How to get a list of recommended programs to open a filetype?

[Giles]

In Explorer, when a file is right-clicked, the "Open With" popup lists
recommended programs to open a filetype. I would like to get that list for a
pop-up menu in my program.

Where in the registry does one find "recommended programs" for each filetype
(e.g. jpg and gif).
Hope you can help
Giles

 

[Dan Seur]

filext.com

In Explorer, when a file is right-clicked, the "Open With" popup lists
recommended programs to open a filetype. I would like to get that list for a
pop-up menu in my program.

Where in the registry does one find "recommended programs" for each filetype
(e.g. jpg and gif).
Hope you can help
Giles




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[Dan Seur]

Sorry - responded to subject line, not contents.

I believe the list you see in "Open With" is the list of installed
software on the system. I also believe you should look at the
"Associate" command to accomplish what I think you're trying to do.

I don't know where, if anywhere, in the registry the system's
filetype associations are kept.

In Explorer, when a file is right-clicked, the "Open With" popup lists
recommended programs to open a filetype. I would like to get that list for a
pop-up menu in my program.

Where in the registry does one find "recommended programs" for each filetype
(e.g. jpg and gif).
Hope you can help
Giles




---
avast! Antivirus: Inbound message clean.
Virus Database (VPS): 0604-4, 01/27/2006
Tested on: 1/28/2006 10:48:22 AM
avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2004 ALWIL Software.
http://www.avast.com

---
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Virus Database (VPS): 0604-4, 01/27/2006
Tested on: 1/28/2006 10:57:43 AM
avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2004 ALWIL Software.
http://www.avast.com

 

[Jerold Schulman]

In Explorer, when a file is right-clicked, the "Open With" popup lists
recommended programs to open a filetype. I would like to get that list for a
pop-up menu in my program.

Where in the registry does one find "recommended programs" for each filetype
(e.g. jpg and gif).
Hope you can help
Giles

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.jpg\OpenWithList

Jerold Schulman
Windows Server MVP
JSI, Inc.
http://www.jsiinc.com
http://www.jsifaq.com

 

[Giles]

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.jpg\OpenWithList

Jerold Schulman

Thanks very much Jerold. Once I have picked up (e.g.) psp.exe, I can go to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Applications\psp.exe\shell\open\command
to get the path to the program. But this doesn't always have the path, e.g
with mspaint.exe

Is there a more reliable place to find the path? And also the Proper Name of
the program (like psp.exe -> PaintShop Pro v7).
Thanks again
Giles

 

[Jerold Schulman]

Not that I know of.
If no path, you can assume that the exe will be found because it is in a folder that is in the %PATH% variable.

Thanks very much Jerold. Once I have picked up (e.g.) psp.exe, I can go to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Applications\psp.exe\shell\open\command
to get the path to the program. But this doesn't always have the path, e.g
with mspaint.exe

Is there a more reliable place to find the path? And also the Proper Name of
the program (like psp.exe -> PaintShop Pro v7).
Thanks again
Giles

Jerold Schulman
Windows Server MVP
JSI, Inc.
http://www.jsiinc.com
http://www.jsifaq.com

 

[Gary Smith]

Perhaps the information is obtained from the entries subordinate to
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\mspaint.exe.

Not that I know of.
If no path, you can assume that the exe will be found because it is in a folder that is in the %PATH% variable.


Thanks very much Jerold. Once I have picked up (e.g.) psp.exe, I can go to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Applications\psp.exe\shell\open\command
to get the path to the program. But this doesn't always have the path, e.g
with mspaint.exe

Is there a more reliable place to find the path? And also the Proper Name of
the program (like psp.exe -> PaintShop Pro v7).
Thanks again
Giles

[/QUOTE]

 

[Jerold Schulman]

In Explorer, when a file is right-clicked, the "Open With" popup lists
recommended programs to open a filetype. I would like to get that list for a
pop-up menu in my program.

Where in the registry does one find "recommended programs" for each filetype
(e.g. jpg and gif).
Hope you can help
Giles

See tomorrows tips in the 'Tips & Tricks' at http://www.jsifaq.com
10110 » How can I retrieve the Fully Qualified File Name of an installed Program.exe?
10111 » How can I determine the programs that are on a file extensions 'Open With' list?



Jerold Schulman
Windows Server MVP
JSI, Inc.
http://www.jsiinc.com
http://www.jsifaq.com