types Manager
|
| DLTypes offers a quick, simple, and safe way to manage, catalogue,
| and monitor the numerous registered file types in Windows. [....]

[snipping the part about precautions and advanced users ]

It has a feature which apparently you want:

| To keep things safe, DLTypes automatically backs up Registry entries
| when deleting extensions or changing values and tracks changes made to
| registry

It includes some cleanup functionality:

| DLTypes retrieves all registered file types from the Windows registry
| and presents them along with the number of files, file sizes, and invalid
| entries for each extension and file type.

Plus, special treatment for icon changes:

| Icons can be located or built easily by using the scan function. After
| the scan, create a favorite icon list by browsing and selecting the icons.

Quick note - a cool thing here is that the icons for filetypes are displayed
as inline graphics in the program's interface.

.. . .

It's a big download, I want to warn. A large-sized program, as far as usual
system utilities size. Plus there are some .ocx's as part of it (.ocx's ==
+++registry entries). Still worth it IMO.

http://dlsoftware.pair.com/fifteen.gif
http://dlsoftware.pair.com/
http://dlsoftware.pair.com/dltypes.zip 1.8mb

http://dlsoftware.pair.com/dltkey.zip *

* Registration key. Shareware turned freeware. The readme.txt, the author
did not bother to rewrite about that. But clear in his distributing the key
with his program, he's changed its status.

.. . .

Note to others reading. Its release date made me think it would not be XP
compatible. On the other hand, it includes W2K as a supported platform, so
maybe that means ok for XP too (??)

| Release date: 30-10-1999
| Platform: W2K/NT4/W95/W98/ME

 

[omega]

That's true with all of them. That's what you're doing: editing (changing)
the registry. You're just using a front-end program, instead of doing it
directly with a registry editor. Same deal with Context Edit, the one
you were in the habit of using.

I want to add. Also no different from that which your referred to above
as "the OS way." The only "safety" difference with using the Windows
Edit File dialog is that it defaults to not displaying for you the most
interesting keys to edit:

AllFileSytemObjects, Folder, *, Directory, Drives, etc.

(A default that can be changed, btw - the EditFlags key values.)

But then, most associations editors don't display those special keys for
you, either. Thus, no safety difference.

Of course, using a badly buggy program, as in Association Manger, that's
another story....

 

[omega]

I had a thought about safety, just now, while thinking about this kind
of program. Some of them will let you delete fileypes keys. I mean you
have, the one key, the .xxx key, and then where it is paired up to, like..

HKCR\.mid
==> HKCR\midfile @ Midi Sequence

Under that second key, there is all kinds of stuff there - subkeys and
values - which you would see only with your registry editor. You won't
see any of that with the file association editors. In such a blind mode,
I'd strongly advise not deleting any filetypes keys. (It'd be like
running a deltree without knowing what subfolders are beneath.)

Regular edits, as in the normal type wanted, pointing to a different
program for filetype actions, that's different...

Another thinng. After thinking futher about caution concerns. I think
I want to re-iterate recommendation for DLTypes, despite its large size.
The way it makes .reg backups on every action is an extremely good feature.

http://dlsoftware.pair.com/

 

[Malcolm Reeves]

Hi,

A bit off topic but in my file associations (XP Home) I seem to have
entries like:

..avi
..avi"
..inc
..inc"
..lib
..lib"
..mpe"
..mpg

is the " on these file extensions correct? Or has something messed it
up? I can't seem to get zoom player to start when I double click a
..avi etc. in explorer. .avi" is set to acrobat which doesn't seem
right at all :-(.

TIA


--

....malcolm

Malcolm Reeves BSc CEng MIEE MIRSE, Full Circuit Ltd, Chippenham, UK
([email protected], (e-mail address removed) or (e-mail address removed)).
Design Service for Analogue/Digital H/W & S/W Railway Signalling and Power
electronics. More details plus freeware, Win95/98 DUN and Pspice tips, see:

http://www.fullcircuit.com or http://www.fullcircuit.co.uk

NEW - Desktop ToDo/Reminder program (free)

 

[fitwell]

[snip]

<lol> Karen, as explained _you_ never were. There's only one person
in all usenet who is killfiled by me and it's not a woman. <g>

[snip]

That's true with all of them. That's what you're doing: editing (changing)
the registry. You're just using a front-end program, instead of doing it
directly with a registry editor. Same deal with Context Edit, the one
you were in the habit of using. The only difference here, with this and
another association editor, is that the author chose to put one of those
traditional, dramatic registy warnings. It's just associations you're
editing. Yet if you truly feel hesitant about changes you're doing?
Back up. Take notes. Perhaps run an installation monitor while you use
it, to create undo files.

Nope, you misunderstood. I wasn't clear enough. Of course everything
we do affects the registry. Heck, if you want to go that far, we're
all writing binary if you go down far enough, it's a question of how
many layers/steps/whatever proper technical term for this concept is
away from machine code programs allow user to be. The further away,
usu. the easier it is to use and the less risk there is.

The reg editor is only a few steps up, the above app is only a bit
removed from the reg editor, ContextEdit is far above either. Because
of this, ContextEdit and other similar apps, by the very nature of the
interface, doesn't allow us access to all aspects of the registry,
just to the specific spots dealing with associating programs to the
context menu. And the interface has very specific boxes where you
enter only certain kinds of data. You really can't go too far wrong
when you use them.

Not so with the above app and even less with the reg editor. The
closer to machine code you go, the absolutely more accurate you have
to be as there is less room for error. There is less risk control
built in the closer you get to binary, I guess, by the very nature of
the beast. I'm no techie and I know I don't know proper terminology
but I've lived this in the field, so to speak. Have had opportunities
to witness the types of problems users could get into time and time
again over the last 15 years ever since I started working with
computers. It also comes from having worked on non-DOS machines then
through DOS and then seeing what GUIs did.

[snip]

Maybe others, but, hey, /you/ were already using Context Edit...

Very big difference between two types as explained above.

In case you might end by wanting to try yet another... There's one I've
not seen mentioned around here: DLTypes.

Hey thanks! Checking it out now!

http://dlsoftware.pair.com/

| DLTypes v3.0 - File Types Manager
|
| DLTypes offers a quick, simple, and safe way to manage, catalogue,
| and monitor the numerous registered file types in Windows. [....]

[snipping the part about precautions and advanced users ]

It has a feature which apparently you want:

| To keep things safe, DLTypes automatically backs up Registry entries
| when deleting extensions or changing values and tracks changes made to
| registry

It includes some cleanup functionality:

| DLTypes retrieves all registered file types from the Windows registry
| and presents them along with the number of files, file sizes, and invalid
| entries for each extension and file type.

Plus, special treatment for icon changes:

| Icons can be located or built easily by using the scan function. After
| the scan, create a favorite icon list by browsing and selecting the icons.

Quick note - a cool thing here is that the icons for filetypes are displayed
as inline graphics in the program's interface.

. . .

It's a big download, I want to warn. A large-sized program, as far as usual
system utilities size. Plus there are some .ocx's as part of it (.ocx's ==
+++registry entries). Still worth it IMO.

http://dlsoftware.pair.com/fifteen.gif
http://dlsoftware.pair.com/
http://dlsoftware.pair.com/dltypes.zip 1.8mb

http://dlsoftware.pair.com/dltkey.zip *

* Registration key. Shareware turned freeware. The readme.txt, the author
did not bother to rewrite about that. But clear in his distributing the key
with his program, he's changed its status.

. . .

Note to others reading. Its release date made me think it would not be XP
compatible. On the other hand, it includes W2K as a supported platform, so
maybe that means ok for XP too (??)

| Release date: 30-10-1999
| Platform: W2K/NT4/W95/W98/ME

 

[fitwell]

I had a thought about safety, just now, while thinking about this kind
of program. Some of them will let you delete fileypes keys. I mean you
have, the one key, the .xxx key, and then where it is paired up to, like..

That's exactly the type of thing I was thinking of. You can't do that
sort of thing in ContextEdit. So you knock out a program? You just
go back and fix. You can't, afaik, knock out pieces of the registry
as you can with this app or the reg editor. Those are the pitfalls
facing inexperienced users when you use an app like this or the reg
editor.

 

[jason]

Those are the pitfalls
facing inexperienced users when you use an app like this or the reg
editor.

You could always "practice" editing the registry using Test-Run. I
sometimes experiment around with the registry, and if I screw up, I can
always revert to my normal registry. Granted, this presupposes you have
the time and inclination to experiment, and aren't just looking to edit the
registry as needed and be done with it. If you are interested in Test-Run,
I can supply a link. Otherwise I won't, since I think you're looking for a
more straightforward answer. But just thought I'd throw the idea out in
case you ever want to spend some time learning about the registry, but
don't want to screw anything up.

 

[fitwell]

You could always "practice" editing the registry using Test-Run. I
sometimes experiment around with the registry, and if I screw up, I can
always revert to my normal registry. Granted, this presupposes you have
the time and inclination to experiment, and aren't just looking to edit the
registry as needed and be done with it. If you are interested in Test-Run,
I can supply a link. Otherwise I won't, since I think you're looking for a
more straightforward answer. But just thought I'd throw the idea out in
case you ever want to spend some time learning about the registry, but
don't want to screw anything up.

Great recommendation, thanks. I've not the time these days but it is
a goal to learn more eventually.

You're re a "straightforward answer" but in the sense that that I
would like to eventually find a file types association editor that
allows straightforward access to the icons without fiddling or risking
anything.

Cheers!

D

 

[omega]

would like to eventually find a file types association editor that
allows straightforward access to the icons without fiddling or risking
anything.

For doing the icon thing, I am certain nothing exists superior to DLTypes.
There is no true risk. As it backs up every move you make. It provides an
easy log to read, and restores whatever you wish.

I'd still not use it to delete filetypes keys. The has esp do with the fact
that you will lose the CLSID type references they might contain, so be left
over with a lot of orphaned debris in the registry, hard to figure out
later. It does have backup + restore abilities, but since some fair number
of the deletions will indeed need to be undone, not worth it. Ah, but you
never planned to delete things anyway... (That's strictly my own favored
registry activity.)

The suggestion Jason made about Test-Run is very good.

The exception I'd make is to avoid using it with DLTypes. This since DLTypes
will be saving .reg backups for you, and logging your changes, all based on
its belief that it's your actual registry it's tracking, not the "temporary
registry" as provided by Test-Run. (It would invalidate the records DLTypes
stores for you, and things could get funky if you applied an undo file that
came from a different/temporary registry.)

 

[fitwell]

For doing the icon thing, I am certain nothing exists superior to DLTypes.
There is no true risk. As it backs up every move you make. It provides an
easy log to read, and restores whatever you wish.

I'd still not use it to delete filetypes keys. The has esp do with the fact
that you will lose the CLSID type references they might contain, so be left
over with a lot of orphaned debris in the registry, hard to figure out
later. It does have backup + restore abilities, but since some fair number
of the deletions will indeed need to be undone, not worth it. Ah, but you
never planned to delete things anyway... (That's strictly my own favored
registry activity.)

The suggestion Jason made about Test-Run is very good.

The exception I'd make is to avoid using it with DLTypes. This since DLTypes
will be saving .reg backups for you, and logging your changes, all based on
its belief that it's your actual registry it's tracking, not the "temporary
registry" as provided by Test-Run. (It would invalidate the records DLTypes
stores for you, and things could get funky if you applied an undo file that
came from a different/temporary registry.)

Kewl, thanks for the info! Appreciate it.

D

 

[Keenan P.]

Question re: the above ftp site....
Any or all of this freeware/shareware? I just downloaded one and it was
a 30 day trial.
Curious,
POKO