How to open files with the application you want

How to open files with the application you want

In Windows, when you right-click on a file name or icon, a context menu pops up to give you several choices, including opening the file. If the file type is already registered, clicking on Open will open the file with a previously specified program. For instance, a file with the .TXT extension might be opened by Notepad.

But what if you’d rather open it with a better word processor? Wouldn’t you like to have a choice? As Captain Picard would say, make it so.

Open Windows Explorer and under the Edit menu, click on Options or Folder Options. In the box that appears, click on the File Types tab. Scroll down the list of file types to find Text Document, click on it and then on the Edit button. In the Edit File Types box that appears, click on New.

Now the New Action dialogue box is awaiting your instructions. In its Action space, enter the command you want to add to the context menu — such as Open with Word.

In the space for Application, enter the path to the program you want to use to open text files. You can employ the Browse button to find the exact location, if you like. For Word, the path might be C:\Programs Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Winword.exe although it may differ on your computer.

Click on OK and close up all open boxes.

Now whenever you right-click on a .TXT file, you’ll get an option to "Open with Word".

This is only one example. You can experiment with opening a variety of files with various applications. In some cases, you may have to add a space and "%1" (including quotation marks) to the application path in the New Action dialogue box.

If you’re adventurous, you can go further where no one has gone before and add other commands to context menus, like View or Edit, and designate applications to perform those functions.

Free *Cheap Trick* of the Week: October 04, 1999

This tip does not apply to people who actually understand how to use a Windows-based computer. Why? Because you should not be using that list. It doesn't show you any real information about the file in question, and you can inadvertently be revising the wrong thing. Several times. Before your boss fires you.

What you should do instead is use Windows Explorer. Microsoft tends to hide this, but it should be your standard interface with your computer, unless you don't mind working blind.

You can always right mouse click the Start button to invoke it, but you should add Windows Explorer to your Quick Launch bar and several other menus in Windows.

The default settings for Windows Explorer defy logic. Change these so you can actually see what files you are looking at. Enable it to show you the file extensions (unclick the insane "Hide extensions" box that is, stupidly enough, checked by default though actually there is never any reason to ever check this box). Select the option to show details. Now, you will be able to see your file size, file date, and other useful information. If you right click around a bit, you can find quite a bit of functionality in Windows Explorer.

If you haven't been using this interface previously, make a point of using it now. If you always open files from within Windows Explorer, you will always be able to see all available files and select the right one.

Use Windows Explorer to set up your filing system as if it's a paper filing cabinet. Save all files either on the data drive (dual hard drive machine) or in a folder on a single hard drive machine. Do NOT save files to the default locations. These never make any sense. They are typically within your applications, which is a dumb place to save them. That's how you end up with corrupted data files and it also makes file backups difficult.

For single-drive users, an easy solution is to create a folder called 0files as your top-level data folder. The zero means it will show up at the top of your file list, making things easy for you. Below this folder, create you filing structure. Never store anything at the root of this folder. Think of it as the shell of a five-drawer filing cabinet and don't toss stuff in the bottom. Always put files in folders that are in drawers.

With a good filing structure in place, you will always be able to find your files by simply clicking right to them. So think this out as you go and follow a good taxonomy. It's a much more effective way to work than how the zombies at Microsoft envision people working.

Cheap Tricks for computer success

How to open files with the application you want