Clicking a file launches the default application instead of the intended document.
Clicking a file launches the default application instead of the intended document.
When I click on a file with an npp extension in Windows Explorer (Windows 10 Pro), it launches the Art Explosion app but doesn't open the actual file. I have to choose "Open" inside the program and then pick the file manually. On my Windows 7 PC, clicking the file opens both the program and the file. Is there a specific setting in Windows 10 that needs changing? The settings in the program are identical on both Windows 10 and Windows 7. Thanks - David
This might assist in resolving the issue - the links provided could be useful.
It might be a window connected or linked to that particular application. Try creating a shortcut on your desktop, then use Windows Explorer to go to the desired file. Move the file from Explorer onto the desktop shortcut. Does the program launch when you do this?
Grobe - Because I already had a shortcut on my desktop, I attempted what you recommended. It functioned correctly. The file launched when I dragged it onto the shortcut.
If the file extension matches the program's, this could suggest the association is working properly.
Then it seems there might be some formatting issues in the registry. From previous experiences with Windows registry, these problems often stem from apostrophe errors or missing ones. The registry entry that specifies the file or program to open could appear as:
C:\program files\...\someapp.exe %1
Here, %1 represents the argument for opening the file.
To fix it, usually people adjust the registry to
"C:\program files\...\someapp.exe" "%1"
That means adding double apostrophes around both the full path and the argument.
The double apostrophes are used as a workaround for file paths that include spaces in their name.
I’ll back up my registry and take a closer look. I rarely modify registry settings, but sometimes I do. Perhaps I should first unassign the extension to the program, then reassign it, to see if that resolves the issue. It might also help to compare the registry settings on my Win 7 machine for the program with those on my Win 10 system. The typical values and syntax could be similar, which would give me a clue about what needs adjusting.
Information on backing up and restoring the registry in Windows is available at the provided link.