Main Area and Open Discussion > General Software Discussion

is there an ultimate file extension manager (to work with windows 7, at least).

(1/15) > >>

nudone:
i'm slowly moving from a clunky Vista setup to a nice new Windows 7 system (dual booting between them).

i've been trying to ignore this problem ever since i've been using Vista and now everything is about to get messed up on the new Win7 setup, i'd like to try and be ready...

the (age-old) problem is trying to control which file extensions relate to which program AND the icon associated to each extension.

i guess, i must just use a horrible set of programs that just arrogantly assume they are allowed to take over my system on each reboot - otherwise, my extensions would remain how i set them.

so, is there an extension manager util that will 100% most definitely take charge - compatible with Windows 7.

the obvious requirements are:

- ability to set a custom icon for a file extension AND LOCK IT (so naughty programs can't swap their icon over).

- ability to set the program associated with the file extension AND LOCK IT (again, so naughty programs don't take control of it).

maybe it's not possible?

big criminals seem to be web browsers (or maybe just IE related). at the moment i've got stupid maxthon icons for all .url's - can i change them? no way. other web related extensions also seem to have trouble remembering who they are.


i just find it bizarre that, after all these years, there's still this nonsense with managing files/icons/extensions.

Curt:
in Vista it is: Controlpanel > Programs > Standard programs > set standards (my translations from Danish). I don't know about Win 7.

nudone:
thanks, Curt.

but that method doesn't really allow me to set my own custom icons (unless i've overlooked something).

eg. i set my own custom icon for the .url extension - regardless of which is the default browser.

steeladept:
but that method doesn't really allow me to set my own custom icons (unless i've overlooked something).

eg. i set my own custom icon for the .url extension - regardless of which is the default browser.
-nudone (June 10, 2010, 12:30 PM)
--- End quote ---
I know it did in WinXP (for me at least, though it didn't stop them from rehijacking your settings).  I would make a guess that it is the same, just not easy to find out how.  Dang, now that I try in WinXP, I can't remember where to make the changes....  I will post again when I find out how - Maybe Windows didn't change that method.  At least it is worth a shot...

daddydave:
As far as locking the extension, I would think WinPatrol can do this, but I am not sure. Then again, it didn't say squat about Thunderbird changing the mailto: handler. EDIT: It's supposed to monitor file extension changes, maybe I missed the warning.

For editing the file association, the icon, and all the "verbs" associated with the file type, NirSoft FileTypesMan is the best I've seen. I know Vista and Windows 7 cripple some of this functionality, so I went looking, and it was pretty ugly out there until I found it.



EDIT: Added screenshot (from the web site, not my Windows 7 x64 system.)

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page