Win7 - forcing file type associations and giving them custom names

[Katie Boundary]

One of the big pains in the ass about the Windows NT 6.x family (and NT 5.2) is that the "Open with..." menu will randomly and stubbornly refuse to allow certain programs to be associated with certain file types. For example, if I right-click on an AVS file, select "Open with... -> choose default program", and try to select Virtualdub, it won't be added to the list of programs that I can choose from.

Years ago, I found a way around this. There is a tool buried SOMEWHERE in Windows that not only allows certain file type associations to be forced WITHOUT editing the registry, but adds these associations to the context menu with custom names like so:

https://i.imgur.com/f1DhJwT.png

Unfortunately I've completely forgotten how to do this. Search engines yield nothing but registry hacks. Does anyone here know?

[StainlessS]

This what you talkin' bout ?
https://i.postimg.cc/CZ8HQXSk/file-Types-XP.jpg (https://postimg.cc/CZ8HQXSk)
Above from XP, dont seem to be available in W7, at least not via folder options.

Do google search "file types windows 7", should sort you out.
or DuckDuck thingy:- https://duckduckgo.com/?q=file+types+windows+7&atb=v241-2__&ia=web

EDIT: You posted this a little while ago


5) If you want a certain program to always appear on the "open with..." menu when right-clicking on a file, and Windows is giving you a hard time, you can force certain file type associations in Control Panel -> Default Programs -> "Associate a file type or protocol with a program". There used to be a way to give these associations custom names, like "OpEn iN dGiNdEx yOu wHoRe" or "I have some Notepadding to do!", back when Folder Options had a File Types tab; if anyone can tell me if this is still possible, I'd be grateful.


Nirsoft tool for FileTypes whotsits:- https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/file_types_manager.html

[filler56789]

.......
Nirsoft tool for FileTypes whotsits:- https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/file_types_manager.html

Many :thanks: for that!

And I agree, everything was much less complicated with Windows 95 /98 /2000 :) Different from XP, they were NOT exceedingly idiot-friendly, there was no Luna desktop theme, no Search Companion annoying animations, etc.

[StainlessS]

Somewhere on Nirsoft site (main ie home page probably) there is a zip of all Nirsoft
apps (thats onehelluvalotuvem).
Beware, some Nirsoft apps do stuff like reveal passwords, and so may give a hit in malware detectors,
Nirsoft apps OK so long as gotten for the Nirsoft home site, ie nirsoft.net.

[clsid]

It is easy to do. Example:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.mp4\Shell\action1]
@="Perform Magic"
"Icon"="\"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\MPC-HC64\\mpc-hc64.exe\",0"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.mp4\Shell\action1\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\MPC-HC64\\mpc-hc64.exe\" /add \"%1\""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.mp4\Shell\action2]
@="Ho Lee Fuk"
"Icon"="\"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\MPC-HC64\\mpc-hc64.exe\",0"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.mp4\Shell\action2\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\MPC-HC64\\mpc-hc64.exe\" \"%1\""

Alternatively, you can customize the shell entries in the ProgId of an existing file association. Example:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\mplayerc64.mp4\Shell\open

[Katie Boundary]

Whoops, you're right. The solution I found only worked for NT 5.2

It is easy to do. Example:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.mp4\Shell\action1]
@="Perform Magic"
"Icon"="\"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\MPC-HC64\\mpc-hc64.exe\",0"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.mp4\Shell\action1\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\MPC-HC64\\mpc-hc64.exe\" /add \"%1\""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.mp4\Shell\action2]
@="Ho Lee Fuk"
"Icon"="\"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\MPC-HC64\\mpc-hc64.exe\",0"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.mp4\Shell\action2\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\MPC-HC64\\mpc-hc64.exe\" \"%1\""

Alternatively, you can customize the shell entries in the ProgId of an existing file association. Example:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\mplayerc64.mp4\Shell\open

I was hoping for something that didn't involve registry hacks, but I'll try that.