Windows 7 and File Association

Hello everyone!

It happened so that I start my posts from the question "Is it possible or not?" to solve my problem. As well as now actually.

I have a simple media player and I want to associate media file types with it. I found VLC player installer script here and without further ado have placed some parts to my one. Unfortunately, my player becomes default for those file types only for which previously there wasn't defined any player or application. This means that if e.g. avi file was previously player with WMP by default after installing my player and associating avi with it WMP remains default program for this file type.

But if I try to open avi file via context menu and "Open with ..." there my player is first in the list. Unfortunately, this doesn't help much.

As I noticed during the installation of VLC the same problems occurs.

So main question here: is it possible at all to associate application and file types via installer?

P.S. To prevent possible suggestions of "try to ... " need to say that I'm known and already tried "RequestExecutionLevel admin", "UserInfo plug-in", "UAC plug-in" "run as administrator" with no luck or without confidence that problem is in admin privileges.

Thank you for attention, reading and possible help.

Ok, I hope absence of answers doesn't mean my problem is unsolvable, but those who know salvation haven't seen this post yet 🙂

Probably anybody knows how to change:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.avi\UserChoice]
"Progid"="WMP11.AssocFile.AVI"

with, e.g.
"Progid1"="WMP11.AssocFile.AVI"

i.e. simply change "Progid" with "Progid1"

I was unable to do this under administrator account.

You are not really supposed to mess with UserChoice, just follow the docs

Originally Posted by Anders View Post

You are not really supposed to mess with UserChoice, just follow the docs

Thank you, but I don't have problems with Shortcuts.

Any other ideas?

AFAIR you need to go back to user level if you want to set at user level - see:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion

I was unable to do this under administrator account.

as admin it will go admins user settings.

Originally Posted by Brummelchen View Post

AFAIR you need to go back to user level if you want to set at user level - see:

Originally Posted by oldfriend View Post

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion


I was unable to do this under administrator account.

as admin it will go admins user settings.

Well, probably it was a wrong way of salving my main problem. Anyway any thoughts about file association?

do it like vlc did

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\.avi]
"VLC.backup"="WMP11.AssocFile.AVI"
@="VLC.avi"

Originally Posted by Brummelchen View Post

do it like vlc did

Once again need to that after installing VLC player files previously associated with WMP are still opened with WMP even if you associate them with VLC.

That's why I'm here.

Please don't reply if you haven't faced with such problem.

Originally Posted by oldfriend View Post

Thank you, but I don't have problems with Shortcuts.

Any other ideas?

Actually read the page I linked to? That page also links to this . Those two pages link to all the information about registering file types...

na, dont bother me with your dullness, i tried to help

first - did you install vlc with your script or with the official setup?
i guess your script is outdated and buggy wether i've seen it or not.

second - you cant fix it your way - not possible

third - you need to reconnect WMP to all its files
then you need to clear up that vlc crap connections

fourth - delete this tree
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts
you will loose some connections - just reconnect later

reinstall vlc with official setup
you can do that in sandboxie to grab the knowledge behind how it works.
sandboxie forum offers tools for that
otherwise install it normally

much faster to repair something you dont get ATM

HTH

Thank you, Anders. Will read more carefully.

Originally Posted by Brummelchen View Post

na, dont bother me with your dullness, i tried to help

Brummelchen, words "don't reply" were not directed personally to you, so please don't be rude.

Originally Posted by Brummelchen View Post

first - did you install vlc with your script or with the official setup?

Yes installer was taken from http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-windows.html and after redirecting to http://sourceforge.net/ was downloaded, so it is official. Ans it's installer DOESN'T ASSOCIATE files with VLC player which were previously associated with WMP. To complete association you need to do this via VLC player later. It is confirmed! On clean system. Not by me only.

Originally Posted by Brummelchen View Post

i guess your script is outdated and buggy wether i've seen it or not.

as you wish

Originally Posted by Brummelchen View Post

second - you cant fix it your way - not possible

I'm beginning to think so to, too sad

Originally Posted by Brummelchen View Post

third - you need to reconnect WMP to all its files
then you need to clear up that vlc crap connections

VLC is not my goal. I just used it's installer's patrs with the only success with non-associated files and in this case it works fine.

Originally Posted by Brummelchen View Post

fourth - delete this tree
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts
you will loose some connections - just reconnect later

I can't do this neither with installer nor with my admin rights ander admin account. And not only me.

Originally Posted by Brummelchen View Post

reinstall vlc with official setup
you can do that in sandboxie to grab the knowledge behind how it works.
sandboxie forum offers tools for that
otherwise install it normally

as I sad i don't need VLC

Originally Posted by Brummelchen View Post

much faster to repair something you dont get ATM

No comments 🙂

Originally Posted by Brummelchen View Post

HTH

Not really, since unfortunately your post is not connected with my NSIS problem. Anyway, thank you Brummelchen for your time and attention.

Anders, thank you very much for the link which helped me to understand more deep file association in the Windows 7 (and Vista)

Brummelchen, you were right regarding the

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts

my problem was exactly in the registry key, so thank you for pointing me there.

At the moment I'm writing and testing clear version if installer, so when I finish I'll explain were I was wrong.