My company developed a software program (.exe) and we would like to associate a file extension (.ext) with this program. We were able to do it in the previous operating system, but with Windows XP it doesnt work. How do I associate a file extension with that program so that whenever a file with that extension is clicked on it opens up in the program that we developed. I tried to do this by going through Control Panel->Folder Options->File Types, but it doesnt work. Actually, when I click on the file, an error message pops up saying that the file cannot be found but it also displays the correct file path in the error message. I great appreciate your help. Thank you. Mario Williams Systems Analyst Eglin Air Force Base, Fl

Mario, I don't know if it's possible but you would have to use .ext for the program itself rather than .exe then go thru folder options to associate the .ext extension with that program. Tufenuf

The way I do it now is just go throught the File Types tab from Control Panel->Folder Options and select the extension, which is .scn and then associate it with the software that we developed ([filename].exe). But the association doesnt work, because when I go back and try to open the file it says that the file cannot be found, but in the error message it gives me the correct path to that file. The file also has the software image. Do you know what could be from that. Is there and special characters or commands that I need to enter in the DDE message box. Thanks.

Mario, I wish I could help but I don't believe a file with a .scn extension will open a .exe program. Maybe someone more knowledgeable will come along with a solution. Tufenuf

G'day Mario, If I were you I would go into the Registry and look for the filetype in Hkey_Classes_Root and as you created it from the Folder Options it will be something like FT00001 subkey and not the classic xxxfile subkey, example : extfile Then I would rename it the classic name [FT00001 to extfile] and look at the command path and if it's a Windows path, example C:\Program Files\Blah Blah\ I would change it to a Dos path C:\Progra~1\Blahbl~1\.. instead and see what happens. Also I would look at the actual extension [.ext] up the list and see what it has been named, if it is FT00001file or something change it to extfile. XP has a slightly different way of doing things with extensions I've noticed like the switches at the end of the path. Example: Win95/98/ME/2000 path to open a file in notepad [It might not have been Notepad but this is an example of the switch for some Windows program that I can't remember] "C:\Windows\Notepad.exe %1" XP "C:\Windows\Notepad.exe" %1 And by the way, a few weeks ago I created an *.ext filetype for an executable and used the existing *.exe shell\open\command\"%1" %* to open it as an executable. The file that I changed from .exe to .ext was Regedit.exe and it opened as normal as Regedit.ext. Hope it was helpful

I dont understand the registry edit part, for I have never did anything with it. I didnt actually figure out how to get to the registry, but the extension that I created was not there. Could you break this down in simpler instruction. Here is what I am trying to do. I am tryin to associate a file extension (.scn), which we just created, with an application that we developed. I used Control Panel->Folder Options->File Types to set it up but it didnt work. I actually was able to an association with the Microsoft Office program (e.g. Word). I appreciate the help. Could you just break down what you are saying, being that I have not messed with the registry before. Thanks. Mario Williams

Hi Mario, I can't see what is stopping it from opening the program, I just tried out a few new extensions and associated them with programs that I know won't open the file as I see it but still did open the program. Perhaps your program has something inhibiting it from opening in XP but will open in another O/S. Does your program actually open as normal ? If you were able to associate the extension with Word but not your program then perhaps some function call or something isn't right. I'm only guessing and that is not helpful. Maybe the Programmming Forum here might have something more enlightening for you. It may not be a Registry thing at all. Microsoft changed a lot of things from the 9x to XP O/S's. Anyway, if you open Regedit and peruse the Hkey_Classes_Root branch [now called Hive in XP] you might be able to figure out for yourself how extensions are created, this branch is just a duplicate of a key in the Hkey_Local_Machine branch [the real Registry]. When you create a new extension this is the place it goes to..in two parts, the extension [.ext] and then filtype [FT00001, or FT00002 etc or extfile in the 9x Registries] subkeys. FT = Filetype. You don't have to do anything but just have a look at the structure of it. All these extension keys can be modified in there, some don't show up in the Folder Options but they can still be 'tweaked'. Most programs install all their operating data in the Registry...It's the 'Central Nervous System' of Windows. I can't help with this any further I'm sorry to say. There are books on the Registry for all versions of Windows that are available if your interested. As a System Analyst I'd have thought the Registry would be 'right up your alley'. I'm not having a dig, just curious. RR