Associating Files and Passing Command-Line Parameters

ID: Q84791

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows operating system versions 3.0, 3.0a, 3.1, 3.11

SUMMARY

Microsoft Windows versions 3.0 and 3.0a support the use of command-line parameters in the File Associations dialog box in File Manager. Microsoft Windows version 3.1 does not support the use of command-line parameters in the File Manager Associate dialog box. Command-line parameters for use with file associations can be set up through the registration information database by using the Registration Information Editor (REGEDIT.EXE).

MORE INFORMATION

To use (pass) command-line parameters, do the following:

 1. Run File Manager.

 2. From the File menu, choose Run.

 3. In the Command Line box, type "regedit" (without the quotation
    marks), and choose OK.

 4. In the Registration Information Editor, choose Add File Type from
    the Edit menu.

 5. Fill in the information as follows:

    Identifier - Keyword to describe the entry. For example:

       Noteprint

    File Type - Program name and version. For example:

       Notepad v3.1

    Action - Select the Open option button.

    Command - Program and command-line parameters. For example:

       notepad.exe /p %1

    where "/p" = print and "%1" = pass the filename

    NOTE: You must type the fully-qualified pathname to the executable
    file (.EXE) if it is not on the path in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file, or
    you can use the Browse button to search for a program file.

 6. From the File menu, choose Exit, which saves your changes.

 7. In File Manager, select a file with the extension you want to
    associate (for example, SETUP.TXT).

 8. From the File menu, choose Associate.

 9. Confirm that the text in the Files With Extension box matches the
    extension you want to associate (in this case, TXT).

10. The Associate With box should contain the file type that was

    entered above in the Registration Information Editor (for example,
    Notepad 3.1).

    NOTE: In this example, there may be more than one entry for
    Notepad. To use the entry with the correct command-line
    parameters, you must select the same file type as you previously
    entered (in this case, Noteprint).

Using the "regedit /v" command line gives advanced access to the registration database, giving you complete control of the contents of the registration database. If you use "regedit /v" (without the quotation marks) in step 3 above, replace steps 7-10 above with the following:

 7. Select the root by highlighting the backslash character (\) at the
    top of the file entry.

 8. From the Edit menu, choose Add Key.

 9. Type the extension in the Key box and the identifier in the Value
    box, as follows:

    Key - Extension. For example:

       .TXT

    Value - Identifier. For example:

       Noteprint

10. From the File menu, choose Exit, which saves the changes as you

    exit.

KBCategory: kbusage kbtool KBSubcategory: win31 Additional reference words: 3.10 3.11

Last Reviewed: November 21, 1994