Win98 "Open with..." dialogue box

I want to remove a program icon from the Windows98SE "Open with..." dialogue box menu, as I've taken off the associated program (which, for some reason, didn't do this automatically). And, I replaced the program in question and now want that program icon to appear in the "Open with..." box. But it doesn't. I can "find" it by navigating via the usual method with the "Other" button.

Is there a procedure I follow to clean this up and make it work the way I think it should be working??

Thanks.

 

If I understand correctly what you are trying to do you need to select the file type you are trying to open in Explorer and then SHIFT RIGHT CLICK on the file. This will bring up the Open With dialogue. Slect the file you do want it to open with and tick the "always use this..." option.

 

You were right up to a point... Given, that I know how to use the utility under normal circumstances, this problem came from a not-your-usual application. I want to use a newly-installed version of Word Perfect, which has a new location on my C: and a new icon. And I want to use it to open a different type of file (not a .wpd file), but I don't want WP to be the default program for opening that different file. Therefore, I don't check the box to "always use this program to open this type of file."

[A different example of using one program to open a different type of file, is to use a text editor to open an HTML document for editting. Or using a text editor to open a .bat file for editting. Obviously, we don't want to check the "always use" box for these...]

However: When I uninstalled the earlier version of WP, it didn't remove the old icon from the "Open with..." window. That icon is still there, but it points to nothing and creates a problem. How do I remove it?

And, I can navigate to the new WP program via the "Other" button, and I can select the proper executable file to use to open the "different type file". That new icon gets "almost moved" to, or reflected in, the "Open with..." window. And it works to open the file. But the new icon won't stay there when I close the window... probably since I didn't check the "always" box.

When the window was first "established", I didn't do it. I had very little to do with what was chosen to be represented by an icon in the window - to be a choice. AAMF, there are a number of executable program icons there which I would never have thought to put there, had it been up to me. So since I didn't put one there to begin with, I thought that the computer should have removed the old one. And since I used a new one to open a file, I thought it should have been recognized as such an appropriate icon and left there!

But I'm thinking like a logical person, not like a programmer.... !

Does this explain my predicament any better?

:heli

 

So what is the problem caused by the "old" icon being left behind?

And you want a "new" icon to represent the file type you are attempting to open with WP?

Have I got that right now? (I'm easily confused :confused)

 

You're almost there...

The "old" icon points to a program which isn't there anymore. Clicking on it just causes things to go in circles and get nowhere, except with the possible exception of just wasting time. So, it needs to be removed. (There are probably some others which could stand removing as well, but that's not the issue) (all the icons in that window point to various programs, even if I don't know what all the programs are! I didn't put them there...).

The "new" icon is to point to the new WordPerfect program. Apparently the old one can't be re-configured or re-aligned or whatever...

I don't need an icon for any type of file... just for the programs to open files.

 

Not successful, yet! I tried these remedies and came up with a new challenge. Here's the results of my "testing the waters".
1. Using the HKCU method, I could file no "FileExts" in the Explorer section.

So I went to..
2. CLASSES_ROOT. I ran down the list, and there was no option for "OpenWithList" per se. However, finding the folder for ".wpd", there are two more options/folders, one of which I recognized and one which I didn't completely recognize. Here's what:

a. There was a folder for "WP12Doc", which is the new version I installed. I didn't mess with that. One reason is that it's not in the OpenWith dialogue box itself.
b. There was a folder for "WPWin6.1 File", which wasn't exactly right for the last version I had (the one I unstalled). It had two choices inside the folder. But I was afraid of removing it 'cause I didn't recognize what it was referring to, exactly.

The main reason I didn't Delete the 2.b choice is that since the 2.a choice was on an equal footing with the .b choice in this HK context, I wasn't sure what actually would be deleted in the final outcome.

However, I noted that the name of this one - "WPWin6.1" - was very similar to the name of the icon I want to remove - "WPWIN".

The icon I want added has to do with WP12.

I think part of my confusion is due to these two references being on equal footing in that section of the HK Root, while not on equal footing in the OpenWith dialogue window.

If I delete one, and if it's the wrong one, how do I repair the mess?!

And how do I get the right one in the right place in the dialogue box window?
:confused

 

Before you start hacking the registry have you tried TweakUI's Repair Icon feature to see if that gets rid of the unwanted icon?

 

A long time ago, in a land far, far away, I loaded a TweakUI program, but I don't remember much about it now. Can you offer guidance about how to find the Icon repair feature? I don't even remember that!

:foolish

 

Found it... Used it... Saw some blinking and stuff, but the bad icon was not removed in the Open with... box. :crybaby

I'm thinking about going back into the Regedit program, finding that folder referencing the former version, and deleting it. I don't think it'll mess anything up, so I guess I'd best back up the Reg first...

Unless you have another suggestion...
The idea has occured to me :heli that if I figure out how to "unlink" the .wpd file name from a program altogether, then re-link it to the current program, and check the Always open... box, it should "record" the association in the window. :confused

??

 

I don't have a problem with getting WP12 to open some file other than a .wpd file. What I have a problem with is two-fold: 1) There's an icon for a non-existant program in the "Open with..." window, and it needs to be removed; and
2) I want WP12 to appear in that same "Open with..." window and not have to navigate to it each time I want to use it! It's not appearing there automatically now.

Now, there's a second program to be used under the same circumstances...

Those circumstances are -- several file extensions are opened primarily by other programs, and the File Associations are okay. But these files are "qualified" or "allowed" to be opened by other programs for other purposes. I gave two examples earlier.

In this problem, I don't want the WP12 to be the default program for these "optional" files, just an adjunct program which icon appears in the "Open with..." window.

 

Sorry I've not been around for a couple of days but have you tried opening Explorer Click on View> folder Options>File Types finding the icon in the list and then clicking remove. Use add for the new icon using "open" in the action box.

 

The problem isn't with any established File Association. It's strictly with a program used to open files.

So when I speak of an icon here, it's with respect to a program, reflected in the "Open With..." dialogue box. Any file extension listed in the box is already associated with some program by default. That's not the issue.

1. There's a program icon which points to a non-existant program.
2. And there's no icon pointing to the existing program except by searching via the "Other" button taking me outside of the "Open With..." box.

I guess I'll have to experiment with Tweaking the Registry and eliminating the obvious oldest reference, since there are two there. Please go back and review my posting of 01-24-08 09:06.

I'm also thinking about highliting the .wpd file extension, then navigating to the new WP program, and checking the "Always use this program to open this file" box, even though in normal operation, the computer always uses the new program to open the .wpd files.

What's the last thing a Redneck says before he dies young? "Hold my beer, Bubba, and watch this!"

 

Re: Win98 "Open with..." dialogue box UPDATE

I went into RegEdit, into HKEY CLASSES ROOT, down to the .wpd section - found the folder refering to the old WP program = deleted that folder. This left only the folder refering to the new program. This got rid of the old icon in the "Open With..." box window of choices.

But the new program was not automatically placed into this window.

I tried to use the "Always use this..." box to indicate that the new program was to be used with the file (which already had the new icon to identify it as a .wpd file). However, while the file WAS opened properly by the new program, the icon did not stay in the window box.

I tried messing with the Details of the key, where the Default was identified, as much as my timidity would allow; but nothing happened that I could see. I was afraid to just delete that one since I didn't know what would happen. If I really thought that deleting it would force the system to install a new one, I would've done it. But I didn't, so I didn't...

So I solved half of my problem, and don't know how to solve the other half!

 

So doesn't the method already pointed out by plodr and myself ie Folder Options>File Type etc etc add whatever icon you want and point to the program you ask it to point to? :confused

 

Re: Win98 "Open with..." dialogue box Answer & correction

{I'll use the term 'Other' method to identify this route of solution}

Well, no, not exactly. True, that method opens the file; but this 'Other' method of finding the program does not automatically place AND LEAVE the new icon in the 'Open With...' window. It does place the icon there temporarily; but once the execution is done, and the 'Open With...' choice is made once again, that 'new' icon is not there.

I even tried to re-establish the file extension affiliation with the new program by using this method and checking the "Always open this file type with this program" box; but, even tho the program opened, the new icon was not left in the 'Open With...' window.

And to make matters even more confusing, I thought I had discovered the way to eliminate the dead pointer, by deleting a key in the Registry. During the course of that day, I also added another small program, and executed it later in the day. This morning, upon booting, there was all sorts of panic appearing on-screen, as several files did not execute properly. :cry I just decided that I had done too much at one time, and I re-booted with an older Registry, successfully. However, the wrong pointer is now appearing again in the 'Open With..." window and will not respond in the same fashion to attempts at removal. uke

Where's our Registry Guru?! :yum I do believe the key to this two-part solution will be there, but I don't want to be tempted to experiment again!

Until next time...
:cool

 

OK See what this does for you. OPen the Registry and under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT find the extension of the file you are interested in (WPD if I can remeber that far back )

Open up the key and see if it has a subkey called OpenWithList - if it has you need to add a subkey beneath that named "program.exe" where program is whatever program you really want to use.

If the OpenWithList key does not exist you will have to add that too.

Take a back-up of the registry before you start of course.

 

Thanks for that suggestion. I'm a bit hesitant because it'll be starting from scratch! There is no key anywhere for the OpenWithList... Since I do already have such a list (reflected in the Open With window), maybe this key is somewhere else? I'm not sure to start looking (other than in RegEdit!).

I did review some of the other keys, looking through 'Software', etc. I found a bunch of entries in a variety of WP12-associated keys, but none which seemed to deal specifically with the O/W box or the .wpd file ext.

When I scroll down to the .wpd extension (in the HKEY Classes Root), I can do two things: a) R-click on the extension, which shows a reading for Default - "WP12Doc" and nothing else; and click on the + sign to bring up a folder icon with the name WP12Doc.

That folder has a Default value = "[value not set]" and I don't know to change that to anything. Also, there is another + that, when clicked, brings up another folder ShellNew; R-click that and I get two entries: 1) default = [value not set], and 2) FileName = "wordpfct.wpd".

So what should I do, and where? :confused

Also, all this messing in the Registry may have done one more thing which could be considered loosely related. Now, in the Desktop, when I L-click on a file with the .wpd icon, the program boots up, but it won't open any file which has more than one word in the filename! However, if within the program (booted thusly or booted separately), and I navigate to that same type of file, the program opens the file! note that many of these files are older than this newer version of WP, and the filenames worked previously, even in this WP ver.

So, I'm wondering, if that entry above "wordpfct.wpd" might be the culprit since it has only ONE word as a filename, in spite of the proper extension.

What a PIA! rolleyes

 

Re: Win98 "Open with..." One More Thing...

One more thing: I've had a couple of strange "freezes" happen since I started messing with the innards of this particular challenge. I'm wondering if there aren't some trash items in the Registry which need to be Gone.

I reported earlier that only one time have I attempted to clean out the Registry, using a Freeware program at that time. It caused the removal of a number of entries which should not have been removed.

What program can I use that won't report so much usable stuff for me to review and check off? Is there one Freeware which is highly sophisticated and intuitive, which will do things automatically while not exercising any "advanced" judgement which might screw me up??

Sorry I'm so dense. My keyboard is getting tired.
B:zzz

 

Re: Win98 "Open with..." One More Thing...

I use this

 

I'll try the CCleaner-Slim; Thanks!

Relative to the freezes I mentioned, I now attribute that to FreeRam. I updated my post there to explain everything. I dumped FreeRam and now things are back to "normal" with respect to "memory bog".

I still have the Open With... dialogue problem, am going to try to clean the Registry without having to employ a paid professional!

While reviewing lots of Registry entries, I found one place which had a Key for 'Perfect Suite' - a name strongly resembling 'WordPerfect Suite', which appears there in several places. But I didn't do anything, just in case it pertains to some other program.

But if it's applicable to WP, then a good cleaning should remove it??

Let's hope so.

Thanks to all of your for trying to help with this!

 

Re: Win98 "Open with..." dialogue box UPDATE

After trying any number of solutions for cleaning up some problems, I ended up causing a few more, and some just plain Crashes! But at this point, I cleaned up a lot of Stuff with CCleaner (finally) but still haven't been able to install Spybot (because of that huge file which Spybot installation needs to call up from online; I have to get to that high-speed connection to complete this).

A partial crash of WP12 resulted from some trials of others' ideas, but it wasn't a total loss. The series of trials forced me to find the ultimate solution, which was a Repair performed via the Add/Remove utility. At least now the WP is opening properly. And, I learned that there are 3 Service Packs for this version of WP, which will take a good, lightning fast connection to accomplish! I've been given the links for that; now for the time...

And I think the Registry is cleaned about as much as it's gonna get, right now. If I need more work in the Registry, I'll try a dedicated sweep with CCleaner.

I now have a rare freeze, which can't be from FreeRam. I now suspect something which Ad-Aware didn't get out, but which Spybot will get. I don't think there's a virus.

This leaves me with the problem of the bad pointer icon in the OpenWith... box, and the fact that the good icon can't be placed in its proper place. I continue to find the reason for this and the solution.

So maybe we can keep this thread open and attract some new ideas?

Many thanks for your efforts on my behalf; let's keep at this one remaining problem, okay? If nothing else, maybe that upgrade for WP12 will do the trick.

:wave