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Summary: Several things are slightly different in Windows Vista, and the location of the File Associations dialog is just one.
I'm using windows Vista, how do I set file associations here? There is no files type tab in Windows Explorer Folders Options.
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I read this question and went "huh?". But you're absolutely right; the file association dialog that we've come to love and hate that's been part of Windows Explorer is no longer there.
The question, of course, is where did it go? To a more logical place perhaps, but with nary a clue as to how to find it.
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File associations are used to tell Windows what program opens what kind of file. For example after you install Microsoft Office, file associations tell Windows that a ".doc" file should be opened by Microsoft Word.
In the past when we've needed to view or modify these settings, we'd fire up Windows Explorer, click on Tools, Folder Options... and then the File Types tab. Only one problem on Vista: it's not there:
On Vista we instead open up Control Panel:
Click on Programs:
Finally we see something that sounds appropriate. Click on Make a file type always open in a specific program:
It'll take a few seconds to load up as it scans the registry for all the settings to be displayed. Once loaded, you can then change which programs open which file types.
Why the move?
It's hard to say, though I do frequently fault Microsoft for changing things that simply don't need to be changed. There's an argument that this should always have been in Control Panel and I actually agree with that. But to move it, without even a hint or a clue as to where to go instead, seems fairly unhelpful.
Article C3133 - August 28, 2007
One of the options I found useful in XP that was built into the File Types tab was the ability to create and edit menu commands (like the "Edit" command when you right-click on an image file) but in Vista I don't seem to be able to do that. It's annoying as I want the program to preview in Windows Photo Gallery, Open in Adobe Photoshop and Edit in Microsoft Paint. I wonder if that was something they took out of they simply moved it somewhere else.
Posted by: Gareth at May 5, 2010 11:44 AMThis is precisely why I tell my clients "Don't upgrade anything unless you have a specific reason to do so". In general, the new version of anything will run slower in the same hardware and will involve relearning things you do not want to have to relearn. I can only imagine they do it to give the ILLUSION OF PROGRESS.
Posted by: Carlos Coquet at June 30, 2010 4:10 PMFor people who look at computers as a tool to get a job done, myself included, all these esthetic changes are a NUISSANCE.
All well an good BUT my list of file extensions to choose from does not include .doc !!!it only has .docx.
But I have Office XP installed. So where why is .doc not on the list, and where did it go?
Is this something to do with having installed the Office 2007 convertor patch?
Anyway, what this means is that when I download a .doc off the web my computer cannot find a program to open it with. I am forced to save it to disk and open it from there. Barking mad. Any ideas?
Posted by: Graham at July 9, 2010 1:08 AMHello Gentlemen!
I have found those options and just tried to change the default, but it is not happening. The so called "Associate a file type protocol with a program" does not work and I am in a bad situation. my iTunes and some of my direct links to .exe files such as few control panel options are now opening in a OpenOffice document with blank page. I close the blank page but it reloads like virus.
If you can find a solution, please contact me at:
[email address removed]
Thank you guys,
~J~
Posted by: Jibran at July 21, 2010 8:48 PMI am unable to send an attachment with a dat file and DO NOT show a dat file in file association.
If I do reset to dat will I have to change association back on future e-mail attachments?
Posted by: Stan at July 23, 2010 9:58 AM