How to "Open With"

When I used to right click on an icon, the "Open With" dialog would open. Now when I right click, the "Open" dialog opens without the "Open With". How can I change this back to "Open With" to be able to choose what program to open with? I don't have any idea how the heck this got changed. I am using Win98SE. Thanks

 

hmmm...i didn't know it was there in 98. wow. i know if you hold down the shift key while right clicking it will give you the open with option

 

Nope, tried it. Just the Open dialog comes up.

 

this any good to you musky
http://support.microsoft.com/defaul...port/kb/articles/q218/8/05.asp&NoWebContent=1

 

I can't find anything from microsoft about the "open with" command for known file types on windows 98. That specific feature started with Windows ME.

The problem for you is that the icons you're talking about no longer have unknown extensions. If windows doesn't recognize a certain file extension, it will bring up the "open with" dialog box. Starting in windows ME, you could use the "open with" command for known file extensions as well.

 

OK, there's the rub. I had already added the file extension therefore the "open with" no longer comes up. Thanks Josh, apparently that feature was part of 98SE as I have used it before. Thanks for your help.

 

ok so i was bored looked into this and if you want to force open with for any file you need to edit the registry like so
Go to: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\Shell
If Shell isn’t there, make it, by clicking on * and make a new Key, named Shell
Make a new Key.

Call it Openas
Double-click (Default).
Enter the text you want to see in the Context Menu for this action.
If you don’t enter anything, the Context Menu will say: Open with...
Click Openas
Make a new Key.
Call it command
Click command
Double-click (Default).
Enter Rundll32.exe shell32.dll,OpenAs_RunDLL %1
Press OK
should then look like this anyone feel free to comment on something i may have missed

 

go to my cmputer, then to view, and down to folder options... go over to the file types tab and find the type of file extension you're looking for, select it and simply hit the remove button, then it will have no association and you get the open with option on your right-click menu again

 

Thanks for the tip mecroneo.

 

General, thanks for including an image and a good "How To". I have always been a little reluctant to try certain tweaks when it came to the registry, afraid I wasn't doing it right. The screenshot really helps to understand the process, that was a good idea. I learned a lot on this one. Steve

 

Hey General, I'm sorry I missed your post before. Thanks for the very informative tip. That's a great way to force it open. Unfortunately I am about to upgrade to XP this week and am not really comfortable messing with my registry right now. I do appreciate your time and reply. Hopefully you and others can steer me right when I go to install my XP Upgrade. I'm gonna need step by step inx.

 

Thanks star. That will help me with those .htm files I've been working on thanks to you know who.

 

Muskie,

Sorry I didn't think to suggest OepnExpert. I use it on my W98 machine, and have been very happy with it: no probs at all, and you'll get accustomed to the slightly odd ways it works in no time. There's an ad on the flyout menu of the contect menu, but it's hardly noticeable, and I wouldn't pay a dime to get rid of it.

I especially like it for images, because I open them in a whole bunch of different things, depending on what I'm going to DO with them.

 

Hee he, It's been fun to work with.

@ WiseWiz, Thanks for the words of encouragement. I hope I do get used to it before I switch to XP.

 

Open with....

The open with thingie only shows up on non-executable files (i.e. everything but exe com bat and probably pif :-\ ) hope this helps some

 

Thanks gman, I'm all set now.