How Can I Globally Rename the File Types in WinXP Pro (SP2)?

[J-Mac]

I am SO tired of having to have a ridiculously large column width set for the File Type column in my Windows file explorer.  I can remember when a JPEG was called just that - JPEG. Now, on my machine anyway, all file types are named after the default application that a file type opens with.

Instead of seeing JPEG, CSV, Excel, or Word, I now see ACDSee Pro JPEG Image, Microsoft Office Comma Separated Values File, Microsoft Excel Worksheet, and Microsoft Word Document. At the default column width it can be difficult at times to see what file types I am looking at unless I widen that column a lot.

Is there a way to set the file type to the old, short version?

Thanks.

Jim

[Curt]

Do you need to see the file types column at all? You could go to Tools > Folder settings > Show, and remove the mark from "Hide known file types", and then remove the types column. I did that.

[J-Mac]

Do you need to see the file types column at all? You could go to Tools > Folder settings > Show, and remove the mark from "Hide known file types", and then remove the types column. I did that.

I already have all files showing -- (hate hidden files!!)

I solved it the hard way; I edited each file type individually.    However for all image file types and HTML file types I had to go into the registry and edit them there - neither changing them in Directory Opus's File Type Editor nor Windows Explorer Folder Tools>File Types would do it for those.

Curt, I like to see that column.  Makes it a little easier for me with very similar but different file types, like XLS and XLT, etc., where they use virtually the same icon. I would have thought that with all the various XP tweaking tools around that there would have been a global way to do this.  Actually there probably is but I wanted to get it done last night.  Someone with programming or scripting knowledge probably could write a batch file or use a series of Command line switches and commands.  I'm not quite knowledgeable enough to do that, though.

Thanks!

Jim

[tomos]

there is somewhere out there is a little plugin (I presume) that will
allow you to have a column with just the file extension .exe/whatever in Windows Explorer
(an extra column)

I even downloaded it at the time but using dopus never bothered with it & cant find it now
did a google search too - no luck, but maybe someone else knows about it?

[Curt]

Hmmm.... if you like that column you should keep it of course, but I do need to stress that I did not suggest to "Show hidden files", but to NOT "Hide known file types"

[J-Mac]

Hmmm.... if you like that column you should keep it of course, but I do need to stress that I did not suggest to "Show hidden files", but to NOT "Hide known file types"

Sorry - I misunderstood.

Either way I always have it configured to NOT "Hide known file types" and also to "Show hidden files".  To me, those are like one setting, as I always show all.

Jim

[J-Mac]

there is somewhere out there is a little plugin (I presume) that will
allow you to have a column with just the file extension .exe/whatever in Windows Explorer
(an extra column)

I even downloaded it at the time but using dopus never bothered with it & cant find it now
did a google search too - no luck, but maybe someone else knows about it?

tomos:

How do you handle this in DOpus?  I'm using that now also.

Thanks.

Jim

[tomos]

DOpus 8 I'm using &
it's a royal pain to change all to same layout

Settings(menu)> Preferences> Folders> Folder Formats:

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You've got to select each one & click on edit

then change relevant settings - here the display &columns tabs

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and it's the "Extension" column you want as oposed to "Type"

[J-Mac]

tomos:

No, it's the File Type I want, not extensions.

In DOpus 9, I go to Settings>File Types...

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...and then in the dialog that appears I expand the System File Types and edit them there directly.

BTW, the images are in the wrong order - not sure how to control that here. This forum doesn't seem to giver you any control over that, or doesn't say how.

[Curt]

Use the pre-view page, and number the brackets, like: (attachimg=1) (attachimg=2)  -but use square brackets [] - in the order you attach them "(more attachments)"

[Nighted]

tomos, this is probably what you are thinking of.

[attach]

[lanux128]

try WAssociate, maybe there is a way to edit the file type description..


• http://www.xs4all.nl/~wstudios/Associate/

[Curt]

Very nice link, Nighted 

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[cmpm]

What do you all think of this program for XP?
It's pointing to Vista and win7 mostly.
Wondering if any one has tried it,
or if the other programs listed here are better.

http://defaultprogramseditor.com/

http://defaultprogramseditor.com/screenshots

[Curt]

limited legacy XP support as well

http://factormystic.net/blog/whats-going-on