# [Resolved] Any possibility to get Open With???



## pvc9 (Jul 7, 2002)

Hello there,
I just got this doubt after browsing through another thread about the Open With dialog box.

Just incase by mistake if we select a program for a file(Checking the box 'Always use this program to open this type of file') and later if we want to disable it i.e., again get the Open With dialog box. Is there any chance to do so???

I'm on Win98 SE but guess if this works it might also apply for Win ME, Win XP... Just a guess!

But if there are anyways to again get the Open With dialog box please help...

Ofcourse I know that we can get the Open With dialog box by keeping the Shift key pressed and right clicking on the file. I'd appreciate if any other methods can be used...

Any suggestions appreciated...


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

If it's an unusual file type and you want to completely remove any association for it -- you could delete the file type from Folder Options > File types. This will cause the the Open With dialog to appear anytime you click the file.


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

You can also add the "open with" option to your normal right click menu by using this registry patch. To use it, right click and download the openwith.txt file to your desktop. Rename it openwith.reg and then double click it to merge to the registry.

You can delete it afterwards.


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## pvc9 (Jul 7, 2002)

Rog,
Thanks for the advice. I guess this would make it more useful for you. What actually happened was my brother selected the 'Notepad.exe' to open all the files with the '.dat' extension. This isnt useful in all circumstances. So I just wanted to know if there was any way through which I could disable the opening of a dat file in notepad when double-clicked. In the meantime I wanted to get the Open With dialog box too. I would be very grateful even if it can be done using just the '.dat' files...

Hope this helps!

Any suggestions appreciated...


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## pvc9 (Jul 7, 2002)

Rog,
I saved the registry patch and merged it with my registry and ofcourse I got the Open With option when I right clicked the dat file. But guess what when I selected the Open With option I got an error - 

The file doesnot have a program associated with it for performing this action. Create an association in My Computer by clicking View and then clicking Folder Options.

I'll just try and see if I can do something in the Folder Options but in the meantime I just wanted to let you know about the error...


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

Are you getting that error when trying "Open With" on other file types as well? I don't get it with dat or any other. By the way, .dat files don't really care what is associated with them. Each one is specific to the program that uses it and will be opened by it in the process of usage. Mine are currently associated with RealPlayer (I have no idea how that happened and don't care) 

Still, you shouldn't be getting any errors.

If you run *regedit* and navigate to:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\openas\command

... do you see this data value in the right hand pane, in quotes:

C:\WINDOWS\rundll32.exe shell32.dll,OpenAs_RunDLL %1

You can remove the Open With entry from the Right Click menu by deleting the OpenAs folder in the left hand pane of the registry at the location indicated.


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## pvc9 (Jul 7, 2002)

Rog,
Thanks for the advice but I still get the same error msg. One more thing is that the same error msg pops up when I tried with other files(txt,exe,zip...).

Also there was no entry in the registry at HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\openas\command. So guess the registry patch want complete and so I was getting the error. How should I apply the key I mean should I merge it as a String Value???

Please advice. Any suggestions appreciated...


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

When you ran the patch, did you get the message that it successfully merged? Your registry at that location should now look like the entry in my attachment.

If you have the "command" subkey, then there should be a "Default" entry in the Right Hand pane.

If the "default" entry has no value, double click on it and add:

*C:\WINDOWS\rundll32.exe shell32.dll,OpenAs_RunDLL %1* to the "Value Data" field.


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## pvc9 (Jul 7, 2002)

Rog,
Thanks so much. Even though I got the msg that the content was merged with my registry successfully it didnt work. But now after changing the content of the default key with the one you posted now everything seems to be working pretty fine. And the dat files donot open in notepad and I get the openwith option...

Thanks a lot again...


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

Good .... I think. I assume you mean that the .dat files are not opening automatically in Notepad -- if you want to open one there, you should be able -- although the contents of many may appear to be gobledegook.


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## Raphael (Jun 20, 2001)

Here's my problem.
I tried to open zip file, and yes, accidentally didn't uncheck the "always" box.
Now, whenever I unzip, I am not able to double click on the zip file, being that it is being opened with notepad!!!


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## pvc9 (Jul 7, 2002)

Raphael,
Well you need to do this to get the open with dialog box again.

Right click on any zip file with Shift key pressed. This would open the menu with an extra option of Open With... Select that option and you'll get the dialog box again. Here becareful and select Winzip and for sure check the box and things would be fine again.


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## Raphael (Jun 20, 2001)

Thanks!! BTW, look in tips and tricks, there is a fix to uncheck by default the always use box.


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## pvc9 (Jul 7, 2002)

Np 

Thanks for the update and will check the other forum.


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