XP fax - how to get default fax file association

[Beemer]

I installed Photoshop CS and now XP incoming faxes are viewed in
Photoshop instead of MS Picture and Fax viewer program.

I cannot find how to get the default back.

Beemer

 

[Ramesh [MVP]]

Hi Beemer,

Click Start/Run and type CMD. Type this command exactly as given:

Assoc .TIF=TIFImage.Document

Then, type:

regsvr32 shimgvw.dll

--
Ramesh, Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell/User
http://windowsxp.mvps.org


I installed Photoshop CS and now XP incoming faxes are viewed in
Photoshop instead of MS Picture and Fax viewer program.

I cannot find how to get the default back.

Beemer

 

[cquirke (MVP Win9x)]

Hi Beemer,

Click Start/Run and type CMD. Type this command exactly as given:

Assoc .TIF=TIFImage.Document

Then, type:

regsvr32 shimgvw.dll

Hi, Ramesh! Nice tips, could you explain (or URL) how they work?
Is Assoc an internal Cmd.exe command?
What does shimgvw.dll do?

 

[Ramesh [MVP]]

Thanks Chris. Photoshop would have changed the .TIF association to something else. Assoc (internal command I guess) sets the FileType for an extension. And registering the shimgvw.dll fixes the shell\open\command for TIF.Document and does much more.

Microsoft Windows XP - Assoc:
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/assoc.mspx

--
Ramesh, Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell/User
http://windowsxp.mvps.org

Hi Beemer,

Click Start/Run and type CMD. Type this command exactly as given:

Assoc .TIF=TIFImage.Document

Then, type:

regsvr32 shimgvw.dll

Hi, Ramesh! Nice tips, could you explain (or URL) how they work?
Is Assoc an internal Cmd.exe command?
What does shimgvw.dll do?

 

[Beemer]

Hi Beemer,

Click Start/Run and type CMD. Type this command exactly as given:

Assoc .TIF=TIFImage.Document

Then, type:

regsvr32 shimgvw.dll

Ramersh,

Thanks. Did not work after trying twice with reboot between. Had to
remove TIF file type then make new tif type.

okay now thanks

Beemer

 

[cquirke (MVP Win9x)]

On Thu, 9 Dec 2004 09:21:29 +0530, "Ramesh [MVP]"

Photoshop would have changed the .TIF association to something else.

That bit I'm OK on

Assoc (internal command I guess) sets the FileType for an extension.

Ah, let's drill down here. Is this a simplistic "one default action
called Open, all else destroyed" club like File Manager associate file
or Open With, Always Use?

Does it respect or nuke per-account HKCR overrides, and if it nukes,
does it do so across all accounts or just the one it's done from?

Does it clear the WinMEXP-enhanced OpenWith list? If so, just for
that account or all accounts?

I guess you'd have to ask the same Qs about all assn chage methods.

And registering the shimgvw.dll fixes the shell\open\command for
TIF.Document and does much more.

Is this the engine behind TweakUI's "Repair associations"? Looks like
a big /kb article in itself - is there a URL for one? Oh, ignore that
last question; Google finds this...

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=272969

....

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

Drugs are usually safe. Inject? (Y/n)

 

[Ramesh [MVP]]

"Assoc .TIF=TIFImage.Document" simply alters the

HKLM\Software\Classes\.TIF
(Default) to "TIFImage.Document"

Openwithlist is never altered, and the per-user setting (openwithlist -> ProgId / Application) will still be intact.

--
Ramesh, Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell/User
http://windowsxp.mvps.org

Photoshop would have changed the .TIF association to something else.

That bit I'm OK on

Assoc (internal command I guess) sets the FileType for an extension.

Ah, let's drill down here. Is this a simplistic "one default action
called Open, all else destroyed" club like File Manager associate file
or Open With, Always Use?

Does it respect or nuke per-account HKCR overrides, and if it nukes,
does it do so across all accounts or just the one it's done from?

Does it clear the WinMEXP-enhanced OpenWith list? If so, just for
that account or all accounts?

I guess you'd have to ask the same Qs about all assn chage methods.

And registering the shimgvw.dll fixes the shell\open\command for
TIF.Document and does much more.

Is this the engine behind TweakUI's "Repair associations"? Looks like
a big /kb article in itself - is there a URL for one? Oh, ignore that
last question; Google finds this...

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=272969

....

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

Drugs are usually safe. Inject? (Y/n)

 

[cquirke (MVP Win9x)]

On Fri, 10 Dec 2004 18:45:39 +0530, "Ramesh [MVP]"

"Assoc .TIF=TIFImage.Document" simply alters the

HKLM\Software\Classes\.TIF
(Default) to "TIFImage.Document"

Ah, lovely; nice accurate answer one can only get from someone who
knows how it was coded

Openwithlist is never altered, and the per-user setting
(openwithlist -> ProgId / Application) will still be intact.

I'd also take this to mean that...
- HKLM\Software\Classes\TIFImage.Document not changed
- HKU\...\.TIF not changed (?)
- HKU\...\TIFImage.Document not changed
....and thus any actions added to TIFImage.Document would be preserved.

The only adverse impact would be to an app that re-routed .TIF to some
aggregate type other than TIFImage.Document (which is the situation
this tool is intended to change, as a way of fixing it)

I've not played much with XP's new HKU\...\Classes facility. What
happens if (say) HKLM\...\.TIF points to TIFImage.Document and
HKCU\...\.TIF points to (say) MyGraphicAppFile ?

Do you get:
- all actions of both MyGraphicAppFile and TIFImage.Document
- all of HKLM'TIFImage.Document and HKCU'MyGraphicAppFile
- only actions of HKLM'TIFImage.Document and HKCU'TIFImage.Document
- only actions of HKCU'TIFImage.Document
?

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

The most accurate diagnostic instrument
in medicine is the Retrospectoscope

 

[Ramesh [MVP]]

Chris,

For the last part, the answer is:
"only actions of HKCU'TIFImage.Document"

More here:
Changes in File Types and File Association Features in Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q257592

--
Ramesh, Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell/User
http://windowsxp.mvps.org

"Assoc .TIF=TIFImage.Document" simply alters the

HKLM\Software\Classes\.TIF
(Default) to "TIFImage.Document"

Ah, lovely; nice accurate answer one can only get from someone who
knows how it was coded

Openwithlist is never altered, and the per-user setting
(openwithlist -> ProgId / Application) will still be intact.

I'd also take this to mean that...
- HKLM\Software\Classes\TIFImage.Document not changed
- HKU\...\.TIF not changed (?)
- HKU\...\TIFImage.Document not changed
....and thus any actions added to TIFImage.Document would be preserved.

The only adverse impact would be to an app that re-routed .TIF to some
aggregate type other than TIFImage.Document (which is the situation
this tool is intended to change, as a way of fixing it)

I've not played much with XP's new HKU\...\Classes facility. What
happens if (say) HKLM\...\.TIF points to TIFImage.Document and
HKCU\...\.TIF points to (say) MyGraphicAppFile ?

Do you get:
- all actions of both MyGraphicAppFile and TIFImage.Document
- all of HKLM'TIFImage.Document and HKCU'MyGraphicAppFile
- only actions of HKLM'TIFImage.Document and HKCU'TIFImage.Document
- only actions of HKCU'TIFImage.Document
?

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

The most accurate diagnostic instrument
in medicine is the Retrospectoscope

 

[David Candy]

Verbs should be added to the systemfileassociation key.

If there is a CU setting that is the same as a LM setting the CU setting will appear in HKCR. Editing HKCR will edit whatever the underlying data is.


hkcu\software\classes\filetype\shell\command\destroy
hklm\software\classes\filetype\shell\command\destroy
hklm\software\classes\filetype\shell\command\exterminate

Hkcr (and the context menu) will show Destroy from CU and Exterminate from LM. Edit destroy in HKCR will edit the CU setting and editing Exterminate will edit LM.

In your example as the keys are the same only CU will appear.

 

[cquirke (MVP Win9x)]

On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 10:46:29 +0530, "Ramesh [MVP]"

Chris Hi!

For the last part, the answer is:
"only actions of HKCU'TIFImage.Document"

O..K.. (ponders the significance of this)

Changes in File Types and File Association Features in Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q257592

Odd that it's specific to Server; doesn't XP Home and Pro work this
way too? For home users, locking out UI but facilitating programmatic
changes is essentially facilitating malware and blocking repair.

Those who say "but if malware code runs, all is lost!" aren't thinking
security in depth (accept that you will be penetrated, and don't stop
defending yourself when that happens), nor are they thinking of the
stand-alone consumer market.

This bit...

<paste>

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes registry key still contains global
file type associations that are global to all users of the computer.
However, entries that reside in the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Classes
registry key take precedence in the event of a duplication.

</paste>

....isn't clear. From past experience (Folder / Drive action
inhereitence, merging of .REG) one might expect HKCU to overlay what
is in HKLM, e.g. something like this...

HKLM\...\sometype\...\open\...\SomeApp.exe
HKLM\...\sometype\...\print\...\SomeApp.exe /P

HKCU\...\sometype\...\open\...\Blah.exe
HKCU\...\sometype\...\view\...\Blee.exe

....to give this...

open (Blah.exe)
print (SomeApp.exe /P)
view (Blee.exe)

....rather than just this...

open (Blah.exe)
view (Blee.exe)

....but what you say implies the last.

So a hostile HKCU\...\.exe etc. would be quite difficult to fix?

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

The most accurate diagnostic instrument
in medicine is the Retrospectoscope

 

[Ramesh [MVP]]

Chris,

From your example:

HKLM\...\sometype\...\open\...\SomeApp.exe
HKLM\...\sometype\...\print\...\SomeApp.exe /P

HKCU\...\sometype\...\open\...\Blah.exe
HKCU\...\sometype\...\view\...\Blee.exe

What's the ProgID assigned in each location ?

Example:
HKCU\Classes\.txt
(default) = ?

HKLM\Classes\.txt
(default) = ?

If the ProgID is defined (example, <SomeID>), is that present under HKCU or HKLM (or both?)

The resulting context-menu varies for each combination.

--
Ramesh, Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell/User
http://windowsxp.mvps.org

Chris Hi!

For the last part, the answer is:
"only actions of HKCU'TIFImage.Document"

O..K.. (ponders the significance of this)

Changes in File Types and File Association Features in Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q257592

Odd that it's specific to Server; doesn't XP Home and Pro work this
way too? For home users, locking out UI but facilitating programmatic
changes is essentially facilitating malware and blocking repair.

Those who say "but if malware code runs, all is lost!" aren't thinking
security in depth (accept that you will be penetrated, and don't stop
defending yourself when that happens), nor are they thinking of the
stand-alone consumer market.

This bit...

<paste>

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes registry key still contains global
file type associations that are global to all users of the computer.
However, entries that reside in the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Classes
registry key take precedence in the event of a duplication.

</paste>

....isn't clear. From past experience (Folder / Drive action
inhereitence, merging of .REG) one might expect HKCU to overlay what
is in HKLM, e.g. something like this...

HKLM\...\sometype\...\open\...\SomeApp.exe
HKLM\...\sometype\...\print\...\SomeApp.exe /P

HKCU\...\sometype\...\open\...\Blah.exe
HKCU\...\sometype\...\view\...\Blee.exe

....to give this...

open (Blah.exe)
print (SomeApp.exe /P)
view (Blee.exe)

....rather than just this...

open (Blah.exe)
view (Blee.exe)

....but what you say implies the last.

So a hostile HKCU\...\.exe etc. would be quite difficult to fix?

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

The most accurate diagnostic instrument
in medicine is the Retrospectoscope

 

[cquirke (MVP Win9x)]

On Sun, 12 Dec 2004 12:57:30 +0530, "Ramesh [MVP]"

From your example:

HKLM\...\sometype\...\open\...\SomeApp.exe
HKLM\...\sometype\...\print\...\SomeApp.exe /P

What's the ProgID assigned in each location ?

ProgID, eh? So that's what it's called

As I understand it, it's like snakes and ladders; .ext points to what
I've been calling an aggregate file type, and that has the goodies.

It can vary, tho; goodies can be under the .ext itself, and things can
get hairy when CLSIDs get involved.

In this case, I was contemplating the aggregate type itself, and
(keeping it simple) ASSuming similar gatherings of .ext into that type

But if those vary, then things can get quite hard to state-chart; too
many variables. I'd understand it by charting each layer of
interaction separately, then figuring what overrides what.

Example:
HKCU\Classes\.txt
(default) = ?

HKLM\Classes\.txt
(default) = ?

But here's a meaner example...

HKLM\Classes\.txt = sometype
HKLM\Classes\.rtf = sometype
HKLM\Classes\.doc = othertype

HKCU\Classes\.txt = sometype
HKCU\Classes\.rtf = othertype
HKCU\Classes\.doc = othertype

HKLM\...\othertype\...\open\...\Bong!.exe

HKCU\...\othertype\...\view\...\Foo.exe
HKCU\...\othertype\...\snert\...\Snert32.exe

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

I swear to god i must be the only true