Changing File Type
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Thread: Changing File Type

  1. #1
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    Changing File Type

    I have an annoying problem. It's easy to change the default application for a particular extension but it's not easy to change the File Type that appears in Explorer and elsewhere. As an example:

    For .mpg my default application is PowerDVD but in Explorer, the File Type is ATi File Player and the icon is the ATi icon. I want it to say Mpeg and show the PowerDVD icon.

    Another example, for .ifo my default application is also PowerDVD but the File Type is WinDVD.playback. I had WinDVD installed for about an hour before uninstalling. I detest applications that try and take over the pc. Actually this one is OK in Explorer (type IFO), but not in Directory Opus, my Explorer shell.

    I know that I can search the text string in the registry and re-write it, but is there a simpler way of doing it for both Explorer and Directory Opus?

    Starman*
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  2. #2
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    Starman--The simple way to set associations for file types should be right click on any file of the type|Open With|Choose Program|highlight (or Browse to) the program|check the box at the bottom "Always use the selected program ..."|OK.
    Jim
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  3. #3
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    Welshjim, re-read my first line, I tried to be specific. I am not talking about the default application. Doing that does not affect the File Type description.

    See linked pic below. You will see that for the file type mpg, PowerDVD is what opens the files (set by exactly the method you described) but ATi File Player is shown as the default. This is set in the registry (I can find the text string ATi File Player"). Does not matter what application you select, the default is always ATi File Player. The same with ifo files. WinDVD.playback is the default file type and I no longer have it on the pc.

    Somehow certain apps hijack the file type description and will not allow it to be changed.

    FileType/Explorer Listing 46Kb

    Starman
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  4. #4
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    Starman99--I have no experience with this particular problem.
    The only thing I can think to do is reinstall ATi File Player and when the time comes to associate files with ATi File Player uncheck all boxes.
    However, maybe ATi File Player has created a permanent association.
    Your image shows that the default Type is ATi File Player .
    In that case, can you recreate the files and reassociate the new files with PowerDVD?
    Jim
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  5. #5
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    I don't usually post problems that are easy to solve because if they are, I've already solved them!

    In this example, ATi is quite irrelevant. If I double click an mpg, it opens with PowerDVD.

    I've tried removing the mpg type and starting over. There are no associated file types call Mpeg or PowerDVD so I left that blank and set mpg to open with PowerDVD. I still got the ATi File Player descripton and logo in Explorer even though it shows the PowerDVD logo in Folder Options/File Types as you can see!

    I can edit the description in the registry but I've no idea how to get the correct logo. The fact that my Explorer shell program and Explorer behave differently may point to a solution.

    I really don't want to uninstall the ATi software. It's the main graphics software not a standalone player and it is flaky enough as it is. The ATi dominance has always been there (and yes you are correct it seems a permanent association). It's not the only program that does this.

    Starman*
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  6. #6
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    I did a lot more playing around with right-click / open with / select program and check always open with...

    For whatever inexplicable reason, I have resolved the ifo file issue, Explorer and my shell both show PowerDVD logo and file type is IFO File.

    Mpg files now show the WMP logo!!! and MPG File file type. I just cannot get that to show PowerDVD. There is some sort of hierarchy of file type setting and PowerDVD does not rank in any common formats.

    I found a link to another forum where someone had the same problem but they just wanted to change the text (registry edit will do that).

    Starman*
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  7. #7
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    Starman99--To change icon for a File Type--When you are in the File Types window highlight the file in question|Click Advanced. You should have the option to Change Icon. This assumes you can find a PowerDVD icon when you click Browse. I would assume something in the PowerDVD folder would have an icon.
    Jim
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  8. #8
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    That might work were it not for the fact there is no Advanced option! On that jpg, I cropped the bottom of the dialog so you can't see the fact the only other button is "Restore" (back to ATi). This file type cannot be edited in any way. Can't add, "Open" "Edit" etc because there is no way in to that dialog.

    Added later: This must be some "normal" function of Windows because having the Restore button in place of the Advanced button is clearly a designed dialog, not some aberration. It's not like having an Advanced button which does nothing. That would be a fault.

    I don't really want to change the icon and description if the actual file type remains something else. I don't know what problems that may generate. I want to change the File Type, in this case so it is File Type MPG, default app PowerDVD and its icon.

    Starman*
    Last edited by Starman99; August 7th, 2006 at 04:43 PM. Reason: comment added
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  9. #9
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    How about this? Run regedit, expand HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, highlight the branch with the file extension you want to control, right-click and export it to a .reg file (for backup), then delete it. Restart the system for the change to take effect. The file extension should now be gone, so you can make your own actions for applications and define an icon. If the file extension magically appears back, it must be some start-up program that restores file associations.

    If something goes beserk, just double-click the saved .reg file to merge the deleted branch back into the registry.

    IMPORTANT NOTE (not necessarily to you, but to newbies reading this and thinking of trying the "fix" too): Using regedit without caution can really mess up your system; FUBAR, as the computer illuminati call it. Do it at your own risk. Research what you're planning to change, make sure you do it correctly and make sure you make a functional back-up first!

  10. #10
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    starman99--Have you looked under "NONE (DVD Video)" near the top of the File Types window?
    Jim
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  11. #11
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    Puterfixer, I basically did what you said but without editing the registry. I removed .mpg in Folder Options/File Types and then created a new type .MPG. The entry for .MPG in the registry classes is different to the other mpeg classes like .mpe .mpeg so I conclude the entry was started afresh. The only data in the .MPG key is ft000002 which seem to appear in a few other entries concerned with mpgs.

    Welshjim, that was an interesting suggestion. In NONE (DVD Video) I do have an Advanced button(!!). The icon is Sonic Cineplayer (what happened to WMP!)

    Open is Sonic Cineplayer
    Play is ATiMMC.exe (the ATi player)
    then there are various other players including
    Play with PowerDVD

    Just checking the Explorer icons
    .ifo is still PowerDVD
    .mpg is still WMP
    Both these types are still uneditable in Folder Options/File Types

    Starman*
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  12. #12
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    starman99--When you have clicked on NONE (DVD Video)", click Advanced|Play with Power DVD|Edit. In the "Application used to perform this action" line Paste the following (including quotes) "C:\Program Files\CyberLink\PowerDVD\PowerDVD.exe" MOVIE "%L" . (Change the location of PowerDVD.exe if it is different on your PC.) OK|Set Default while "Play with Power DVD" is still highlighted. OK
    Jim
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  13. #13
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    The entry is already per your description minus the MOVIE. What does that do? I have left as it is for now and just made it the default. I don't have any autoruns enabled so if that comes into play when a video dvd is inserted it will not make any difference.

    Starman*
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  14. #14
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    I think I may have found a key to resolving what's going on. As it is clear that this is a designed Windows setup rather than some software glitch, I Googled "xp default file type cannot be changed" and got this registry tips page. Go to the "The Fix For Grayed Out Boxes" section. I'm tied up for the next few hours so I don't have time to fully analyse but it looks very relevant, para 2 in particular re novices.

    Starman*
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  15. #15
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    An update. What I found in that posted link about the registry is what I was looking for. However, the descriptions of the bits/bytes do not tally with what I find so I have not made any changes. It did lead me to where the icons in File Types comes from (where I have Sonic Cineplayer icon instead of my default PowerDVD). On the back burner for now.

    I think what happened originally is that installing the ATi graphics and ATi media software set various bits to make certain types uneditable.

    Starman*
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