# File Associations in Win98se



## pyritechips (Jun 3, 2002)

*CAUTION! I have no idea if this works with other Windows- maybe you can offer some input on that.*

I have had a lot of people asking lately about how to set a file association in Windows 98. This is especially a problem when software will "hijack" an association and not give it up, even after the software has been uninstalled.

It has been my experience with Win98 that "open with..." and folder options are not always sucessful in setting a file association.

Instead I use Winfile: 

1) Go to Start > run..., and enter winfile 

2) To select the file to be associated, navigate to it by first selecting the drive, then in the left pane select the folder(s) in which the file is stored. 

3) Find the file in the right pane. Note that the MS-DOS name will be displayed so ensure what it is for the file. If you are not sure, right click the file, then properties. The MS-DOS name will be displayed there. 

4) Select the target file then go to the top of the window and click File > Associate... 

5) In the Associate window, confirm the file extension, eg. xls. 

6) In "associate with:" line, select the program you wish to open the file type by highlighting it in the list below, or by "browse..." 

7) Once the file and program are selected, click ok.

Hope this is helpful to some of you. It seems as if very few people know of winfile, a little known and poorly promoted utility.


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## Lyn Patterson (Nov 2, 2001)

pyritechips

What a great tip ! I have never heard of 'winfile' - it makes it so easy. When I first started computing this was a real problem and "open with" was not the way to go. I used to mess around in View\Folder Options\File types etc and it was not easy. It happened every time I was experimenting with different graphics programmes and drove me crazy.

Thanks.

Lyn


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## Davey7549 (Feb 28, 2001)

Jim
Your Tip also works just fine in WinME!
Thanks for the little heads up on Winfile!   

Dave


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## brushmaster1 (Jun 15, 2002)

I have been using that method ever since Win 3.1, and it works with all versions of Win 9x. I don't know whether winfile is included with NT or not, but if so, it should work.

One caveat; winfile is a 16 bit program and can't handle long file names. If you do *anything* to a file in winfile, the long filename will be truncated. You can either select a file with a short filename (8.3) with the extension you want to associate, or you can rename the file afterwards in Windows explorer to get back the long file name.

For anyone who is curious, winfile is simply file manager from Win 3x, carried over into Win 9x. Program manager (progman.exe) is still there, also.


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## sasnak (Dec 22, 2002)

Jim,
would this work when i get an email attachment that i can't open and it sends me to a box that has programs in it and it says pick one to open with.
I have no idea what to do there,but your tip seems to be what i need I think?


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## pyritechips (Jun 3, 2002)

Davey and Brushmaster: Thanks for clarifying the use of winfile in other OS's! 

sasnak: That would depend upon the actual type of file. For instance, you won't be able to open a text file in Paint! Some file types are also specific to a sertain program and won't open in other programs. In other words, the file type must be a valid file type. No amount of associating will get them to open.

Also, always be suspicious of unknown or unusual looking file types, especially in e-mail attachments. And also watch out for double extensions! NEVER atempt to open an attachemnt unless you can see, and understandt the file extension! For example, Funnypic.jpg.vbs is NOT a picture!

If you have recieved an attachment and don't recognise it, ot it looks suspicious and you know who sent it, ask them what the source of the file is. It's best to simply ask them to send it in a standard file format.


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## sasnak (Dec 22, 2002)

Jim
Thanks for the info.


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## john1 (Nov 25, 2000)

OPEN WITH ....
**************

Many thanks to Pyritechips for posting that post
about Winfile.
That is certainly a much better way of handling
the Open with facility.
I have been having trouble getting .swf to run
in internet explorer, now it does ok.

Cheers, John


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## mobo (Feb 23, 2003)

Good stuff chips.


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## Lori 1 (Jul 25, 2002)

I went there but when I right clicked on anything it did nothing, do I need to close down all programs before doing this?


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## buddhafabio (Aug 5, 2002)

dont know if i did it right but xp crabbed at me


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## brindle (Jun 14, 2002)

Worked fast and slick on my 98se system more choices than open with has.
I too now remember it from the 3.11 days but with all the upgrades had completely forgotten about winfile. Actually thought it had been replaced with that horrible open with.


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## pyritechips (Jun 3, 2002)

> dont know if i did it right but xp crabbed at me


Yes, same here with my W2K. I believe it isn't availabe on 2000 or XP but then again these NT OS's are much better at assuming file associations the usual "open with..." way.


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## Lori 1 (Jul 25, 2002)

Huh? I have win98se and it was only a couple pic's, I was just asking if you knew what the original setting for BMP accociation was, thinking it might go to some other programs on my computer.what is BMP for?


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## pyritechips (Jun 3, 2002)

.BMP pictures originally open in MS Paint.


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## Lori 1 (Jul 25, 2002)

ahhh ok thank you : )


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## pyritechips (Jun 3, 2002)

You're welcome Lori. Did you get my latest e-mail?


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## john1 (Nov 25, 2000)

i had always thought that .bmp stood for 'bitmap'


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## Lori 1 (Jul 25, 2002)

So did I,


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## Lori 1 (Jul 25, 2002)

Pyritechips, Did I get your email? I just checked yes I did, will read it now.


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## pyritechips (Jun 3, 2002)

Yes, .bmp means bitmap

http://www.nightflight.com/foldoc-bin/foldoc.cgi?BMP


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## Davey7549 (Feb 28, 2001)

Lori
As mentioned BMP does stand for BitMap and PC's link explains it nicely including some overview of how bits and bytes are used to represent\define colors and shades in them.

Bitmaps are very basically the raw uncompressed image much as your eye would see in live representation. Your Eye of course has the ability to define measure differences down to 1\1000 of an inch as it can discriminate between shaded color differences down to 1 MacAdam unit.

This is all wonderful and good but what does that have to do with BitMaps. Well bitmaps currently are the closest we can come to discriminating colors pixel by pixel.

In Photographs for instance the clarity, definition, and resolution of the final product is determined by the number of Crystals per sq inch on the paper and how many of them are actually exposed will give it clear crisp definition.

In the computer world the crystals equivalent are called pixels and the difference between them and density per sq inch act the same way.

Bitmaps are basically the computer equivalent of photographs. 

Dave


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## Lori 1 (Jul 25, 2002)

Taaaaa daaaaaa!!!!!! I got it right, the BMP is used in MSPAINT association. {Big Smile} In the last few minute I have learned a mountain of information. You people are so cool. Thank you all.


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## Lori 1 (Jul 25, 2002)

Now that I have my pictures problem fixed, I have a problem that I think will be simple to fix, in my settings. Always before, I could put my curser over a picture and a small picture, would come to the left of the screen, so I could see the picture and not have to open it. Does anyone know what to do to my setttings to get that back again?


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## pyritechips (Jun 3, 2002)

Hello again Lori:

Try this.

1) With a folder open go to the top and click *view* then *as Webpage*

2) Click *view*

3) Click *Folder Options...*

4) Click *General* tab

5) In the *Windows Desktop Update* section click *Web Style*


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## Lori 1 (Jul 25, 2002)

Taaa daaa problem solved, Thank you Jim


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## pyritechips (Jun 3, 2002)

You're welcome Lori! Happy 'puting.


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