Set RTF file handling

[D & J G]

Is there a way to instruct Windows file-handling - 'Opens with:' - from
within VB6? I want to ensure that files with the .rtf (rich text) extension
always go to Word Pad, no matter which future computer uses my program.

TIA
Don

[J French]

Re: Set RTF file handling

On Sat, 25 Feb 2006 20:57:16 +1000, "D & J G"
<donandjane@opt usnet.com.au> wrote:
[color=blue]
>Is there a way to instruct Windows file-handling - 'Opens with:' - from
>within VB6? I want to ensure that files with the .rtf (rich text) extension
>always go to Word Pad, no matter which future computer uses my program.[/color]

Yes

You set up the file association for RTF in the registry

Here is some code, you would be wise to check the API error results,
as it is likely that 'permissions' will not be set up on some
machines.

Form code, followed by Class code

Option Explicit

Private Sub Command1_Click( )
Dim C As New cFleAssn
Dim Ext$
Dim Handler$
Dim FileType$, ContentType$, ExeName$

Me.AutoRedraw = True
Me.Cls

Ext$ = "jpg"

Call C.GetExtAssocia tions(Ext$, _
Handler$, _
FileType$, _
ContentType$, _
ExeName$)
Me.Print Ext$
Me.Print Handler$
Me.Print FileType$
Me.Print ContentType$
Me.Print ExeName$

' ' --- Register
' Ext$ = "FRED"
' Handler$ = "fred:" + Handler$
' Call C.RegisterExt(E xt$, _
' Handler$, _
' FileType$, _
' ContentType$, _
' ExeName$)
'
' ' --- Check
' Call C.GetExtAssocia tions(Ext$, _
' Handler$, _
' FileType$, _
' ContentType$, _
' ExeName$)
' Me.Print ""
' Me.Print Ext$
' Me.Print Handler$
' Me.Print FileType$
' Me.Print ContentType$
' Me.Print ExeName$
'
' ' Unregister
' Call C.UnRegisterExt (Ext$)

End Sub

======== Start of cFileAssn.cls ========

Option Explicit: DefObj A-Z

'
' HANDLER .Zip : WinZip
' CONTENT TYPE "Content Type" : Application-Zip-Compressed
' FILE TYPE WinZip : WinZip File
' OPEN COMMAND WinZip + "\shell\open\co mmand" : "C:\xxx\Win Zip" "%1"
'
' V.Handler = "BinMgr"
' V.FileType = "BIN Download File"
' V.OpenCmd = " + AppPath(App.EXE Name) + ".exe" + " %1"
' V.ContentType = "applicatio n/download document"

Private Const CONTENT_TYPE$ = "Content Type"
Private Const SHELL_OPEN_COMM AND$ = "\shell\open\co mmand"


Const REG_SZ = 1 ' Unicode nul terminated string
Const REG_BINARY = 3 ' Free form binary
Const HKEY_CURRENT_US ER = &H80000001
Const HKEY_CLASSES_RO OT = &H80000000

Private Declare Function RegOpenKey _
Lib "advapi32.d ll" _
Alias "RegOpenKey A" _
(ByVal hKey As Long, _
ByVal lpSubKey As String, _
phkResult As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function RegCloseKey _
Lib "advapi32.d ll" _
(ByVal hKey As Long) As Long

Private Declare Function RegCreateKey _
Lib "advapi32.d ll" _
Alias "RegCreateK eyA" _
(ByVal hKey As Long, _
ByVal lpSubKey As String, _
phkResult As Long) As Long

Private Declare Function RegDeleteValue _
Lib "advapi32.d ll" _
Alias "RegDeleteValue A" _
(ByVal hKey As Long, _
ByVal lpValueName As String) As Long

Private Declare Function RegDeleteKey _
Lib "advapi32.d ll" _
Alias "RegDeleteK eyA" _
(ByVal hKey As Long, _
ByVal lpSubKey As String) As Long

Private Declare Function RegQueryValueEx _
Lib "advapi32.d ll" _
Alias "RegQueryValueE xA" _
(ByVal hKey As Long, _
ByVal lpValueName As String, _
ByVal lpReserved As Long, _
lpType As Long, _
lpData As Any, _
lpcbData As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function RegSetValueEx _
Lib "advapi32.d ll" _
Alias "RegSetValueExA " _
(ByVal hKey As Long, _
ByVal lpValueName As String, _
ByVal Reserved As Long, _
ByVal dwType As Long, _
lpData As Any, _
ByVal cbData As Long) As Long

Private Type TPACKET
Ext As String
Handler As String
FileType As String
ContentType As String
OpenCommand As String
End Type




' ############### ############### ############### ############### #
'
' AllAPI - utils
'
Private Function RegQueryStringV alue(ByVal hKey As Long, _
ByVal strValueName As String) As String

Dim lResult As Long, lValueType As Long, strBuf As String,
lDataBufSize As Long

'retrieve information about the key
lResult = RegQueryValueEx (hKey, strValueName, 0, lValueType, ByVal
0, lDataBufSize)
If lResult = 0 Then
If lValueType = REG_SZ Then
'Create a buffer
strBuf = String(lDataBuf Size, Chr$(0))
'retrieve the key's content
lResult = RegQueryValueEx (hKey, strValueName, 0, 0, ByVal
strBuf, lDataBufSize)
If lResult = 0 Then
'Remove the unnecessary chr$(0)'s
RegQueryStringV alue = Left$(strBuf, InStr(1, strBuf,
Chr$(0)) - 1)
End If
ElseIf lValueType = REG_BINARY Then
Dim strData As Integer
'retrieve the key's value
lResult = RegQueryValueEx (hKey, strValueName, 0, 0, strData,
lDataBufSize)
If lResult = 0 Then
RegQueryStringV alue = strData
End If
End If
End If
End Function

Private Function LF_GetString$(h Key As Long, strPath As String, _
strValue As String)
Dim Ret&
'Open the key
RegOpenKey hKey, strPath, Ret
'Get the key's content
LF_GetString = RegQueryStringV alue(Ret, strValue)
'Close the key
RegCloseKey Ret
End Function

Private Sub LS_SaveString(h Key As Long, _
strPath As String, _
strValue As String, _
strData As String)
Dim Ret&
'Create a new key
RegCreateKey hKey, strPath, Ret
'Save a string to the key
RegSetValueEx Ret, strValue, 0, REG_SZ, _
ByVal strData, Len(strData)
'close the key
RegCloseKey Ret
End Sub


Private Sub LS_DelSetting(h Key As Long, strPath As String, strValue As
String)
Dim Ret&
'Create a new key
RegCreateKey hKey, strPath, Ret
'Delete the key's value
RegDeleteValue Ret, strValue
'close the key
RegCloseKey Ret
End Sub

' ############### ############### ############### ############### #
'
'
'
'
'
' ############### ############### ############### ############### #

' ############### ############### ############### ############### #
'
' Lower Case - starting with '.'
'
Private Function LF_FormatExt$(E xt$)
Dim S$
S$ = Trim$(LCase$(Ex t$))
If Left$(S$, 1) <> "." Then
S$ = "." + S$
End If

LF_FormatExt$ = S$
End Function

' ############### ############### ############### ############### #
'
'
'
Private Sub LS_GetAssociati ons(A As TPACKET)
Dim NIX As TPACKET

If A.Ext$ = "." Then
A = NIX
Exit Sub
End If

A.Handler = LF_GetString(HK EY_CLASSES_ROOT , A.Ext$, "")
A.ContentType = LF_GetString(HK EY_CLASSES_ROOT , A.Ext$,
CONTENT_TYPE)

A.FileType = LF_GetString(HK EY_CLASSES_ROOT , A.Handler$, "")
A.OpenCommand = LF_GetString(HK EY_CLASSES_ROOT , A.Handler$ +
SHELL_OPEN_COMM AND, "")

End Sub

' ############### ############### ############### ############### #
'
'
'
Private Sub LS_PutAssociati ons(A As TPACKET)

LS_SaveString HKEY_CLASSES_RO OT, A.Ext$, "", A.Handler$
LS_SaveString HKEY_CLASSES_RO OT, A.Ext$, CONTENT_TYPE,
A.ContentType

LS_SaveString HKEY_CLASSES_RO OT, A.Handler$, "", A.FileType
LS_SaveString HKEY_CLASSES_RO OT, A.Handler$ + SHELL_OPEN_COMM AND,
"", A.OpenCommand

End Sub

' ############### ############### ############### ############### #
'
'
'
Public Sub LS_DelAssociati ons(Ext$)
Dim Handler$

' --- Get Handler
Handler$ = LF_GetString(HK EY_CLASSES_ROOT , Ext$, "")
' --- Delete .EXE
LS_DelSetting HKEY_CLASSES_RO OT, Ext$, CONTENT_TYPE
LS_DelSetting HKEY_CLASSES_RO OT, Ext$, ""
' --- Delete "ExtMgr" sub keys
LS_DelSetting HKEY_CLASSES_RO OT, Handler$ + SHELL_OPEN_COMM AND, ""
LS_DelSetting HKEY_CLASSES_RO OT, Handler$, ""
' --- Zap the root References
RegDeleteKey HKEY_CLASSES_RO OT, Ext$
RegDeleteKey HKEY_CLASSES_RO OT, Handler$

End Sub

' ############### ############### ############### ############### #
'
'
'
Public Sub RegisterExt(Ext $, _
Handler$, _
FileType$, _
ContentType$, _
ExeName$)
Dim A As TPACKET

A.Ext$ = LF_FormatExt$(E xt$)
A.Handler = Handler$
A.FileType = FileType$
A.ContentType = ContentType$
A.OpenCommand = ExeName$
' Chr$(34) _
' + ExeName$ + ".exe" _
' + Chr$(34) _
' + " " + Chr$(34) + "%1" + Chr$(34)

Call LS_PutAssociati ons(A)
' ---

End Sub

Public Sub UnRegisterExt(E xt$)
Dim S$
S$ = LF_FormatExt$(E xt$)
Call LS_DelAssociati ons(S$)
End Sub

' ############### ############### ############### ############### #
'
'
'
Public Sub GetExtAssociati ons(Ext$, _
Handler$, _
FileType$, _
ContentType$, _
ExeName$)
Dim A As TPACKET

A.Ext = LF_FormatExt$(E xt$)
Call LS_GetAssociati ons(A)
Handler$ = A.Handler
FileType$ = A.FileType$
ContentType$ = A.ContentType$
ExeName$ = A.OpenCommand$

End Sub

[Rick Rothstein [MVP - Visual Basic]]

Re: Set RTF file handling

> Is there a way to instruct Windows file-handling[color=blue]
> - 'Opens with:' - from within VB6? I want to
> ensure that files with the .rtf (rich text) extension
> always go to Word Pad, no matter which future
> computer uses my program.[/color]

You have already received an answer to your question, but I'm curious... Is
this program only going to be used on your own computers exclusively? I ask
because if your program is to be used by others, I would not want to be one
of those users. If I have already set up an association for Rich Text Files
to be read in my favorite Rich Text File editor/viewer, why do you think I
would want your program to automatically change that to WordPad for me? I
know I wouldn't want it to.

Rick

[Steve Gerrard]

Re: Set RTF file handling


"D & J G" <donandjane@opt usnet.com.au> wrote in message
news:44003805$0 $30820$afc38c87 @news.optusnet. com.au...
[color=blue]
> Is there a way to instruct Windows file-handling - 'Opens with:' - from
> within VB6? I want to ensure that files with the .rtf (rich text) extension
> always go to Word Pad, no matter which future computer uses my program.
>[/color]

Considering that some future computer may not even have Word Pad, this seems
like a bad idea.

Surely you mean that you want *your* program to launch certain .rtf files in
WordPad? If so, then explicitly launching WordPad and passing it the desired
file would make more sense:

[D & J G]

Re: Set RTF file handling


"Steve Gerrard" <mynamehere@com cast.net> wrote in message
news:Ob2dnTX5QM pUDJ3ZRVn-vg@comcast.com. ..[color=blue]
>
> "D & J G" <donandjane@opt usnet.com.au> wrote in message
> news:44003805$0 $30820$afc38c87 @news.optusnet. com.au...
>[color=green]
>> Is there a way to instruct Windows file-handling - 'Opens with:' - from
>> within VB6? I want to ensure that files with the .rtf (rich text)
>> extension always go to Word Pad, no matter which future computer uses my
>> program.
>>[/color]
>
> Considering that some future computer may not even have Word Pad, this
> seems like a bad idea.
>
> Surely you mean that you want *your* program to launch certain .rtf files
> in WordPad? If so, then explicitly launching WordPad and passing it the
> desired file would make more sense:
>[/color]

I'm cheating!!
To simplify printing, the print instruction goes like this:
Call Shell("write.ex e /p " + App.Path + "\filename.rtf" )
If the rtf association isn't set, it doesn't work.
Too simple??

[D & J G]

Re: Set RTF file handling


"D & J G" <donandjane@opt usnet.com.au> wrote in message
news:4400be46$0 $20415$afc38c87 @news.optusnet. com.au...[color=blue]
>
> "Steve Gerrard" <mynamehere@com cast.net> wrote in message
> news:Ob2dnTX5QM pUDJ3ZRVn-vg@comcast.com. ..[color=green]
>>
>> "D & J G" <donandjane@opt usnet.com.au> wrote in message
>> news:44003805$0 $30820$afc38c87 @news.optusnet. com.au...
>>[color=darkred]
>>> Is there a way to instruct Windows file-handling - 'Opens with:' - from
>>> within VB6? I want to ensure that files with the .rtf (rich text)
>>> extension always go to Word Pad, no matter which future computer uses my
>>> program.
>>>[/color]
>>
>> Considering that some future computer may not even have Word Pad, this
>> seems like a bad idea.
>>
>> Surely you mean that you want *your* program to launch certain .rtf files
>> in WordPad? If so, then explicitly launching WordPad and passing it the
>> desired file would make more sense:
>>[/color]
>
> I'm cheating!!
> To simplify printing, the print instruction goes like this:
> Call Shell("write.ex e /p " + App.Path + "\filename.rtf" )
> If the rtf association isn't set, it doesn't work.
> Too simple??[/color]
PS. Call Shell("wordpad. exe /p " + App.Path + "\filename.rtf" ) doesn't work,
either!

[J French]

Re: Set RTF file handling

On Sun, 26 Feb 2006 16:32:12 +1000, "D & J G"
<donandjane@opt usnet.com.au> wrote:

<snip>
[color=blue][color=green]
>> I'm cheating!!
>> To simplify printing, the print instruction goes like this:
>> Call Shell("write.ex e /p " + App.Path + "\filename.rtf" )
>> If the rtf association isn't set, it doesn't work.
>> Too simple??[/color]
>PS. Call Shell("wordpad. exe /p " + App.Path + "\filename.rtf" ) doesn't work,
>either![/color]

Why is that ?

Have you tried giving it the full path for WordPad ?

You might be able to get that using FindExecutable on: Dummy.WRI

If you don't get 'wordpad.exe' from FindExecutable then you can look
for it once and store the location.

It looks like Write.exe is a little loader for Wordpad.
While Wordpad.exe is normally in 'Program Files\Accessori es'
- Write.exe is in the Windows directory, which is in the system's
'path'

[Steve Gerrard]

Re: Set RTF file handling


"D & J G" <donandjane@opt usnet.com.au> wrote in message
news:44014b65$0 $27464$afc38c87 @news.optusnet. com.au...[color=blue]
>[color=green]
>>
>> I'm cheating!!
>> To simplify printing, the print instruction goes like this:
>> Call Shell("write.ex e /p " + App.Path + "\filename.rtf" )
>> If the rtf association isn't set, it doesn't work.
>> Too simple??[/color]
> PS. Call Shell("wordpad. exe /p " + App.Path + "\filename.rtf" ) doesn't work,
> either!
>[/color]

As Jerry said, write.exe is in Windows, and therefore in the environment path,
while WordPad is somewhere in Program Files (mine is in ...Files\Window s NT\).

On my machine, .RTF is clearly associated with MS Word, not WordPad. However,
this prints the specified file, apparently using WordPad:

Private Sub Command1_Click( )
Call Shell("write.ex e /p C:\test.rtf")
End Sub