When you right-click a file and choose Open With, and click the Choose Program… option, the list of registered applications are displayed in the Open With dialog. Programs that are not already listed in the Open With dialog can be added manually using the Browse… option.
OpenWithAdd tool which I wrote, can be helpful in circumstances where, when you browse to locate an application, it does not get added to the Open With dialog. It can now (v1.2 onwards) run under Windows Vista as well. Here are some screenshots:
OpenWithAdd can be downloaded from this link.
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A brilliant little program to fix a really annoying problem. I was going nuts trying to associate jpg-files with Photoshop CS4 and then I found this great and simple solution. Thanks a lot!
Works within Windows 7 as well… many thanks Ramesh. I’d tried to associate Lightroom using the usual methods but it just wouldn’t register.
Your wee programme did the trick, so well done you!!!
This only allows .exe files to be added. I’d like to add a .bat file. Any chance of an update to your gui so that it lists .bat files too? Sorry for the double post. Just sent a message via the contact form too.
you are the man, brother!
thank you
@Brendan: This is only possible by renaming one of the executables and adding it to the Open With dialog.
Can you get it to put two different versions of the same program in the “Open with” list? eg. ArchiCAD8.1 and ArchiCAD12- I have tried but it seems to just put multiple versions of the most recently added one (as both versions have the same .exe file name of ArchiCAD.exe but are in different program folders?)
I am having difficulty in restoring any apps to the Open With context menu. I have tried your app and must be doing something wrong, but don’t know what. Have tried WinRAR, PowerISO and the still don’t appear in the Open With menu.
this is an amazing tool. my vista for some reason stopped associating .xlsx file with Excel 2007 and no matter what i tried it would not associate with Excel 2007 (even registry tweaks).
this worked. keeping my fingers crossed now – hope it hasn’t done anything else to my registry or other file associations!