Microsoft Windows XP Unleashed

Adding a Program to the Open With List

You can also add an application to the Open With dialog box for all file types. Again, you

head for the following Registry key:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT/Applications

Display the subkey named after the application’s executable file. (If the subkey doesn’t

exist, create it.) Now add the

\shell\open\command subkey and set the Default value to

the pathname of the application’s executable file.

Disabling the Open With Check Box

The Open With dialog box enables you to change the application associated with a file

type’s Open action by activating the Always Use the Selected Program to Open This Kind

of File check box. If you share your computer with other people, you might not want

them changing this association, either accidentally or purposefully. In that case, you can

disable the check box by adjusting the following Registry key:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Unknown\shell\openas\command

The Default value of this key is the following

%SystemRoot%\system32\rundll32.exe %SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll,

OpenAs_RunDLL %1

To disable the check box in the Open With dialog box, append %2 to the end of the

Default value:

%SystemRoot%\system32\rundll32.exe %SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll,

OpenAs_RunDLL %1 %2

From Here

Here are some other places in the book where you’ll find related information:

• For a primer on Windows XP file techniques, see Chapter 2, “Exploring Expert File

and Folder Techniques.”

• To learn about digital media file types, see the sections in Chapter 4 named “A

Review of Digital Audio File Formats” and “A Review of Digital Video File Formats.”

• For the details on understanding and working with the Registry, see Chapter 8,

“Getting to Know the Windows XP Registry.”

From Here 79

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