Registry Editing Tips

Adding "Open With" Menu Command

The Open With context menu is only available when you Shift+right-click a file. But there is a way to add this option automatically to the menu every time you right-click a file. Launch the registry editor and go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Unknown\shell\openas\command\. This subkey is actually the action to open the "Open With" box for "unknown" files when windows can't find the suitable application to open a file with.

To add this action to every file, we must copy out the value of the Default string on the right pane. Press Ctrl+C or right-click and select Copy.

Now go back to the top of the list and HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*. Right-click on it and choose New Key. Name this subkey shell. Right-click on shell key and add a new subkey named openas. Right-click this key and add a new subkey named command. Now double-click the default string value in the right-hand pane. A dialog box will pop up. Press Ctrl-V to paste the complicated command line you copied earlier. Click OK.

In case you haven't noticed, we have made an exact copy of the subtree in the \Unknown tree. Now, every time you right-click a file, you will have an "Open With" option.

Registry Editing Tips 27
Context Menus Registry Edit 1

Return to the Tips index

Context Menus Registry Edit 3

 

FAQ Articles DirectX Plus98! Downloads Drivers News Archive
Home, Links, Awards, Help, Map, Poll, Newsgroups, Online Chat, Mailing List, Search
Tips & Tricks Guides Bugs & Fixes Themes Reviews Site Contents ActiveIE

HR Line

Copyright (C) 1998-1999 The Active Network. All rights reserved.
Please click here for full terms of use and restrictions.