Setting new default picture editor in XP

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

Could someone tell me how to set the default picture editor to a different
program than MS Paint?

Thanks!
 
Go to Start | Run | Type regedit

In the Registry Editor find this key

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\image\shell\edit\command

Click on this value
"%systemroot%\system32\mspaint.exe" "%1"
Replace the value with the directory of your program such as the following
"C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS\Photoshop.exe" "%1"

When you click the edit button your images should open in the program you
have chosen.

--
Paul Ballou
MVP Office
http://office.microsoft.com/clipart/default.aspx
http://office.microsoft.com/templates
http://office.microsoft.com/home

Control the things you can and Don't Worry about the things you can't
control.
 
Paul,
I don'y have the folder \SystemFileAssociations under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT...
Now what?

And why wouldn't MS just include this popular option in there
'Set Program Access and Defaults' program?
 
Always2BZ said:
Paul,
I don'y have the folder \SystemFileAssociations under
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT... Now what?
Click to expand...
========================================
Scroll waaaaaay down to find "SystemFileAssociations"

Here are some more detailed instructions:

===

How to open your choice of image editors when
clicking the Edit button on the Windows Picture
and Fax Viewer screen.

IMPORTANT: This message contains information
about modifying the registry. Before you modify the
registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that
you understand how to restore the registry if a problem
occurs. For information about how to back up, restore,
and edit the registry, click the following link to view the
article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Information About Editing the Registry
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=256986#Topic2

===========================================

OK...go to...Start / Run and type in..."regedit" without
the quotes. Then click...OK...or press...Enter.

In the Registry Editor...drill down to:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\image\shell\edit\command

In the Data column you should see:

"%systemroot%\system32\mspaint.exe" "%1"

(where you see *mspaint* in the example....you will
see your current default)

Replace the key with the path to the program that will
be your default image editor. I wanted Picture It! 7 so
the following is what I changed to.

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Picture It! 7\pip.exe" "%1"

Now, my images still open in the Picture and Fax viewer
but if I left click the Edit button...Picture It! 7 opens.

To replace the string...

Left click "default" to select it.

Go to...Edit / Modify...

In the "Edit String" field...

Copy/Paste the path to your program choice:

"C:\Program Files\??????????\???.exe" "%1"

Left click...OK.

Now, your images still open in the Picture and Fax
Viewer but if you left click the Edit button...your image
editing program opens..

Good luck.

========================================
And why wouldn't MS just include this popular option in
there 'Set Program Access and Defaults' program?
Click to expand...
========================================
I guess you'll have to ask Microsoft that question.

Microsoft Product Feedback
http://tinyurl.com/2k49d

--
John Inzer
Picture It! MVP
return e-mail disabled

Picture It! Support Center
http://tinyurl.com/2po2o

Digital Image Support Center
http://tinyurl.com/3xxqg
 
I'm with you Sven. You think this would be a common, simple task to change
instead of messing in the registry! I'm running into the same situation. Good
Luck.
 
Open Explorer, Tools/Folder Options/File Types.
Scroll to the type of file you wish to edit (jpg, bmp, etc.)
Highlight, click "Advanced", then you'll see the option to change the
editor.I suspect you'll need to change this for each file type.
I think Photoshop set this option automatically when I installed it, so I've
never had to do this to get PS to appear in the "Edit" list.
 
Change the default image editor application, invoked from Windows Picture and Fax Viewer:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/imgeditor.htm


--
Ramesh, Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell/User
http://windowsxp.mvps.org


Open Explorer, Tools/Folder Options/File Types.
Scroll to the type of file you wish to edit (jpg, bmp, etc.)
Highlight, click "Advanced", then you'll see the option to change the
editor.I suspect you'll need to change this for each file type.
I think Photoshop set this option automatically when I installed it, so I've
never had to do this to get PS to appear in the "Edit" list.
 
For those wanting to use MS Photoeditor as the default:

The Registry Edit will not work for MS Photoeditor using the Default
directory that Photoeditor is installed. To make it work you need to create
a folder and/or copy the folder containing photoeditor into the programs
folder then use that directory in the registry edit.

--
Paul Ballou
MVP Office
http://office.microsoft.com/clipart/default.aspx
http://office.microsoft.com/templates
http://office.microsoft.com/home

Control the things you can and Don't Worry about the things you can't
control.

You're welcome, John.

--
Ramesh, Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell/User
http://windowsxp.mvps.org


Ramesh said:
Change the default image editor application, invoked from
Windows Picture and Fax Viewer:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/imgeditor.htm
Click to expand...
==========================
Good link...thanks.
--

John Inzer
Picture It! MVP
return e-mail disabled

Picture It! Support Center
http://tinyurl.com/2po2o

Digital Image Support Center
http://tinyurl.com/3xxqg
 
The purpose of asking here is simple... If MS put an option to select your
default image viewer in the 'Set Program Access and Defaults' then you
could go in there and select which viewer/program would open an image when
you click on it. Much simpler than giving everybody instructions for
changing registery values and links to sites that have step by step
instructions. I have Adobe PS and Macromedia Fireworks both loaded and
Fireworks seems to be the default viewer for some reason, I didn't set it. I
don't recall seeing an option to set or not set it either when I loaded it.
MS is the "OS" so give me the control there.

I came here to find out how to set my default viewer back to the MS viewer.
My take on it is if I want to view and image, then just open it up so I can
see it, the MS viewer is simple and quick. If I want to edit that image then
I will open the program I need and then the image. Otherwise when these
image programs (PS, PSP, FW) are the defaults you have to wait for the
program to open then the image to pull in. By the way I did a trial of PSP
and it was the worst. When I dbl clicked an image PSP would open but then I
would have to go back and click the image again to see it.
 
I ran the regedit and mspaint is there as the default viewer. I have
Fireworks and when I open folders with images they all have the FW icon and
open up in FW. I would prefer to have them open in mspaint for viewing. Is
there another place the default settings are controlled?
 
Right-click, Open-with, mspaint should do it. If not, let us know the file-type.

--
Ramesh, Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell/User
http://windowsxp.mvps.org
--------------------------------------------
Using ToolbarCop to remove the unwanted Toolband, Toolbar Icons and BHO:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/toolbarcop.htm
--------------------------------------------
The Parasite Fight - Quick Fix Protocol:
http://aumha.org/a/quickfix.php
--------------------------------------------
I ran the regedit and mspaint is there as the default viewer. I have
Fireworks and when I open folders with images they all have the FW icon and
open up in FW. I would prefer to have them open in mspaint for viewing. Is
there another place the default settings are controlled?
 
Thanks Ramesh. The instructions were easy to follow, and I was able to
change the default from MSPaint to PSP9, but now I have editor failures:
1. In my Win XP Home partition, a click opens the image in the Win P&F
Viewer as I want and the Edit button opens PSP9. But I then get the error,
"Unable to open the file". After pressing OK 3 or 4 times, PSP9 closes and
I'm back to the Win Explorer window. I can open the images from inside PSP9.
2. In my Win XP Pro Media Center partition, the Edit button in the Win P&F
Viewer brings up the error, "Invalid menu handle". Again, I can open the
images directly from inside PSP9.
Any suggestions on how to overcome these problems?
Thanks, Bob
 
Ramesh,

I changed the entry manually in
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\image\shell\edit\command which I
hoped would satisy all image file types.

Today I downloaded the imgeditor application, but I got an error when I
tried to unzip/run it. I have also, today, followed the instructions to
insert a new default editor in
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.jpg\shell\edit\command, but the
same problems recur.

Thanks for any advice, Bob
 
Bob,

Two possibilities that I can think of:

1. Ensure that the command is set such as :

"path:\program.exe" "%1"

2. Perhaps PSP is using a extra command-line for opening files.
(Example: c:\program files\paint shop\psp.exe -open <filename.jpg>
Just an example. You can confirm it by checking one of these registry keys
if one exists:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Applications\<psp
executable>\shell\open\command
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Applications\<psp
executable>\shell\edit\command

<psp executable> may be psp.exe. Sorry I've used it very long ago.

and reading the (default) value in the right-pane.
 
Thanks Ramesh,

I had not added the <space>"%1", so I did so, but with no effect.

I'll take your other suggestions to Jasc to see if they can advise.

By the way, I have never before encountered this problem even though I have
had several Win XP machines. However, this is my first HP machine and I
suspect that HP is the real problem. They don't think so, though and have
not been helpful.

Regards, Bob
 
Back
Top