Registry DataBase : File types

Registry DataBase : File types

Example - Customize - Explore from here - New window - Desktop option
Protect - Extension display - Shortcuts - Unknown file types - QuickView

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Example

The HKCR key contains data related to file types. Here are, for example, the interesting entries related to the txt file type :

Key : HKCR \.txt \ShellNew
Entry : FileName
System : 95, 95+IE4.x, 98, ME, NT, 2K
Type : REG_SZ

Name of the file which will be copied to create a new file of that type with the Desktop \New \File option.

Key : HKCR \.txt \ShellNew
Entry : NullFile
System : 95, 95+IE4.x, 98, ME, NT, 2K
Type : REG_SZ
Default : Null

Tells Windows to create an empty file for the Desktop \New \File option.

Key : HKCR \txtfile \DefaultIcon
Entry : Default (DefaultIcon)
System : 95, 95+IE4.x, 98, ME, NT, 2K
Type : REG_SZ
Default : %SystemRoot%\System32\Shell32.dll,59

Icon to be displayed for that file type.

Key : HKCR \txtfile \shell \open \command
Entry : Default (command)
System : 95, 95+IE4.x, 98, ME, NT, 2K
Type : REG_SZ
Default : %SystemRoot%\System32\Notepad.exe %1

Program to open when double-clicking on that file type and default context menu option.

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Customize

Just as you can see there is a \print subkey, you can create your own registry subkeys in order to be able to choose which program will open that type of file. You may want to choose among the standard verbs of the \shell subkey, or prefer to invent your own subkey. Here is how to create a DOS Editor option for the txt file context menu :

1. Create a first subkey :
Key : HKCR \txtfile \shell \DosEdit (or whatever you like)
Entry : Default (Menu Edit)
System : 95, 95+IE4.x, 98, ME, NT, 2K
Type : REG_SZ
Suggested : MS-DOS Editor (or whatever you like)

Name of the option in the context menu. Insert an & before the keyboard shortcut letter, for example MS-DOS E&ditor.

2. Create a second subkey :
Key : HKCR \txtfile \shell \DosEdit \command
Entry : Default (shell Edit)
System : 95, 95+IE4.x, 98, ME, NT, 2K
Type : REG_SZ
Suggested : %SystemRoot%\System32\Edit.com %1

Program used to open that file type for the option MS-DOS Editor option specified above.

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Explore from here

Here is how to create an Explore from here option for folder context menu :

1. Create a first subkey :
Key : HKCR \Folder \shell \ExploreFromHere (or whatever you like)
Entry : Default (Menu Explore From Here)
System : 95, 95+IE4.x, 98, ME, NT, 2K
Type : REG_SZ
Suggested : Explore from here (or whatever you like)

Name of the option in the folder context menu. Insert an & before the keyboard shortcut letter, for example E&xplore from here.

2. Create a second subkey :
Key : HKCR \Folder \shell \ExploreFromHere \command
Entry : Default (shell Explore From Here)
System : 95, 95+IE4.x, 98, ME, NT, 2K
Type : REG_SZ
Suggested : Explorer.exe /e,/root,/idlist,%i

Opens Explorer with specified folder as root.

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New window

If you have chosen to browse your shell in one window only instead of opening a new window for each folder, you may need to open a folder in a new window. Here is how to create a New Window option for folder context menu :

1. Create a first subkey :
Key : HKCR \Folder \shell \NewWindow (or whatever you like)
Entry : Default (Menu New Window)
System : 95, 95+IE4.x, 98, ME, NT, 2K
Type : REG_SZ
Suggested : New Window (or whatever you like)

Name of the option in the folder context menu. Insert an & before the keyboard shortcut letter, for example New window.

2. Create a second subkey :
Key : HKCR \Folder \shell \NewWindow \command
Entry : Default (shell New Window)
System : 95, 95+IE4.x, 98, ME, NT, 2K
Type : REG_SZ
Suggested : Explorer.exe %1

Opens current folder in new Explorer window.

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Desktop menu

Here is how to create a Desktop option for folder context menu :

1. Create a first subkey :
Key : HKCR \Folder \shell \Desktop (or whatever you like)
Entry : Default (Menu Desktop)
System : 95, 95+IE4.x, 98, ME, NT, 2K
Type : REG_SZ
Suggested : Desktop (name you wish to see in the menu)

Name of the option in the folder context menu. Insert an & before the keyboard shortcut letter, for example Des&ktop.

2. Create a second subkey :
Key : HKCR \Folder \shell \Desktop \command
Entry : Default (shell Desktop)
System : 95, 95+IE4.x, 98, ME, NT, 2K
Type : REG_SZ
Suggested : Explorer.exe /e,/root,/idlist,

Opens the Desktop in an Explorer window.

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Protect

Key : HKCR \TypeDeFichier ou HKCR \TypeDeFichier \Shell \Action
Entry : EditFlags
System : 95, 95+IE4.x, 98, ME, NT, 2K
Type : REG_DWORD

EditFlags can be added in HKCR \FileType or in HKCR \FileType \Shell \Action, in order to change the flags for precise options. Thus, an option disabled in HKCR \FileType in can be reenabled in HKCR \FileType \Shell \Action. The entry contained in HKCR \FileType \Shell \Action overrides the entry contained in HKCR \FileType.

To combine one or more restrictions, make the sum of the corresponding values and indicate the total :
Bit	Hex	Action
31	80 00 00 00	Disables Delete button in the File type modification dialog box.
30	40 00 00 00	Disables Change button in the File type modification dialog box.
29	20 00 00 00	Disables New button in the File type modification dialog box.
28	10 00 00 00	Disables Delete button in the Explorer \Display \Options \File types tab.
27	08 00 00 00	Disables Change button in the Explorer \Display \Options \File types tab.
26	04 00 00 00	Reserved.
25	02 00 00 00	Displays this file type in the Explorer \Display \Options \File types tab.
24	01 00 00 00	Removes this file type from the Explorer \Display \Options \File types tab.
23	00 80 00 00	Deselects (MIME) content type in the File type modification dialog box.
22	00 40 00 00	Reserved.
21	00 20 00 00	Deselects Use DDE tickbox when creating or modifying an action in the File type modification dialog box.
20	00 10 00 00	Disables Program used to perform action line when creating or modifying an action in the File type modification dialog box.
19	00 08 00 00	Reserved.
18	00 04 00 00	Disables Default button when creating or modifying an action in the File type modification dialog box.
17	00 02 00 00	Disables Change icon button when creating or modifying an action in the File type modification dialog box.
16	00 01 00 00	Disables Type description line when creating or modifying an action in the File type modification dialog box.
8	00 00 01 00	Disables Confirm open after download when creating or modifying an action in the File type modification dialog box.

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Extension display

Key : HKCR \FileType
Entry : AlwaysShowExt
System : 95, 95+IE4.x, 98, ME, NT, 2K
Type : REG_SZ
Entry : Null

Creating this entry forces Explorer to always display the extension of this type of file.

Key : HKCR \FileType
Entry : NeverShowExt
System : 95, 95+IE4.x, 98, ME, NT, 2K
Type : REG_SZ
Entry : Null

Creating this entry forces Explorer to never display the extension of this type of file.

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Unknown file types

Key : HKCR \Unknown \shell \open \command
Entry : Default (Unknown)
System : 95, 95+IE4.x, 98, ME, NT, 2K
Type : REG_SZ
Suggested : Notepad.exe %1

Enables opening unknown file types with Notepad when double-clicking on them.

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Shortcuts

Key : HKCR \.lnk \ShellNew
Entry : Command
System : 95, 95+IE4.x, 98, ME, NT, 2K
Type : REG_SZ
Default : Rundll32 AppWiz.Cpl,NewLinkHere %1

Default value reenables creating shortcuts if disabled. %1 must be replaced with %2 if the Windows Update option is displayed in your Start Menu. See also Rundll32.exe's parameter list.

Key : HKCR \lnkfile
Entry : IsShortCut
System : 95, 95+IE4.x, 98, ME, NT, 2K
Type : REG_SZ
Default : Null

Deleting this entry removes icon shortcut arrows.

Key : HKCU \Software \Microsoft \Windows \CurrentVersion \Explorer
Entry : link
System : 95, 95+IE4.x, 98, ME, NT, 2K
Type : REG_BINARY
Default : 01 00 00 00

00 00 00 00 : Does not add Shortcut to to the name of new shortcuts. It may take a little while to work sometimes, after a few shortcuts.

Key : HKLM \SOFTWARE \Microsoft \Windows\CurrentVersion \Explorer \Shell Icons
Entry : 29
System : 95, 95+IE4.x, 98, ME, NT, 2K
Type : REG_SZ
Default : Null

Icon used to indicate shortcuts (ususally an arrow). Choose the one you like by indicating icon path and file name. You can customize any Windows object icon in Standard icon location.

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QuickView

Key : HKCR \* \QuickView
Entry : Default (QuickView)
System : 95, 95+IE4.x, 98, ME, NT, 2K
Type : REG_SZ
Suggested : *

Adds a QuickView option in all file type context menus.