file association failure - at wits end

  • Thread starter Thread starter tim
  • Start date Start date
T

tim

Hi

This may sound like a minor problem but I'm losing hair over it! I'm using
windows mediaplayer 10 and am generally happy with the programme - this is a
system problem I'm sure.

I've lost the ability to open (or play) an .mp3 file (and .avi file for
that matter) by double clicking on them in explorer. I've reset and checked
all the associations via tools>folder options>filetypes etc but no joy. Odd
thing is if I right click and follow openwith>mediaplayer the file will open
the mediaplayer and then play normally. Similarly if the media player
application is running and I double click a media file it will launch into
the media player application.

It's making me suspect that it is a registry problem that prevents the link
being made between the file type and the programme in explorer?. I've
checked that .mp3 is associated with "mp3file" and mp3file is associated
with wmplayer.exe using assoc and ftype in the command window. Now I don't
know where to go next - if the last resort is a xp reinstall I'll give up
but I'm sure it's just a registry fix.

If anyone can suggest where I should be looking I will compare my working
laptop registry with my failed desktop!

Any suggestions will be greatfully recieved
 
you can try opening
the registry and simply
deleting the keys of those
extensions.

then create them again
via the explorer.

click on start>run>regedit

then initiate a search by
using the extension as
a criterion or as an
example try using: .html

you will then be taken to
the root and branch where
all those extensions are
located.

--

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces

"share the nirvana" - dbZen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
tim said:
I've lost the ability to open (or play) an .mp3 file (and .avi file
for that matter) by double clicking on them in explorer. I've reset
and checked all the associations via tools>folder options>filetypes
etc but no joy. Odd thing is if I right click and follow
openwith>mediaplayer the file will open the mediaplayer and then play
normally. Similarly if the media player application is running and I
double click a media file it will launch into the media player
application.
It's making me suspect that it is a registry problem that prevents
the link being made between the file type and the programme in
explorer?. I've checked that .mp3 is associated with "mp3file" and
mp3file is associated with wmplayer.exe using assoc and ftype in the
command window. Now I don't know where to go next - if the last
resort is a xp reinstall I'll give up but I'm sure it's just a
registry fix.
Click to expand...

Control Panel
Folder Options
File Types
MP3
Advanced

The default action (for what you want) should be "Play in <player name>" or
"Open". Is it?

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico
 
thanks DB,

do you mean delete the extension keys in all hives in the registry? so for
instance everywhere .mp3 exists? I'll do a system restore point and see
what happens.

TH
 
thanks dadiOH

on the Right Click on the file (mp3) on the desktop I am offered "Play" at
the top in bold but no offer of "Open". I am offered "Open with" which pops
out the Open with dialogue box with Windows Media player as the recommende
program. I usually tick the always use the selected program option to try
and freeze the selecetion for next time. If I now choose "OK" it will open
the player and run. However, this still does not enable the double click
action.

If I go in Control Panel
Folder Options
File Types
MP3
Advanced the default is shown as Play with this
application: "C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe"
/prefetch:6 /Open "%L" and a dde application of wmplayer and topic of
system. Highlighting Open as the default makes no difference to the right
click options. Would it need a reboot?
Click to expand...

Thanks for the help

TH
 
yes,

you're on the right
track and wise for
thinking about making
a restore point first.

--

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces

"share the nirvana" - dbZen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
tim said:
thanks dadiOH

on the Right Click on the file (mp3) on the desktop I am offered
"Play" at the top in bold but no offer of "Open". I am offered "Open
with" which pops out the Open with dialogue box with Windows Media
player as the recommende program. I usually tick the always use the
selected program option to try and freeze the selecetion for next
time. If I now choose "OK" it will open the player and run. However, this
still does not enable the double click action.

If I go in Control Panel
Click to expand...

I have no idea what " /prefetch:6 /Open "%L"" means. That is possibly
because I studiously avoid Windows Media Player. The only switch I am
familiar with (relative to playing MP3s) is the path followed by "1". In
your case the whole thing would be...

"C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe" "1"

....including all quotation marks. You might try that for the default
command line.
____________________

Any action listed in the File Types applet should appear on the context menu
(right click menu). On that menu, the default action is in bold face;
changing the default will/should change which context menu item is in bold
face.

Double clicking a file has nothing to do with context menus...it is to
invoke whatever the default action is for that type of file. As an aside,
why do people double click when they could do it with one click? To create
index fingers of steel? :)

Context menus - right click menus - are a unique list of possible actions
depending upon the file type of what you clicked. That is, some of the
actions offered are global but others vary with the type of file. If you
want to control/create context menus and entries for same I suggest
FastExplorer. It takes a bit of learning but there are useful & informative
links at the site; there is a section in my dandies (see sig) about it as
well. Another handy program for this sort of thing is ContextEdit. It too
is in the dandies.

FastExplorer
http://thesoftpro.tripod.com/downloads/index.htm

ContextEdit
http://www.ramlende.com/utilities.html



--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico
 
dadiOH said:
I have no idea what " /prefetch:6 /Open "%L"" means. That is possibly
because I studiously avoid Windows Media Player. The only switch I am
familiar with (relative to playing MP3s) is the path followed by "1".
Click to expand...

No. It is "%1" (for you), not "1". "%1" and "%L" are placeholders for
the path\name of the file being clicked.
In your case the whole thing would be...
"C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe" "1"
Click to expand...

"C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe" /prefetch:6 /Open "%L"
is correct. Except that '/Open' should be in the 'Open' entry which does
not appear on his context-menu, and '/Play' should be in the 'Play' entry
on his context-menu, not '/Open'.
...including all quotation marks. You might try that for the default
command line.
____________________


Any action listed in the File Types applet should appear on the
context menu (right click menu). On that menu, the default action is
in bold face; changing the default will/should change which context
menu item is in bold face.
Click to expand...

Except that the OP claims there is NO 'Open' on his context-menu,
yet he claims that he can highlight 'Open' as the default oh his
Folder Options /File Types\ MP3 Advanced
Double clicking a file has nothing to do with context menus... it is to
invoke whatever the default action is for that type of file.

...
Context menus - right click menus - are a unique list of possible
actions depending upon the file type of what you clicked. That is,
some of the actions offered are global but others vary with the type
of file. ...
Click to expand...

The OP is telling a mixed-up story, or the file-type association settings
in the registry are corrupt.
 
alpha said:
No. It is "%1" (for you), not "1". "%1" and "%L" are placeholders for
the path\name of the file being clicked.
Click to expand...

Yes, it should be "%1". Thank you for catching my typo.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico
 
thanks for your time and help


db ´¯`·.. > said:
yes,

you're on the right
track and wise for
thinking about making
a restore point first.

--

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces

"share the nirvana" - dbZen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Click to expand...
 
thaks ju.c but I've done all that. Getting to view file types via my
computer > tools > folder options> file types and into the association
options dialogue box..
It's the resetting that's not working.

TH
 
DadiOH & alpha, thanks for your time and help.

I've restored to 2 months ago still no joy. The combination of opening a
media file (successfully into the program) via the command prompt window and
opening it successfully from the run command makes me sure it's an explorer
association problem.

In the advanced file types menu for .mp3 I tried defaulting the association
to "open" but it didn't do anything until I clicked "set default" once and
it moved up the list, twice and it went bold, but when I went back in
explorer it had made no effect in the right click menu. However, for a text
document eg .txt changing the folder options for example default = print ,
work just as expected; making immediate changes to the context menu default
for the file type on the desktop.

I think I've concluded that there is a corruption in the explorer: .mp3:
mediaplayer association so I'm going to check that more thoroughly via
regedit.

However, which hive(s) should I change so that when I boot up again it does
not revert to my previous registry settings??

Thanks for all your time and thoughts so far.

TH
 
DadiOH & alpha, thanks for your time and help.

I've restored to 2 months ago still no joy. The combination of opening a
media file (successfully into the program) via the command prompt window
and
opening it successfully from the run command makes me sure it's an explorer
association problem.In the advanced file types menu for .mp3 I tried defaulting the association
to "open" but it didn't do anything until I clicked "set default" once and
it moved up the list, twice and it went bold, but when I went back in
explorer it had made no effect in the right click menu. However, for a text
document eg .txt changing the folder options for example default = print ,
work just as expected; making immediate changes to the context menu default
for the file type on the desktop.

I think I've concluded that there is a corruption in the explorer: .mp3:
mediaplayer association so I'm going to check that more thoroughly via
regedit.

However, which hive(s) should I change so that when I boot up again it does
not revert to my previous registry settings??

But I am homing in on problem as I have found if I associate .mp3 with
another program eg Audacity it all works fine so corruption seems to be in
explorer setting associating mediaplayer file types. now I've just got to
spot where in registry I can see anew association with audacity so I know
where problem was and I can set it back manually hopefully.

Thanks for all your time and thoughts so far.

TH
 
you're welcome.

--

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces

"share the nirvana" - dbZen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
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