Frontpage as the deafult html editor

[Nucleus]

How can i make frontpage 2003 the deafult html/htm editor? Right now when i make a right-click -> edit on an html file, it opens up with ms word instead of frontpage. How can i fix this?

Thanks

[blinkdt]

As an interim solution, you could exercise the right-click-->Open With option and you should find your preferred editor listed there. But that involves an extra click, so...

Another option is to explore the file type world. For example, open Windows Explorer-->Folder Options and click the "File Types" tab. Scroll around and find the file extension you want to edit, maybe in this case HTML. Now click the Advanced button and notice the options available to you under "Actions." Sadly, if you edit the "Edit" action you can see that the path points to an Office app like Word. But more likely than not, your preferred action is already listed in Actions, for example "Edit with HomeSite+." So what's to prevent a user from opening that Action in edit mode, copying that path information, and pasting it into the default "Edit" action? And now, when you right-click-->Edit, your preferred app will open to do the job.

And don't forget other file types like HTA, ASP, etc. How one goes about doing all of this in unattended fashion is beyond me, although you will find one heck of a discussion HERE. Me? I "Open With" and can live with that painlessly.

Edited October 3, 2005 by blinkdt

[Nucleus]

Setting FrontPage as the default html editor is very easy. The first time you open it asks if you want it to be the default html editor and voila. But that’s manually. So there goes the whole unattended concept.

That’s a very nice post and I’ve used it in the past, but that’s mostly for file associations. This extension opens with this program and that extension opens with that program. I don’t want html files to open with FrontPage. I want html files to be edited by FrontPage. And this has to be the configuration as soon as the setup finishes.

I was thinking more of, a batch file, or a reg tweak.

[EchoNoise]

Internet Explorer > Tools > Internet Options > Programs > HTML Editor

I know you probably want it to change unattended.. but you could possibly do it with an auto-it script ??

[blinkdt]

I don’t want html files to open with FrontPage. I want html files to be edited by FrontPage.

I guess I don't understand as I am not a FrontPage user: aren't these actions one-and-the-same? In any event, you should be able to create a reg tweak--based on the thread referenced in my first post--to create an association that will allow you to right-click-->Edit and open the file in FrontPage for editing. Or am I completely off base here?

Edit: @undeadsoldier Good, but the only options available to me when using that routine where more Office apps and notepad. My preferred editors--HomeSite and Dreamweaver--where not listed. I think this definitely calls for a regtweak to be added following the install and before the app is opened.

Edited October 3, 2005 by blinkdt

[EchoNoise]

don’t want html files to open with FrontPage. I want html files to be edited by FrontPage.

LMAO

POTD

[Nucleus]

No these actions are not the one and the same. When I double-click on an html file, I want it to open with Internet Explorer. Not with FrontPage. I want it to be edited by FrontPage.

I couldn’t find something about FrontPage in the thread referenced in your first post.

I suppose that would be funny for someone who doesn't understand what I'm saying

Edited October 3, 2005 by Nucleus

[blinkdt]

OK, bear with me here and check me if I'm wrong, but edit is edit and open is open. If you double-click the file your preferred browser should open it. But if you right-click-->Edit, the editor that you specified in the file association should open for editing?

That thread was filled with references to players and music/file associations to be sure, but the concept is the same. If you use a proggy like regsnap you should be able to monitor the registry change and isolate the one you seek. I always use the trial version on a test-bed machine when chasing registry tweaks. I'm trying to think of another way but I always come back to the regtweak scenario.

[Nucleus]

I'll give regsnap a try. Thanks.

[Nucleus]

This is the comparison between the 2 registries, before and after changing the default html editor, from MS Word to MS FrontPage

Deleted keys: 2

Modified keys: 41

New keys : 59

What now?

Report.htm

Edited October 3, 2005 by Nucleus

[Shark007]

If you install Frontpage 1st, before any other office apps

it WILL be the default editor.

shark

[blinkdt]

What now?

RegSnap can appear messy, but the primary entries speak for themselves perhaps:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\FrontPage\Explorer\FrontPage Explorer\Settings\DisplayModePrompt
New: String: "0"
Old: String: "2"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Default HTML Editor\shell\edit\command\@
New: String: "C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\FRONTPG.EXE /dde"
Old: String: ""C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\WINWORD.EXE" /n /dde"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Default HTML Editor\shell\edit\ddeexec\Application\@
New: String: "Frontpg"
Old: String: "WinWord"

and

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Shared\HTML\Default Editor\shell\edit\command\@
Value: String: "C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\FRONTPG.EXE /dde"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Shared\HTML\Default Editor\shell\edit\ddeexec\Application\@
Value: String: "Frontpg"

I would start by importing those following the install and see what happens. Go to the registry, locate the keys, export them and combine them into one file. And if your whole system gets screwed up, well, that's why editing the registry can be a bad thing. Hope you have a test-bed machine.

[Nucleus]

I followed your instructions, and created this registry file

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\FrontPage\Explorer\FrontPage Explorer\Settings]
"DisplayModePrompt"="0"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Default HTML Editor\shell\edit\command]
@="C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\FRONTPG.EXE /dde"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Default HTML Editor\shell\edit\ddeexec\Application]
@="Frontpg"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Shared\HTML\Default Editor\shell\edit\command]
@="C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\FRONTPG.EXE /dde"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Shared\HTML\Default Editor\shell\edit\ddeexec\Application]
@="Frontpg"

I must have done something wrong though, because i get this when i try to run it.

[Nucleus]

This worked

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\FrontPage\Explorer\FrontPage Explorer\Settings]
"DefaultWebName"="C:\\Documents and Settings\\Windows XP\\My Documents\\My Web Sites"
"FirstTimeRun"=dword:00000000
"DisplayModePrompt"="0"
"WindowPos"="2,3,0,0,-1,-1,144,54,1008,674"
"FolderPaneWidthInPageView"=dword:00000096
"LastWebOpen"=",,,,1,"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\FrontPage\Explorer\FrontPage Explorer\Settings\EditorSizes]
@=dword:00000000

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Default HTML Editor\shell\edit\command]
@="C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\FRONTPG.EXE /dde"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Default HTML Editor\shell\edit\ddeexec\Application]
@="Frontpg"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Shared\HTML\Default Editor\shell\edit\command]
@="C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\FRONTPG.EXE /dde"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Shared\HTML\Default Editor\shell\edit\ddeexec\Application]
@="Frontpg"

Although when i open frontpage i got this message

[blinkdt]

Nice job, Nucleus. If I where in your shoes--considering the solid effort you have invested in this to date--I would go to the trouble of using RegSnap one more time: run your install routine again on a test-bed machine and open FrontPage. When the nag screen prompting you to set FrontPage as your default HTML editor appears, 1) stop, 2) run RegSnap, 3) click "OK" on the FrontPage nag screen, 4) immediately run RegSnap again. Now compare the two settings. You should be able to isolate the RegTweak that will set FrontPage as the default editor. Then retrace your steps and add that tweak to the larger RegTweak file. If I am not mistaken, you should then be good to go.

RegSnap is truly amazing. I have played with it for days on end with really interesting results. Another tool in the arsenal.