(sound) file ICON associations not sticking

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

My friend likes to have different icons show up in an Explorer window
for different types of sound file - he usually uses the "speaker" icons,
set to one colour for .wav files, one for .mp3, and so on. He's not that
bothered about what _application_ opens the files, as he tends to open
things with Send To rather than double-clicking; however, he _does_ like
the icons to show the filetype.

He _does_ know how to change both file associations and icons. (In fact
to change icons after they've gone wrong - again - he has found a
complicated way to do it.)

Once he has set up the "icon associations" how he likes them, they stay
- usually. However, they seem to tend to revert to something - I think
it's the defaults; certainly, it gives the same icon to several
different types of sound file - under a wide variety of circumstances.
Yesterday's restart in safe mode did it, for example - at least, they
were back with the wrong icons afterwards.

Even System Restores don't seem to put the _icon_ associations back how
they are wanted.

I just asked him what caused it, and it seems to be a variety of things
- even sometimes they just come up wrong after a reboot. (And once they
have, they don't "get better".) He did say he hasn't had to reset the
icon for MIDI files for some time, though - so it's not even consistent
across filetypes!

Is there any explanation?

Assuming there isn't, is there any SIMPLE application that can snapshot,
and restore, ICON associations (as I say, he's not too bothered about
APPLICATION ones)? I've tried, myself, back in the '9x days, one or two
utilities that are supposed to preserve application associations, some
of which did the icons too (but probably just by using the one from the
associated application), but I think they are too fiddly to use for just
this purpose.

To clarify: Len may use the _same_ _application_ (WinAmp, Windows Media
Player, or Media Player Classic, for example) to _play_ the files, he
just wants to keep different _icons_ for the different types. Oh, and it
isn't one of the applications "grabbing" back the filetypes - as I've
said, it happens under a variety of circumstances, even without having
played one of the files.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for ludicrously
outdated thoughts on PCs. **

"`You can run,' shouted Scotland Yard's Inspector Boothroyd in triumph as he
clutched the last remaining bottle of noxious potion and watched Dr. Jekyll leap
to freedom through the shattered window, `but you can't Hyde.'" - R.L. Bryant,
1992 Bulwer-Lytton

 

[Tim Meddick]

Sound (media) file-types having their icons changing back to their defaults.

The most common cause is going to "Options" in Windows Media Player and changing
something.

If you even look at the file-types page in WMP Options while you change anything
[else] then the file-types are reset - including all their default icons!!!

The easiest way I know of setting them back to the icons you prefer for them - is to
open "regedit.exe" and save reg-files of all the file-types you have set non-default
icons for.

i.e. For [.mp3] files, go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\mp3files, choose File > Export and
save it somewhere.
Then repeat for all your file-types

Then compile all the reg-files into one large one.

If the icons are accidentally reset, all you do is double-click on the one large
reg-file.

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

 

[Tim Meddick]

John,
seeing how you are a wee bit unsure of what to do to make [compile] such a
reg-file, I have posted one such example of a reg-file that returns a few media
file-types back to my chosen icons for them.

You could, in fact, use this reg-file yourself (your friend) but you will still have
to edit it to make sure that the icons are the ones you want for each particular
file-type.

You will understand better if you download the reg-file and see it for yourself.

Just go to the values in regedit that correspond to the ones in the reg-file and copy
the values you have onto the file.

Then, in case of your media file icons getting re-set to defaults by WMP or some
other process, all you have to do is double-click on the reg-file and when you have
logged-off / logged-on they will all be back the way you want them....

The "Musicons.reg" file can be had by going to :
http://www.4shared.com/file/237778990/5b9f57a/Musicons.html

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

Sound (media) file-types having their icons changing back to their defaults.

The most common cause is going to "Options" in Windows Media Player and changing
something.

If you even look at the file-types page in WMP Options while you change anything
[else] then the file-types are reset - including all their default icons!!!

Sounds like you may have hit it! I don't think he's actually going into that, but
sounds as if it's a flaky bit that can be triggered by other actions too.

The easiest way I know of setting them back to the icons you prefer for them - is
to open "regedit.exe" and save reg-files of all the file-types you have set
non-default icons for.

i.e. For [.mp3] files, go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\mp3files, choose File > Export and
save it somewhere.
Then repeat for all your file-types

Then compile all the reg-files into one large one.

When you say "compile", is it just a matter of editing them together in a text
editor like notepad? I have seen hints previously that the blank lines in .reg
files - and things like that - are significant.

If the icons are accidentally reset, all you do is double-click on the one large
reg-file.

Sounds promising.
[]
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for ludicrously
outdated thoughts on PCs. **

Veni Vidi Vacuum [I came, I saw, It sucked] - (e-mail address removed), 1998