File Type tab & File attributes

[Vũ Thu]

How to change the attributes (hidden, read-only, archive, system) of some hidden/system file/folder of Vista (ex: Application Data, Local Setting....)? I can't find it in General Tab (Context menu --> Properties).

Other probleme: I like to change icon of some file type but the File Type tab (in Folder Option) is disappeared in Vista. Plz, show me how to do it?

[Guest Sadeq]

Same problem! Me, too, want to change the icon of some file types (e.g. PDF), as well as add context menu to some of them (e.g. "Open with Acrobat 8" to pdf files). The lack of File Type tab (in Folder Options) in Vista is really annoying.

I tried changing the registry entries for some file types (as in old days!) but had no success.

[spacesurfer]

I hear you. For some reason, MS doesn't want you to do that anymore.

I have changed icons by modifying the registry. Although it's a pain, it works after reboot. There's no tweakui for vista yet that will let you rebuild your icon cache.

[Guest Sadeq]

I changed the Registry too, but it didn't work, even after a reboot. Could u let us know about ur Registry hack?

And also, is it really need a reboot? Can't we merely 'End Task' the Windows Explorer, and then re-run it?

[spacesurfer]

Here's how I do it for UltraISO. UltraISO has an installer, but I made it into a portable application so I don't have to reinstall it. I use my own icon for the ISO file types, just like what you are trying to accomplish. Here is my registry code with explanations after semicolons:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

;This links the extension .iso with UltraISO files
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.iso]
@="UltraISO"

;This tells the OS that .iso files are UltraISO files
;The @="xxx" above must match [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\xxx] here
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\UltraISO]
@="UltraISO File"

;This is the custom icon for my ISO files. It's in hex because it's an expandable type.
;What you need to do is import this key, edit the key to point to your icon, then export back to save it again.
;Reason I use expandable is because I can define the variable %portapps% to any path such as e:\portable apps
;This way, if I choose to change the location of portable apps, then all I have to do is modify the variable.
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\UltraISO\DefaultIcon]
@=hex(2):22,00,25,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,72,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,\
  00,25,00,5c,00,52,00,65,00,73,00,6f,00,75,00,72,00,63,00,65,00,73,00,5c,00,\
  49,00,63,00,6f,00,6e,00,73,00,5c,00,49,00,53,00,4f,00,2e,00,69,00,63,00,6f,\
  00,22,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\UltraISO\shell]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\UltraISO\shell\open]
@="&Open"

;Again, this is expandable for the same reason as the icon path.
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\UltraISO\shell\open\command]
@=hex(2):22,00,25,00,70,00,6f,00,72,00,74,00,61,00,70,00,70,00,73,00,25,00,5c,\
  00,55,00,6c,00,74,00,72,00,61,00,49,00,53,00,4f,00,5c,00,55,00,6c,00,74,00,\
  72,00,61,00,49,00,53,00,4f,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,22,00,20,00,22,00,25,\
  00,31,00,22,00,00,00

;And the rest of your registry code goes here. This is the basic for creating your own file types.

Edited May 2, 2007 by spacesurfer

[cluberti]

Guys - Control Panel > Default Programs.

[spacesurfer]

Guys - Control Panel > Default Programs.

We know! Have you tried it? How do you create a new file type of your own? You can't.

It only shows the extensions that are already present and you can change the program that is called.

[cluberti]

Guys - Control Panel > Default Programs.

We know! Have you tried it? How do you create a new file type of your own? You can't.

It only shows the extensions that are already present and you can change the program that is called.

Yes - and the original question was trying to _change_ what was already there, not add new ones. There isn't a GUI to do this built-in to Vista anymore, but there are two ways to do it. One, if you know how to write decent C# code, you can try this, or, if you aren't a programmer, there's a good freeware tool that can do the job as well. You can always use the right-click menu on a file type that you want to change and choose "Open with...", as well.

[spacesurfer]

Yes - and the original question was trying to _change_ what was already there, not add new ones.

You're right, he wasn't adding one. But you can't change the icon, can you?

So rather than show 'em how to change just an icon, I gave 'em the whole spill.

Edited May 4, 2007 by spacesurfer

[Guest Sadeq]

You're right, he wasn't adding one. But you can't change the icon, can you?

I agree. Vista doesn't let users change the icon. Dunno why Microsoft sometime changes "good" into "bad", but fortunately there's still manual ways to go!

Thnx guys for your help!