Introduction
------------
The main point of this plugin is to be able to customize how files
with particular file extensions are opened. To achieve this end,
the user is expected to provide a configuration which specifies
associations between file extensions and corresponding methods of
opening files with those extensions.
The plugin provides additional functionality including support for:
* multiple possible methods of opening files via context menu items
* default context menu items (i.e. always appear in context menu)
* overriding of method to open files via an appropriate keyword
Configuration
-------------
The Akete plugin may be configured by using FARR User Variables.
FARR User Variables are accessible via "Program Options" ->
"Lists" -> "User Variables" in FARR's Options dialog box. The section
for Akete (may not exist unless manually created) begins with the
string [Akete]. (For more information regarding FARR User Variables,
in FARR's .chm Help File, see the section titled "User Variables -
Advanced Use" under "Advanced Use". The rest of the text assumes
familiarity with the FARR documentation content.)
Configuration details will be demonstrated through a series of examples.
After each example a general rule will be stated possibly followed by
some related notes.
Example 1
A configuration to get files with the extension 'txt' to be opened using
Wordpad might be:
[Akete]
txt=%PROGRAMFILES%\Windows NT\Accessories\wordpad.exe
Rule 1: <file-extension>=<path-to-executable>
Notes: The path to the executable may contain FARR Virtual Folder
names (see the FARR help file). Also, file extensions do NOT contain
the period character.
Example 2
A configuration to get files with the extension 'txt' to be opened by
(possibly additional instances of) Notepad++ might be:
[Akete]
txt=%PROGRAMFILES%\Notepad++\Notepad++ -multiInst "$$1"
Rule 2: <file-extension>=<launch-template-string>
Notes: The launch template string allows specification of command line
arguments. The plugin replaces the string $$1 by the path to the file to
be opened. Do NOT use the vertical bar character in a launch template
string -- the reason for this should become clear below.
Example 3
A configuration to get files with the extension 'doc' to be opened using
whatever is configured for 'txt' might be:
[Akete]
txt=%PROGRAMFILES%\Windows NT\Accessories\wordpad.exe
doc=txt
Rule 3: <file-extension>=<file-extension>
Notes: For simplicity of configuration and implementation, if a file
extension appears on the right hand side of an equals sign, it may not
appear on the left hand side of the equals sign. Another way to phrase
this is that only one level of indirection is supported.
Example 4
A configuration to get the context menu of a file with extension 'txt'
to show context menu items for opening via Wordpad and Notepad++ might be:
[Akete]
txt=%PROGRAMFILES%\Windows NT\Accessories\wordpad.exe|%PROGRAMFILES%\Notepad++\Notepad++ -multiInst "$$1"
Rule 4: <file-extension>=<vertical-bar-separated-list-of-paths-or-templates>
Notes: The items in the list may be paths or launch string templates.
The vertical bar character is reserved for separating the items so it may
not be used in a path (doesn't tend to work in Windows anyway?) or a
launch template string. Opening of files via FARR's text edit field will
be handled using the first item in the list.
A configuration to get the context menu of a file with extension 'txt'
to show context menu items for opening via Wordpad and Notepad, but leaves
handling of opening of such files untouched if done via FARR's text edit
field might be:
[Akete]
txt=|%PROGRAMFILES%\Windows NT\Accessories\wordpad.exe|C:\Windows\System32\notepad.exe
Notes: One can think of the list as having an empty first item.
Example 5
A configuration to get the context menu of any file to show context menu
items for opening via Wordpad, Notepad, and Emacs might be:
[Akete]
*=%PROGRAMFILES%\Windows NT\Accessories\wordpad.exe|C:\Windows\System32\notepad.exe|%PROGRAMFILES%\Emacs\bin\runemacs.exe
Rule 5: *=<vertical-bar-separated-list-of-paths-or-templates>
Notes: One can think of the asterisk character as similar to a wildcard
pattern character.
Example 6
A configuration to get the plugin to recognize a keyword to override
opening behavior for opening a particular file via FARR's text edit
field might be:
[Akete]
openwithnpp=%PROGRAMFILES%\Notepad++\Notepad++.exe
Subsequently, specifying a file along with the 'openwithnpp' keyword in
FARR's text edit field (and "launching" for example, by pressing the
Enter key) should lead to an attempt to open the specified file using
Notepad++.exe. The contents of the text edit field might look like:
C:\boot.ini +openwithnpp
Rule 6: openwith<string>=<path-or-launch-template-string>
In summary, there are three types of user variable names (strings to the
left of the equals sign) that may be specified:
1) file extension
2) string of the form openwith<some-string>
3) *
and two types of user variable values (strings to the right of the equals
sign) that may be specified:
1) list of paths and/or launch templates
2) file extension
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