help = can't edit hosts file because it won't let me pick a program.

SlickRCBD wrote:
I've just had something weird pop up. I tried to edit my hosts file, but
instead of being asked what program I want to use to open it with, I got
a dialog box telling me "This file does not have a program associated
with it for performing this action. Create an association in My Computer
by clicking View and then clicking Folder Options".

Something in the registry is probably messed up, how do I fix it so that
it goes back to giving me a list of programs so I can click on notepad?

Can't you just drop the file icon onto the notepad icon?
Or right click it and send to notepad?

--
Return address is VALID!

mike wrote:


Can't you just drop the file icon onto the notepad icon?
Or right click it and send to notepad?

Yes, but that's a work around, not a fix. I wanted it fixed so it went
back to working the way it did before. I'd been doing it that way for
years, over a decade if you count other computers (and using Win95),
then suddently it doesn't work anymore, and only on that one older
computer? Something is obviously wrong, and I wanted it fixed, not
resorting to ignoring the problem and finding ways around it. That will
do when I don't have time to deal with it, but I still would want to fix
the problem.

"SlickRCBD" wrote in message
. ..
Brian A. wrote:

"SlickRCBD" wrote in message
. ..

I've just had something weird pop up. I tried to edit my hosts file, but instead
of being asked what program I want to use to open it with, I got a dialog box
telling me "This file does not have a program associated with it for performing
this action. Create an association in My Computer by clicking View and then
clicking Folder Options".

Something in the registry is probably messed up, how do I fix it so that it goes
back to giving me a list of programs so I can click on notepad?


What happens if you delete the shortcut you presently have and create a new one
for the HOSTS file?

Same thing, that was actually the first thing I tried, before posting. I have the
same problem when I opened c:\windows and double-clicked on "hosts". There is no
discernable difference (at least to the user) between double-clicking on the hosts
file and double-clicking on the shortcut. I got the same unhelpful error dialog box
instead of the helpful "choose the application you want to open this file with".

See if anything here helps:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/OpenWith.htm

Also check out some of the links at the bottom of the page.

--


Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Windows Desktop User Experience }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

REGEDIT4
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Unknown\shell\openas\command]
@="C:\\WINDOWS\\rundll32.exe shell32.dll,OpenAs_RunDLL \'%1\'"

http://www.mvps.org/serenitymacros/rightclick.html


--
-- -- -- -- --
Adaware http://www.lavasoft.de
spybot http://www.safer-networking.org
AVG free antivirus http://free.grisoft.com/
Etrust/Vet/CA.online Antivirus scan
http://www3.ca.com/securityadvisor/virusinfo/scan.aspx
Super Antispyware http://www.superantispyware.com/
Panda online AntiVirus scan http://www.activescan.com
Panda online AntiSpyware Scan
http://www.pandasoftware.com/virus_info/spyware/test/
Catalog of removal tools (1)
http://www.pandasoftware.com/download/utilities/
Catalog of removal tools (2)
http://www3.ca.com/securityadvisor/n...aspx?CID=40387
Trouble Shooting guide to Windows http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/
Blocking Unwanted Parasites with a Hosts file
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
links provided as a courtesy, read all instructions on the pages before
use
Grateful thanks to the authors/webmasters
_
"SlickRCBD" wrote in message
. ..
mike wrote:


Can't you just drop the file icon onto the notepad icon?
Or right click it and send to notepad?

Yes, but that's a work around, not a fix. I wanted it fixed so it went
back to working the way it did before. I'd been doing it that way for
years, over a decade if you count other computers (and using Win95),
then suddently it doesn't work anymore, and only on that one older
computer? Something is obviously wrong, and I wanted it fixed, not
resorting to ignoring the problem and finding ways around it. That will
do when I don't have time to deal with it, but I still would want to fix
the problem.

On Wed, 19 Mar 2008 02:32:28 -0600, SlickRCBD
put finger to keyboard and composed:


For years, I've been double-clicking on my "hosts" file or an alias I
have on the desktop. After doing that, windows pops up with a dialog box
asking me what program I want to use to open the file.

Suddenly yesterday, when I double-clicked on the file, instead of
telling me it doesn't have an association and asking me to pick a
program, I'm presented with a dialog box that says "This file doesn not
have a program associated with it for performing this action. Create an
association in My Computer by clicking "View" and then clicking "Folder
Options".

How do I make it go back to automatically showing me the list of
programs when I doule-click on the shortcut on the desktop, or the
original file in the C:\windows folder?

I'm aware of the problem of not having an extension, I just want to make
it go back to working the way it did before.

If I r-click a file that has no extension, the only action I'm
presented with in the context menu is "Open With".

A .txt file gives me Open (bold), Print, Quick View.

A .reg file gives me Edit (bold), Merge, Print.

What do you see in your context menu? What do you see for your HOSTS
file in the Type column of Explorer (I see File)?

Try creating a test file such as filename.xyz. What do you see in your
context menu for this new file type (I see Open With)? Does Explorer
behave the same way when you double-click this file?

Is there an entry in your registry that corresponds to files without
an extension, ie ...

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.

(the trailing period is important)

- Franc Zabkar
--
Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.

On Mar 20, 3:11*am, SlickRCBD wrote:
mike wrote:

Can't you just drop the file icon onto the notepad icon?
Or right click it and send to notepad?

Yes, but that's a work around, not a fix. I wanted it fixed so it went
back to working the way it did before. I'd been doing it that way for
years, over a decade if you count other computers (and using Win95),
then suddently it doesn't work anymore, and only on that one older
computer? Something is obviously wrong, and I wanted it fixed, not
resorting to ignoring the problem and finding ways around it. That will
do when I don't have time to deal with it, but I still would want to fix
the problem.

AlmostBob has posted the registry key that should fix you up.
Repeated below.

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Unknown\shell\openas\command]
@="C:\\WINDOWS\\rundll32.exe shell32.dll,OpenAs_RunDLL %1"


This is what I have and double clicking on my HOST file brings up the
Open With box as you would like, if I understand correctly.

On Thu, 20 Mar 2008 17:34:52 -0700 (PDT), Lee put
finger to keyboard and composed:

On Mar 20, 3:11*am, SlickRCBD wrote:
mike wrote:

Can't you just drop the file icon onto the notepad icon?
Or right click it and send to notepad?

Yes, but that's a work around, not a fix. I wanted it fixed so it went
back to working the way it did before. I'd been doing it that way for
years, over a decade if you count other computers (and using Win95),
then suddently it doesn't work anymore, and only on that one older
computer? Something is obviously wrong, and I wanted it fixed, not
resorting to ignoring the problem and finding ways around it. That will
do when I don't have time to deal with it, but I still would want to fix
the problem.

AlmostBob has posted the registry key that should fix you up.
Repeated below.

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Unknown\shell\openas\command]
shell32.dll,OpenAs_RunDLL %1"


This is what I have and double clicking on my HOST file brings up the
Open With box as you would like, if I understand correctly.

I was curious as to what would happen if I broke the above key in my
own registry.

As a test, I temporarily changed "command" to "comman_" and was able
to reproduce the OP's error message. The context menu for the HOSTS
file contained a single Open With action.

Changing "Unknown" to "Unknow_" resulted in no response when
double-clicking the HOSTS file. There was also no Action in the
context menu.

- Franc Zabkar
--
Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.