File Associations and User Profiles

[Steve]

I have an issue with file associations not being set for all users. I log in
as local administrator and set Microsoft Document Imaging Veiwer to open
..tiff and .tif files. I check the box to always use this program to open this
type of file. It works as it should for the local administrator. But when I
log in as a different user that does not have admin privledges the file
association does reflect the changes I made to use Microsoft Document Imaging
viewer to open .tiff and .tif files. How can I set this so that all users on
our computers will use the same program to open .tiff and .tif files? I feel
like this is some sort of a permissions issue but I am not sure where the
problem is.

 

[Jim]

I have an issue with file associations not being set for all users. I log
in
as local administrator and set Microsoft Document Imaging Veiwer to open
.tiff and .tif files. I check the box to always use this program to open
this
type of file. It works as it should for the local administrator. But when
I
log in as a different user that does not have admin privledges the file
association does reflect the changes I made to use Microsoft Document
Imaging
viewer to open .tiff and .tif files. How can I set this so that all users
on
our computers will use the same program to open .tiff and .tif files? I
feel
like this is some sort of a permissions issue but I am not sure where the
problem is.

To make the changes affect all users, you need to make the changes to the
correct hive of the registry. What you describe only makes changes to the
login account's hive (ntuser.dat).
Jim

 

[Steve]

What registry setting needs to be changed? I am assuming it needs to be
changed under HKEY_Local machine but I am not finding the the actual setting
that needs to be changed.

 

[Rey Santos]

Look for it here:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\Explorer
NoFileAssociate should have a value of 0

a value of 0 or a missing value enables the user's ability to change file
associations
a value of 1 disables the user's ability to change file associations

 

[Jim]

What registry setting needs to be changed? I am assuming it needs to be
changed under HKEY_Local machine but I am not finding the the actual
setting
that needs to be changed.

This subject is discussed in Appendix A to "Microsoft Windows Registry
Guide" by Jerry Honeycutt.
The keys exist in either HKCR or HKLM or both. The default values, which
possibly what you need to change, reside in HKLM\Software\Classes. Per-user
values reside in HKCU\Software\Classes.
When you make associations useing the "Open With" dialog or the Folder
Options, you are making changes to HKCU. The only way to make changes to
HKLM is with regedit. There is lots more to the subject in the reference.
Jim

 

[Steve]

Hello Rey,

I have made that change and it has no effect. Even if this did work this
seems it would only give the ability for All Users to change file
associations. What I am looking for is a way to set .tiff files to open with
Microsoft Document Imaging for All Users so when any user logs into the
machine this file association is set without them having to go and change it.
Is there a way to do this?

 

[Rey Santos]

The key for the current user:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\Explorer
Same value for NoFileAssociate
a value of 0 or a missing value enables the user's ability to change file
associations
a value of 1 disables the user's ability to change file associations

 

[Steve]

Hello again Rey,

I think I am not explaining myself clearly.

The regedit you suggest does not accomplish what I need. I need to set .tiff
files to open with Microsoft Document Imaging viewer for anyone that logs in
to the computer. I want to set this globally. Not just give users the ability
to change file associations. I am creating an image for our new PC's and I
want this set in the image. I am not trying to give the user the ability to
change file associations for themselves. I want to set it before the PC gets
rolled out.

Thank you for any assistance.

 

[ju.c]

Follow these instructions to change TIF and TIFF association for all users:

1. Open the Registry Editor.
(Open a Run box and enter: regedit.exe)
2. Expand "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT"
3. Find ".tif"
4. Click on it and note the Data for (Default)
5. Click on ".tiff" and check that its (Default) is the same as ".tif"
6. Go down to the key from (Default)
(It may be "MSPaper.Document")
7. Click on it, right-click it and choose "Export"
(Save to Desktop as "TIF_HKCU.reg")
8. Now go all the way up and collapse "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT"
9. Expand "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE"
10. Expand "Software"
1. Expand "Classes"
12. Repeat here steps 3 to 6.
13. Click on it, right-click it and choose "Export"
(Save to Desktop as "TIF_HKLM_old.reg")
13. Close the Registry Editor.
14. Open "TIF_HKCU.reg" in Notepad.
15. Search and replace all of "[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\"
with "[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\"
16. Save-As "TIF_HKLM_new.reg"
17. Now import "TIF_HKLM_new.reg" by double-clicking or
right-clicking and merging into the registry.
18. Save those reg files for backup.

Note:
If, for some reason, that does not work you can just import the "TIF_HKCU.reg" file during another
users session.


ju.c