Hi Wally (I'm using Windows 98) ... I hope you have no damage there however, I've been doing this for some time now with never a glitch. After making the appropriate changes in the Registry, when I right-click any file, I get two options on top: "Open With" which only appears once, and "Open" (and the "Open With" window does not have the "Always use this program to open this file type" box checked; it's there, but not checked) ... just the way I describe it below.
Btw, when I want to back up the entire Registry, excellent idea when you do anything in it for the first time, all I do is in the Regedit window, click Registry, Export, and save it someplace with the name yymmdd (that's year, month, day; like today would be 041009) until I'm sure all is working. If all is not working, I double click that 041009 file and the Registry should be completely back in order. Do you think in my original posting I should have added a disclaimer? Something like: "Don't take anything I say seriously." :-) Seriously, those instructions I have below *should* work; it never failed with me. Of course, I never went back to the original Registry; why should I? If I achieved the "Open With" in the right-click menu, that's what I want, that's good enough. I can't believe any change you made is irreversible; that's contrary to "backing up the registry". Maybe one of our experts here can explain how that is possible. ... Harold > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Wally) > I followed your instructions, which effectively moved the right click response to an unknown file to be the right click response to all files..... This worked.... However, when I went back to my original registry, the "open with" was still there for all files. It did not remove itself. > The registry now has its old right click response to unknown files because I went back to the old registry. Plus right click also has the leftover response to all files from the change which I made to the original registry. Now when I right click on an unknown file, I get two "open with" selections. It seems the change to the registry which you described made an irreversible change to the right click response........ > > > "OpenExpert adds 'Open with' to the context menu of any chosen file type, using any applications you decide. So you can easily open your graphic files with your favorite paint program, or view your HTML files in either Netscape or Internet Explorer, just with a few clicks of the mouse." > > Go to http://www.baxbex.com and DL their OpenExpert program. I use it and its great! >> Thank you, sir. If I ever need it, it's good to know it is there. However, if I can configure something on the computer without adding another program to the tons of stuff we are always downloading (I'm gradually getting out of that habit), I would do the configuring (when I know what to do). You might accomplish the same thing with some "fooling around" with the Registry. I know it works with Windows 98; maybe it will with other systems too. Just make sure you back up the Registry before trying anything. > > > > Try this: 1. Open the Registry (Run, regedit) 2. Navigate to: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\* 3. Right-click on the * key and choose New Key. 4. Name this subkey Shell. 5 Right-click on Shell key and add a new subkey named Openas. 6. Right-click this key and add a new subkey named Command. 7. Now double-click the default string value in the right-hand pane. A dialog box will pop up. 8. Paste: "C:\Windows\rundll32.exe shell32.dll,OpenAs_RunDLL %1%2" (sans quotes) 9. (the %1 removes the permanent check mark from the "Open With* menu) 10. Click OK. 11. Now navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\Unknown (near bottom) - delete Unknown key. >> This will not only add "Open With" to any right-click of any file, but will also remove the check from the "Always use this program to open this file type" box. If you choose to check it, it's always your option. I might have even learned this trick from this group (who remembers?); PCWorks has some of the best. My original concern was how to add a program to the "Open With" window which was already solved ... Harold ============= PCWorks Mailing List ================= Don't see your post? Check our posting guidelines & make sure you've followed proper posting procedures, http://pcworkers.com/rules.htm Contact list owner <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Unsubscribing and other changes: http://pcworkers.com =====================================================
