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File Type Associations

Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 6:05 pm
by OwnZ joO
I made a program to edit the File Associations in windows. I know this can be done using tools > folder options, but I just noticed that the programmers on here tend to do it in a weird way(still works good). I'm just releasing this and the source for anyone that wants to to learn from it. It's really heavily commented, so more experienced programmers might get annoyed by that(I really over-explained things for beginners)

This allows you to select multiple programs for a file extension to use in opening them. You can change the File Type that windows displays ex: .txt files are text files. The first program you add will be the default double click shell handler(open with a right click), and the rest will be put in as Open with Application Name. These are pictures of it working.

Image

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Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 4:53 am
by xzodia
thats pritty cool but the ui could use some work :P

Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 8:04 am
by StalkingGrunt911
That's pretty cool, good job.

Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 9:08 am
by -DeToX-
UI makes me want to kill myself. Other than that nice job :wink:

Re: File Type Associations

Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 9:30 am
by Prey
Prey - A Programmers Reference wrote:The Vision
This is where it all starts, the idea. A short sentence or small paragraph, it is what will drive you during the course of development on your new program, and is one of the most important parts of the development cycle.

[...]

Now let me quickly list 2 very important don'ts:
  • [...]
  • If your idea has already been realized in some sort of other application, you should not continue unless you honestly feel that the job could have been done better. In the case of a calculator, theres no point in making it if the eventual result is not going to be better than the one Windows comes with for free.
OwnZ joO wrote:[...] I know this can be done using tools > folder options [...]
I see no improvement >_>

As for the source code, I had a quick look over it.. you need to cut back on the regions man, and it is way too heavily coded to be honest. Also you forget to call the .Close() on the regkey once your done with it >_>

Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 9:33 am
by Tural
This man speaks the truth.

Re: File Type Associations

Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 10:35 am
by OwnZ joO
-DeToX- wrote:UI makes me want to kill myself. Other than that nice job :wink:
Yeah, this wasn't meant to be a huge project, you have access to the source code, change what you don't like :lol:
Prey wrote:
Prey - A Programmers Reference wrote:The Vision
This is where it all starts, the idea. A short sentence or small paragraph, it is what will drive you during the course of development on your new program, and is one of the most important parts of the development cycle.

[...]

Now let me quickly list 2 very important don'ts:
  • [...]
  • If your idea has already been realized in some sort of other application, you should not continue unless you honestly feel that the job could have been done better. In the case of a calculator, theres no point in making it if the eventual result is not going to be better than the one Windows comes with for free.
OwnZ joO wrote:[...] I know this can be done using tools > folder options [...]
I see no improvement >_>

As for the source code, I had a quick look over it.. you need to cut back on the regions man, and it is way too heavily coded to be honest. Also you forget to call the .Close() on the regkey once your done with it >_>
I didn't do it to improve on the fold options, it was as an example for other people wanting to program file associations. If I was trying to just make a better version, I wouldn't have released overly commented source code. Also a lot of people on here probably only have one default program for map file, I'm sure you have thought of this already, but not everyone on this site is as crafty with computers as a programmer, I guess I could have done a tutorial on just using folder options to change it, but then people wouldn't get the code examples.

I know I coded heavily, but error catching without try catch blocks is good, you're really only supposed to use those when you can't know if there will be an error or not like in an IO situation.

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 5:55 pm
by DrXThirst
Well, I updated the UI a little. It's ok I guess. Better than the original?


Image

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 6:08 pm
by Tural
Get rid of all that empty space.

Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 12:41 pm
by DrXThirst
Alright, better?

Image

*I also moved the save button to the top right hand corner.

Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 12:42 pm
by Tural
Indeed, 'tis better.

Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 12:46 pm
by DrXThirst
Alright. Thanks. I also attached the app to the post above. The icon is horrible, however, I know of no where with good icons.

Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 12:48 pm
by Tural

Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 12:54 pm
by DrXThirst
Cool! Thanks.

Also, I added a MUCH better icon and included the source. Both are attached to this post.

Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 1:24 pm
by Prey
Meh, I don't think your UI looks much better, more confusing if anything. Nice icon though.

I remember making something like this a long time ago...and I remember the reason being the Windows one didn't (and still doesn't) let you resize >_> ... I just sourced it out now actually:

Image

Woo for Alex Corporation! You know me as Prey, and so I put the name Prey in my applications...but my personal stuff gets the better treatment :P ..anyway I got bored making it pretty quickly I remember, hence the lack of anything in the 'actions' box ^__^

Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 2:48 pm
by DrXThirst
Are you going to release it? I like it!

Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2007 7:48 am
by OwnZ joO
Prey wrote:Meh, I don't think your UI looks much better, more confusing if anything. Nice icon though.

I remember making something like this a long time ago...and I remember the reason being the Windows one didn't (and still doesn't) let you resize >_> ... I just sourced it out now actually:

Image

Woo for Alex Corporation! You know me as Prey, and so I put the name Prey in my applications...but my personal stuff gets the better treatment :P ..anyway I got bored making it pretty quickly I remember, hence the lack of anything in the 'actions' box ^__^
Looks pretty professional, why would you need to resize it though?

Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2007 7:59 am
by Prey
Because it annoyed me that you had to scroll through all those filetypes in such a small box. A filter would probably have worked better actually now that I think about it...oh well. And no I won't be releasing; it doesn't do much remember ;x

Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2007 2:53 pm
by StalkingGrunt911
Prey wrote:Because it annoyed me that you had to scroll through all those filetypes in such a small box. A filter would probably have worked better actually now that I think about it...oh well. And no I won't be releasing; it doesn't do much remember ;x
Then program it to do much "Perfectionist". :P :wink:

Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 9:02 am
by OwnZ joO
Prey wrote:Because it annoyed me that you had to scroll through all those filetypes in such a small box. A filter would probably have worked better actually now that I think about it...oh well. And no I won't be releasing; it doesn't do much remember ;x
On the it doesn't do much regard, I know that this doesn't improve on functionality of the windows one, but a lot of people don't know about it, or don't know how to do it. If I just released the app and no source, then that would be fine to call me out on, but I just did it as an example for anyone interested in it.