Tweak Library – Change program association for any file.

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Change program association for any file.

This setting enables you to change the program association for any file available with the “Open with” option in the context menu of the file.

Tweak for : Windows XP, Windows 2003, Windows 2000, Windows Vista

Description:

By default, you need to right-click a file to display this item. This setting makes the job easy by changing the program and is automatically visible on the right-click menu. Certain programs can be made to open with the same file but you can make some other program to associate with it like WordPad files can be made to open with Notepad.

For this, go to Start > Run menu, enter “regedit” and navigate to the registry path listed below. If any of the subkeys “\Shell\CMD1\” is not present, create it as explained below. Now, change the String value of “Default” to the new program association name like “Open with Notepad” under “CMD1” key.

Then, create another sub key under “CMD1” with the name “Command” and change its String value “Default” data to executable program name like “notepad.exe %1”.

However, if you want to revert to the original context menu condition, delete the subkey “Shell”.

The changes take effect after a restart or logoff.

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Registry Entry Details:

Registry Entry 1 :

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\]

Key Type :

Root

Value Name :

Shell

Data Type :

Key

Enabled Value :

Disabled value :

Other value :

Value Action :

Add an Entry

Registry Entry 2 :

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\Shell\]

Key Type :

Root

Value Name :

CMD1

Data Type :

Key

Enabled Value :

Disabled value :

Other value :

Value Action :

Add an Entry

Registry Entry 3 :

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\Shell\CMD1\]

Key Type :

Root

Value Name :

Default

Data Type :

REG_SZ (String Value)

Enabled Value :

Disabled value :

Other value :

user defined command (e.g. Open with Notepad)

Value Action :

Modified

Registry Entry 4 :

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\Shell\CMD1\]

Key Type :

Root

Value Name :

Command

Data Type :

Key

Enabled Value :

Disabled value :

Other value :

Value Action :

Add an Entry

Registry Entry 5 :

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\Shell\CMD1\Command\]

Key Type :

Root

Value Name :

Default

Data Type :

REG_SZ (String Value)

Enabled Value :

Disabled value :

Other value :

name of the executable program with %1 (e.g. notepad.exe %1)

Value Action :

Modified

Steps ScreenShots:

Apply registry settings according below given steps of screenshots with related changes.

Program association of a file is changed to open with notepad.

The original options avaialble in the file context menu.

First, click the 'Start' button, and select 'Run'. In the resulting dialog box, type "regedit".

Go to [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\], key and create a new key with the name "Shell" under "*".

Then, create a "CMD1" key under "Shell".

Next, right-click on "(Default)" and click on 'Modify'.

Enter the name of the program to assocaite the file with (e.g. Open with Notepad) and click on 'OK'.

Then, create a "Command" key under "CMD1".

Next, right-click on "(Default)" and click on 'Modify'.

Finally, enter the executable program name with %1 (e.g. notepad.exe %1).