How do I customize the text in "Open With ->" context menu?

[Lee Grissom]

When I right-click on a file and choose the "Open With" submenu, there
are a list of five applications. Two of them are my custom
application, but all it says is "MyApp" and "MyApp". That's too
ambiguous, b/c in reality, one of them is version 1.0 and the other is
2.0. So I'm wondering if there's a way to customize the text that
appears to make it easier for my customers to know with version of the
application is going to be launched depending on which menu item they
clicked on.

Thanks,
Lee

 

[Lee Grissom]

Lee Grissom explained on 8/21/2007 :

So I'm wondering if there's a way to customize the text

It seems on my system, that the value is read from the Registry under
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\MUICache

and for the path of my executables, the value can be any localized
string I wish. It seems that the OS automatically populates this value
by extracting it from the executable if possible, but for my .NET
application it's not working the way I'd like. I'm not sure if I'm
going down the correct road or not.

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

You could recompile the application with your preferred text, such as "MyApp v2.0". The "Open With" uses the "Description" field in executables.

If that's not possible, let me know. There is another way around.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


When I right-click on a file and choose the "Open With" submenu, there
are a list of five applications. Two of them are my custom
application, but all it says is "MyApp" and "MyApp". That's too
ambiguous, b/c in reality, one of them is version 1.0 and the other is
2.0. So I'm wondering if there's a way to customize the text that
appears to make it easier for my customers to know with version of the
application is going to be launched depending on which menu item they
clicked on.

Thanks,
Lee

 

[Lee Grissom]

You could recompile the application with your preferred text, such as "MyApp
v2.0". The "Open With" uses the "Description" field in executables.

If that's not possible, let me know. There is another way around.

Thanks Ramesh. Now I understand. For some strange reason, non of the
VersionInfo fields of my .NET executable are present. Maybe it has to
do with the Manifest file, I'm not sure, but the version information
doesn't appear. I'll have to figure that out. In the mean time, you
mentioned another way around? Please do tell. Many thanks.

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Lee,

See: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa969321.aspx

<quote>
You can also include a FriendlyAppName value to provide the system with a friendly name for your application. The application's friendly name may also be extracted from its executable file, but only if the FriendlyAppName value is absent
</quote>

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com

You could recompile the application with your preferred text, such as "MyApp
v2.0". The "Open With" uses the "Description" field in executables.

If that's not possible, let me know. There is another way around.

Thanks Ramesh. Now I understand. For some strange reason, non of the
VersionInfo fields of my .NET executable are present. Maybe it has to
do with the Manifest file, I'm not sure, but the version information
doesn't appear. I'll have to figure that out. In the mean time, you
mentioned another way around? Please do tell. Many thanks.