File Associations

"Davidm" wrote

| That looks interesting!
| Rather than export the whole key as suggested:
|
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Explorer\FileExts
| I wonder if can can just export a few of it's subkeys (if that's the
| right term), for example .pdf .jpg so that I can just restore those?

Yes. You can export/import at any level. The
exported file is just text entries of the settings.
See my post above. (Sorry I had the wrong
key in my post. I always set values in HKCR,
but that actually corresponds to
HKLM\Software\Classes\)

On 6/03/2017 5:58 AM, Paul wrote:

No, the associations do change on their own.
This has been observed before.
It's just for selected stuff that MS wants to promote
for whatever reason.

For people working as technical supports in business organizations, your
recommended tools might save some time... a quick-and-dirty patch.

But the better approach is still finding out what caused the file
association changes.

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Yeah, I could believe that. That Windows overrides file
associations that are automatically done by programs and not
done directly by the user. That is interesting, I will keep
it in mind. I probably usually set all of them by hand.


Paul wrote:

John Doe wrote:
Paul wrote:
Philip Herlihy wrote:
davidm_uk- says...

Getting really fed up with Win10 grabbing back my file
associations, in particular pictures (jpg, giff, bmp),
pdf and web links. Is there any way to have something
(program, script, batch file etc) run automatically at
startup or user login to reset them to what I want?
Would need to work for ordinary users (no admin rights)
as well.
In a command-line script (or window) the ASSOC and FTYPE
commands can do this.

http://commandwindows.com/assoc.htm

Without experimenting (don't really have time) I don't
know if UAC will intervene with these commands.
My presumption is, the Windows logic that overrides the
user choice, is going to undo whatever binding you use.
Even my idea of removing selected Apps, only works until
the next OS install. Which will be "Crater" in April.

Do you personally have that problem? Like on a normal
installation, without preview versions.

Seems to me something is being overlooked, since some of
us do not experience it.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...rum/windows_10
-other_settings/microsoft-edge-overrides-default-program-for
-pdf/e7ad4951-204b-4104-948d-460edc8c4df1?page=3

[Ramesh Srinivasan - runs a Windows help site on the
web]

"The file association reset occurs if your PDF software
changes
the file association settings by itself (as they did
in previous OS and all these years). Windows 8 and 10
are different; they introduced hash algorithm for
setting file type associations.

So, if a program writes to the association keys (that
is, without the hash), Windows 10 simply clears those
settings and sets the modern apps as the default
handler for the file type."

[You're supposed to try to use this instead...]

https://fud.community.services.support.microsoft.com/Fu
d/FileDownloadHandler.ashx?fid=e09ec251-93e0-4166-97d7-
f82775cd5f78

"You'll see a notification that says the "{app name}
forced
an invalid registry change and the default handler for
{file type} has been reset to default handler of
{default}. Click {here} to set your defaults."

So there is a mechanism at work, a change in how file
handlers are recorded in the registry. *But*, the other
evidence is, it's for types that Microsoft has a tool for.
So the Photo App will have an appetite for image files, and
will steal the associations for them.

As far as I'm concerned, even if you use the "official"
interface for setting those, it comes with no guarantees,
because it is a "sloppy seconds" interface.

And we also know from experience, Microsoft does not give
a rats ass about your customizations. (Witness my attempts
for the last ten years, to set the screen saver behavior to
a value *other* than "ten minutes". People may recall my
recounted experience where a *Microsoft diagnostic* noticed
the time set to 2 hours and "helpfully set it back to ten
minutes".) Be prepared to re-apply them, over and over and
over again... This is why I don't waste my time on clever
customization. You have to recognize who is in charge, and
just *reject* the product for actual work. My copies of
Win10 here, are museum pieces, not practical tools. They're
like "keeping an elephant, just for the excrement".

When the battery life on my Win10-upgraded laptop is cut in
half (when the network cable is connected), and only sips
power with the network cable disconnected, what are we to
do ? That's not the definition of "useful". Nobody cares
about the user, in the least. This is why I keep the Win7
drive for the laptop handy - if any "field" work is
required, the laptop leaves the house with the Win7 drive
in it. The fact the battery life is good with the network
cable disconnected, shows the OS (underneath portion) has
great potential, while the "saddle bags" that ride on top
in the name of "Windows as a Service" suck all the life out
of it. The machine is being maintained to death. (Anyone
who has a CPU core railed by Windows Update in the last
five OSes, knows this too.) Did they care to *fix* Windows
Update ? ****, no!

Paul

Good day.

Have a look he


http://winaero.com/blog/prevent-wind...-default-apps/

This will prevent some "Apps" from stealing your file associations...

On 2017-03-06 04:49, Paul wrote:

[snip]

In a command-line script (or window) the ASSOC and FTYPE commands
can do this.

I've only used ASSOC to SHOW associations so far, but if it can
associate filetypes to programs then this could be the way to go; use a
logon script or task scheduler...

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...c8c4df1?page=3

[Ramesh Srinivasan - runs a Windows help site on the web]

"The file association reset occurs if your PDF software changes
the file association settings by itself (as they did in previous OS
and all these years). Windows 8 and 10 are different; they introduced
hash algorithm for setting file type associations.

Ah! I knew something was different in Win10. Stupid, now we can't fix it
ourselves, need a freaking hash! If OP wants to go Mayayana's way (which
is how I woulda done it before someone suggested ASSOC) then just export
the key WITH the hash (apparently stored in the UserChoice branch,
wherever THAT is). Put all your keys in a single .reg and import it on
logon.

So, if a program writes to the association keys (that is, without
the hash), Windows 10 simply clears those settings and sets the modern
apps as the default handler for the file type."

Yup, been doing it the same way since Windoze 95 so of course this
cannot go on, need to change it and make every program incompatible with
the new OS! We've had to fix this on our Win10 image at work: Win10
insists on re-associating PDFs with Edge (I think we are using DISM
/online /import-defaultappassociations to fix this but it doesn't work
with the local admin account, only on subsequent logons from new users).

https://fud.community.services.suppo...7-f82775cd5f78

"You'll see a notification that says the "{app name} forced
an invalid registry change and the default handler for
{file type} has been reset to default handler of {default}.
Click {here} to set your defaults."

So there is a mechanism at work, a change in how file handlers
are recorded in the registry. *But*, the other evidence is,
it's for types that Microsoft has a tool for. So the Photo App
will have an appetite for image files, and will steal the
associations for them.

As far as I'm concerned, even if you use the "official" interface
for setting those, it comes with no guarantees, because it is
a "sloppy seconds" interface.

The idea behind the change in Win8/Win10 is that there is *no*
"official" interface anymore! I have no idea how programs get around
this right now, because the goal is that no application whatsoever
should be able to set associations, it should be a user choice,
according to MS, thereby forcing us to go into control panel and
associate things ourselves for everything we install (gee, thanks MS!).
Stupid solution...

[snip]

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B00ze wrote:
Good day.

Have a look he


http://winaero.com/blog/prevent-wind...-default-apps/


This will prevent some "Apps" from stealing your file associations...


Until the next OS Upgrade, maybe :-)

"Creator" arrives April 2017.

Paul