[Help] Exporting file types from another install

[HyperHacker]

When trying to set up file associations on my laptop, I noticed two problems:

1) It's a very slow, boring process.

2) Windows' file association editor is buggy as heck. (I've had problems with it on every Windows I've ever used.) It often doesn't even save my changes.

Is it possible, though, to export the file associations from my PC and copy them to my laptop? Can I just export HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT and import it on the laptop, overwriting existing associations? Would I need to (or can I) delete the contents of this tree first? Is there at least a command line program that can edit associations reliably?

Edited August 14, 2006 by HyperHacker

[Takeshi]

Normally you can export and import HKCR keys.

But, importing as reg would not delete any excess data on the target reg key (it just adds to it), whereas importing as hive files would overwrite it. I suggest always to have a backup and do a dummy run first.

[HyperHacker]

Actually, looking at the registry data in there, it's full of junk anyway. I'd be better off setting them manually on my laptop. But the built-in editor doesn't work... surely there must be a command-line utility for this?

[Takeshi]

Actually, looking at the registry data in there, it's full of junk anyway. I'd be better off setting them manually on my laptop. But the built-in editor doesn't work... surely there must be a command-line utility for this?

It'd be better to post the actual data/reg key. Otherwise we won't know why it doesn't work.

You can delete data in reg with the - added.

Reg.exe is the console registry tool.

[HyperHacker]

When I say it doesn't work, I just mean it's buggy (often refusing to save changes) and slow, as it's been in every Windows I've used. I know you can edit the registry with reg.exe, but that requires knowing the format.

Since you asked, though, here's an example - the .aif extension:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.aif]
"PerceivedType"="audio"
"Content Type"="audio/aiff"
@="AIFFFile"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.aif\OpenWithList]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.aif\OpenWithList\wmplayer.exe]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.aif\OpenWithProgIds]
"AIFFFile"=hex(0):

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.aif\PersistentHandler]
@="{098f2470-bae0-11cd-b579-08002b30bfeb}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AIFFFile]
"PreferExecuteOnMismatch"=dword:00000001
"EditFlags"=dword:00010000
@="AIFF Sound"
"FriendlyTypeName"="@C:\\WINDOWS\\inf\\unregmp2.exe,-9903"
"BrowserFlags"=dword:00000008

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AIFFFile\DefaultIcon]
@="%SystemRoot%\\system32\\SHELL32.dll,116"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AIFFFile\shell]
@="Play_in_&Winamp"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AIFFFile\shell\&Enqueue_in_Winamp]
@="&Enqueue in Winamp"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AIFFFile\shell\&Enqueue_in_Winamp\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\Winamp\\winamp.exe\" /ADD \"%1\""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AIFFFile\shell\Add_to_Winamp's_&Bookmark_list]
@="Add to Winamp's &Bookmark list"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AIFFFile\shell\Add_to_Winamp's_&Bookmark_list\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\Winamp\\winamp.exe\" /BOOKMARK \"%1\""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AIFFFile\shell\play]
"MUIVerb"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,\
  6f,00,74,00,25,00,5c,00,69,00,6e,00,66,00,5c,00,75,00,6e,00,72,00,65,00,67,\
  00,6d,00,70,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,2c,00,2d,00,39,00,39,00,39,00,\
  31,00,00,00
@="&Play"
"LegacyDisable"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AIFFFile\shell\play\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\Windows Media Player\\wmplayer.exe\"  /Play \"%L\""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AIFFFile\shell\Play_in_&Winamp]
@="Play in &Winamp"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AIFFFile\shell\Play_in_&Winamp\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\Winamp\\winamp.exe\" \"%1\""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AIFFFile\shellex]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AIFFFile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AIFFFile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\WMPAddToPlaylist]
@="{F1B9284F-E9DC-4e68-9D7E-42362A59F0FD}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AIFFFile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\WMPBurnAudioCD]
@="{8DD448E6-C188-4aed-AF92-44956194EB1F}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AIFFFile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\WMPPlayAsPlaylist]
@="{CE3FB1D1-02AE-4a5f-A6E9-D9F1B4073E6C}"

No matter how many times I change it in the assoication editor, as soon as I hit OK, all those changes are gone and it remains set how it was before. I had to manually replace every instance in the registry to edit it.

As for editors, I found one on Google but it's not a command-line app. I might just try to make my own.

[DL.]

Many programs (media players in particular) like to set associations and reset them if changed.

Try changing the association-settings (un-associate) within the programs (for example Winamp or WMP).

Always select advanced installation (not standard or simple) when installing new software, it will probably let you set the associations at that point.

Edited August 16, 2006 by DL.

[HyperHacker]

The only program that might be doing that is Winamp and it wasn't running at the time.

[Takeshi]

I just imported the first few lines into VMWare install (no Winamp) and those entries stick after relogon.

If you don't know the format of reg.exe then say so at the outset, but using another reg editor is not the solution. I tend to agree with TD.

Edited August 16, 2006 by Takeshi