OPENURL fails. Probable registry problem.

[Clark Wilson]

Applications on my system attempting to open URLs directly fail with a
couple of different messages. One is that there is no file association
for this type. Another is that the specified file could not be found.

With help from newsgroup folks I am fairly sure that my URL file
association is okay. The failure seems to be on whatever the next step
is.

My test is this. I open a cmd.exe window. From the command line I
execute this command:

rundll32.exe shdocvw.dll,OpenURL "http://www.microsoft.com/"

which has the form required by the URL file association registry entry.
I get an error box with the title "Problem with Shortcut" and the text
"This Internet Shortcut cannot be opened because failed to run." Note
the empty name of the thing that should have run.

I think I have a blank or missing entry deep in the registry. I hope
that someone here can tell me how to find and fix the registry entry
(something with "www_openurl" in it?), or can otherwise help me solve
the problem.

Is there a better Microsoft newsgroup to post this in?

Clark Wilson

 

[Alan Edwards]

I am not sure how you know your URL association is OK as you gave me
the wrong one last time we corresponded (N/A instead of URL) and I
didn't hear from you again.

What are the applications that are trying to open URLs directly?

Your test is flawed. It does not work on any of my computers.

If you think there is a Registry problem, then export these two keys
to a couple of text files and post the contents here.

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.url
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\InternetShortcut

....Alan

 

[Clark Wilson]

I am not sure how you know your URL association is OK as you gave me
the wrong one last time we corresponded (N/A instead of URL) and I
didn't hear from you again.

Alan,

Thank you for your earlier messages, which helped me move a step
further. And thank you for the information that my test is not a valid
test since it behaves the same way on my broken system as on your
unbroken system. Obviously that is very helpful info.

For those just joining the show, the thread Alan refers to is in
microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.setup

Using dates and times from my newsreader (which I suppose are local to
me) you posted your message on Oct 10 at 11:18pm and I posted my reply
on Oct 11 at 6:30am, and my message is the last one in the thread. In my
message I answered your implied question about N/A and URL. If the
message does not appear in your newsreader and if you wish, I will be
happy to resend the message directly via email.

I will definitely look at the registry subtrees you specify and if I
can't puzzle something out I will post info here. Thanks again for
sharing your knowledge.

Clark

 

[Alan Edwards]

Clark,

My apologies.
I see that you did answer me but I probably missed it due to you
answering a top-posted reply with a bottom-posted reply and I often
skip such a response due to lack of time.

I do not follow why you had to create an URL association but perhaps
the exports will show a reason, assuming I see your reply.
You appear to have done the association correctly as far as I can
tell.

....Alan

--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html


In microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser, Clark Wilson