Explorer action on double-click

Based on my understanding, Windows Explorer should behave in the =
following ways when determining what to do when the user double clicks a =
file (or presses the Enter key):

1. If the file is a registered file type, and at least one action is =
defined, Explorer will perform that action.
2. If the file is not a registered file type, explorer will perform the =
action defined for unknown files (under HKCR\Unknown), which is, by =
default, "Open with...", but which can be changed to something else.

It seems, however, that there are some ambiguities and the situation is =
more complicated. Let me provide the following examples, and I hope =
someone will be able to shed some light on things. I've seen a case of a =
file without an extension, or a file with a .dat extension which opened =
with MS Word on double-click. Is this based on some information in the =
header on the file which override the explorer registry settings? Do =
various programs have a free hand in acting like this, or is it only MS =
Word?

I've witnessed some other ambiguities as well, but this is the one I =
wanted to ask about first.

Ivan

(1) What is the file type in question, that opens in MS Word?
(2) START button, Settings, Folder Options, File Types tab.
(a) Scroll to MSWord. Which file types belong to it?
(b) Scroll to Notepad. Which does it have?


--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR

"Ivan Bútora" wrote in message
...
Based on my understanding, Windows Explorer should behave in the
following ways when determining what to do when the user double clicks a
file (or presses the Enter key):

1. If the file is a registered file type, and at least one action is
defined, Explorer will perform that action.
2. If the file is not a registered file type, explorer will perform the
action defined for unknown files (under HKCR\Unknown), which is, by
default, "Open with...", but which can be changed to something else.

It seems, however, that there are some ambiguities and the situation is
more complicated. Let me provide the following examples, and I hope
someone will be able to shed some light on things. I've seen a case of a
file without an extension, or a file with a .dat extension which opened
with MS Word on double-click. Is this based on some information in the
header on the file which override the explorer registry settings? Do
various programs have a free hand in acting like this, or is it only MS
Word?

I've witnessed some other ambiguities as well, but this is the one I
wanted to ask about first.

Ivan

PCR, the point is that a file type which was not registered (say =
file.dat), opened in MS Word after a double click. There was no entry =
for .dat under HKCR, that's why I say it wasn't registered. Not all .dat =
files open with MS Word like this, that's why I said I suspect there =
must be something in the header of the file which leads explorer to =
behave in this way. I wonder whether there are some other known =
variations of this behaviour, and whether there are other applications =
that behave similarly, and whether this behaviour is restricted in any =
way in Windows 98 (or XP).

Ivan


"PCR" wrote in message =
...
(1) What is the file type in question, that opens in MS Word?
(2) START button, Settings, Folder Options, File Types tab.
(a) Scroll to MSWord. Which file types belong to it?
(b) Scroll to Notepad. Which does it have?
=20
=20
--=20
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR

"Ivan B=FAtora" wrote in message
...
Based on my understanding, Windows Explorer should behave in the
following ways when determining what to do when the user double clicks =
a
file (or presses the Enter key):
=20
1. If the file is a registered file type, and at least one action is
defined, Explorer will perform that action.
2. If the file is not a registered file type, explorer will perform =
the
action defined for unknown files (under HKCR\Unknown), which is, by
default, "Open with...", but which can be changed to something else.
=20
It seems, however, that there are some ambiguities and the situation =
is
more complicated. Let me provide the following examples, and I hope
someone will be able to shed some light on things. I've seen a case of =
a
file without an extension, or a file with a .dat extension which =
opened
with MS Word on double-click. Is this based on some information in the
header on the file which override the explorer registry settings? Do
various programs have a free hand in acting like this, or is it only =
MS
Word?
=20
I've witnessed some other ambiguities as well, but this is the one I
wanted to ask about first.
=20
Ivan
=20

XP is a different & dangerous algorithm-- no, paradigm!-- acc. to
Harper. In Win98, I'm thinking, it may be you have associated ".dat"
with Notepad, perhaps. Then, when Notepad sees the file is too large, it
will pass it to-- well, for me that's Wordpad, but you say MSWord.
That's about all I can think.

--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR

"Ivan Bútora" wrote in message
...
PCR, the point is that a file type which was not registered (say
file.dat), opened in MS Word after a double click. There was no entry
for .dat under HKCR, that's why I say it wasn't registered. Not all .dat
files open with MS Word like this, that's why I said I suspect there
must be something in the header of the file which leads explorer to
behave in this way. I wonder whether there are some other known
variations of this behaviour, and whether there are other applications
that behave similarly, and whether this behaviour is restricted in any
way in Windows 98 (or XP).

Ivan


"PCR" wrote in message
...
(1) What is the file type in question, that opens in MS Word?
(2) START button, Settings, Folder Options, File Types tab.
(a) Scroll to MSWord. Which file types belong to it?
(b) Scroll to Notepad. Which does it have?


--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR

"Ivan Bútora" wrote in message
...
Based on my understanding, Windows Explorer should behave in the
following ways when determining what to do when the user double clicks
a
file (or presses the Enter key):

1. If the file is a registered file type, and at least one action is
defined, Explorer will perform that action.
2. If the file is not a registered file type, explorer will perform
the
action defined for unknown files (under HKCR\Unknown), which is, by
default, "Open with...", but which can be changed to something else.

It seems, however, that there are some ambiguities and the situation
is
more complicated. Let me provide the following examples, and I hope
someone will be able to shed some light on things. I've seen a case of
a
file without an extension, or a file with a .dat extension which
opened
with MS Word on double-click. Is this based on some information in the
header on the file which override the explorer registry settings? Do
various programs have a free hand in acting like this, or is it only
MS
Word?

I've witnessed some other ambiguities as well, but this is the one I
wanted to ask about first.

Ivan

No, that's not it.

"PCR" wrote in message =
...
XP is a different & dangerous algorithm-- no, paradigm!-- acc. to
Harper. In Win98, I'm thinking, it may be you have associated ".dat"
with Notepad, perhaps. Then, when Notepad sees the file is too large, =
it
will pass it to-- well, for me that's Wordpad, but you say MSWord.
That's about all I can think.
=20
--=20
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR

"Ivan B=FAtora" wrote in message
...
PCR, the point is that a file type which was not registered (say
file.dat), opened in MS Word after a double click. There was no entry
for .dat under HKCR, that's why I say it wasn't registered. Not all =
..dat
files open with MS Word like this, that's why I said I suspect there
must be something in the header of the file which leads explorer to
behave in this way. I wonder whether there are some other known
variations of this behaviour, and whether there are other applications
that behave similarly, and whether this behaviour is restricted in any
way in Windows 98 (or XP).
=20
Ivan
=20
=20
"PCR" wrote in message
...
(1) What is the file type in question, that opens in MS Word?
(2) START button, Settings, Folder Options, File Types tab.
(a) Scroll to MSWord. Which file types belong to it?
(b) Scroll to Notepad. Which does it have?


--=20
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR

"Ivan B=FAtora" wrote in message
...
Based on my understanding, Windows Explorer should behave in the
following ways when determining what to do when the user double =
clicks
a
file (or presses the Enter key):

1. If the file is a registered file type, and at least one action is
defined, Explorer will perform that action.
2. If the file is not a registered file type, explorer will perform
the
action defined for unknown files (under HKCR\Unknown), which is, by
default, "Open with...", but which can be changed to something else.

It seems, however, that there are some ambiguities and the situation
is
more complicated. Let me provide the following examples, and I hope
someone will be able to shed some light on things. I've seen a case =
of
a
file without an extension, or a file with a .dat extension which
opened
with MS Word on double-click. Is this based on some information in =
the
header on the file which override the explorer registry settings? Do
various programs have a free hand in acting like this, or is it only
MS
Word?

I've witnessed some other ambiguities as well, but this is the one I
wanted to ask about first.

Ivan


=20

That's all I had. Sorry. Why is it you want to know this thing? I have
set ".dat" to open in Notepad, by the way. Sometimes it will go to
Notepad, others to Wordpad. BUT, it does show up at HKCR...

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.DAT]
@="DAT_auto_file"


--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR

"Ivan Bútora" wrote in message
...
No, that's not it.

"PCR" wrote in message
...
XP is a different & dangerous algorithm-- no, paradigm!-- acc. to
Harper. In Win98, I'm thinking, it may be you have associated ".dat"
with Notepad, perhaps. Then, when Notepad sees the file is too large,
it
will pass it to-- well, for me that's Wordpad, but you say MSWord.
That's about all I can think.

--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR

"Ivan Bútora" wrote in message
...
PCR, the point is that a file type which was not registered (say
file.dat), opened in MS Word after a double click. There was no entry
for .dat under HKCR, that's why I say it wasn't registered. Not all
..dat
files open with MS Word like this, that's why I said I suspect there
must be something in the header of the file which leads explorer to
behave in this way. I wonder whether there are some other known
variations of this behaviour, and whether there are other applications
that behave similarly, and whether this behaviour is restricted in any
way in Windows 98 (or XP).

Ivan


"PCR" wrote in message
...
(1) What is the file type in question, that opens in MS Word?
(2) START button, Settings, Folder Options, File Types tab.
(a) Scroll to MSWord. Which file types belong to it?
(b) Scroll to Notepad. Which does it have?


--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR

"Ivan Bútora" wrote in message
...
Based on my understanding, Windows Explorer should behave in the
following ways when determining what to do when the user double
clicks
a
file (or presses the Enter key):

1. If the file is a registered file type, and at least one action is
defined, Explorer will perform that action.
2. If the file is not a registered file type, explorer will perform
the
action defined for unknown files (under HKCR\Unknown), which is, by
default, "Open with...", but which can be changed to something else.

It seems, however, that there are some ambiguities and the situation
is
more complicated. Let me provide the following examples, and I hope
someone will be able to shed some light on things. I've seen a case
of
a
file without an extension, or a file with a .dat extension which
opened
with MS Word on double-click. Is this based on some information in
the
header on the file which override the explorer registry settings? Do
various programs have a free hand in acting like this, or is it only
MS
Word?

I've witnessed some other ambiguities as well, but this is the one I
wanted to ask about first.

Ivan

cquirke, where are you!?

"Ivan B=FAtora" wrote in message =
...
Based on my understanding, Windows Explorer should behave in the =
following ways when determining what to do when the user double clicks a =
file (or presses the Enter key):

1. If the file is a registered file type, and at least one action is =
defined, Explorer will perform that action.
2. If the file is not a registered file type, explorer will perform the =
action defined for unknown files (under HKCR\Unknown), which is, by =
default, "Open with...", but which can be changed to something else.

It seems, however, that there are some ambiguities and the situation is =
more complicated. Let me provide the following examples, and I hope =
someone will be able to shed some light on things. I've seen a case of a =
file without an extension, or a file with a .dat extension which opened =
with MS Word on double-click. Is this based on some information in the =
header on the file which override the explorer registry settings? Do =
various programs have a free hand in acting like this, or is it only MS =
Word?

I've witnessed some other ambiguities as well, but this is the one I =
wanted to ask about first.

Ivan

I don't know where Chris is--not my day to watch him :-)

Regarding your observations. How do you know it was an unregistered file
type--did you check in the registry or in Explorer, view, folder options,
file types? Not all associations show up on the file types screen for some
reason. .Dat files should have no standard association and if one opened
with Word merely by double clicking, then I would assume that an association
had to exist. Do you still have access to the PC where these actions
occurred? If so, go to HKEY_Classes_Root and see if the file types are
listed.
--
Regards

Ron Badour, MS MVP for W98
Tips: http://home.satx.rr.com/badour
Knowledge Base Info:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=kbinfo

"Ivan Bútora" wrote in message
...
cquirke, where are you!?

"Ivan Bútora" wrote in message
...
Based on my understanding, Windows Explorer should behave in the following
ways when determining what to do when the user double clicks a file (or
presses the Enter key):

1. If the file is a registered file type, and at least one action is
defined, Explorer will perform that action.
2. If the file is not a registered file type, explorer will perform the
action defined for unknown files (under HKCR\Unknown), which is, by default,
"Open with...", but which can be changed to something else.

It seems, however, that there are some ambiguities and the situation is more
complicated. Let me provide the following examples, and I hope someone will
be able to shed some light on things. I've seen a case of a file without an
extension, or a file with a .dat extension which opened with MS Word on
double-click. Is this based on some information in the header on the file
which override the explorer registry settings? Do various programs have a
free hand in acting like this, or is it only MS Word?

I've witnessed some other ambiguities as well, but this is the one I wanted
to ask about first.

Ivan

Hi Ron,

yes, I'm confident .dat was not registered whatsoever. But it's not only =
..dat, I think it could be other extensions as well. Let me give you an =
example. I received a file by e-mail without any extension at all, =
which, upon double clicking, opened up in MS Word. To show that the =
extensions is probably irrelevant, I renamed this file to "file.xxx". =
It's a small file, you can download it at www.princeton.edu/~ibutora. If =
you have MS Word (I have MS Word 2000, but I'm guessing the version =
doesn't matter much), you can test it.

Thanks,

Ivan


"Ron Badour" wrote in message =
...
I don't know where Chris is--not my day to watch him :-)
=20
Regarding your observations. How do you know it was an unregistered =
file
type--did you check in the registry or in Explorer, view, folder =
options,
file types? Not all associations show up on the file types screen for =
some
reason. .Dat files should have no standard association and if one =
opened
with Word merely by double clicking, then I would assume that an =
association
had to exist. Do you still have access to the PC where these actions
occurred? If so, go to HKEY_Classes_Root and see if the file types =
are
listed.
--=20
Regards
=20
Ron Badour, MS MVP for W98
Tips: http://home.satx.rr.com/badour
Knowledge Base Info:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=3Dkbinfo
=20
"Ivan B=FAtora" wrote in message
...
cquirke, where are you!?
=20
"Ivan B=FAtora" wrote in message
...
Based on my understanding, Windows Explorer should behave in the =
following
ways when determining what to do when the user double clicks a file =
(or
presses the Enter key):
=20
1. If the file is a registered file type, and at least one action is
defined, Explorer will perform that action.
2. If the file is not a registered file type, explorer will perform =
the
action defined for unknown files (under HKCR\Unknown), which is, by =
default,
"Open with...", but which can be changed to something else.
=20
It seems, however, that there are some ambiguities and the situation =
is more
complicated. Let me provide the following examples, and I hope someone =
will
be able to shed some light on things. I've seen a case of a file =
without an
extension, or a file with a .dat extension which opened with MS Word =
on
double-click. Is this based on some information in the header on the =
file
which override the explorer registry settings? Do various programs =
have a
free hand in acting like this, or is it only MS Word?
=20
I've witnessed some other ambiguities as well, but this is the one I =
wanted
to ask about first.
=20
Ivan
=20

I tested it as you requested and it did open in Word much to my amazement.
I removed the .doc from one of my files and it opened as well; however, not
all files will do this. Take a .jpg file, delete the file extension from it
and Windows wants to know what program to use to open it. I am guessing
that somehow Word documents must retain their ID even without a file
extension. Maybe a post to a Word newsgroup would help find an answer.

I have never heard of any .dat file opening in Word unless an association
was inappropriately established. .Dat files are supposed to be opened by
the programs that created or use them. I suppose that if a .dat file was
created by Word somehow, maybe that would account for it. But, that is just
a guess. A pretty good mystery :-)

--
Regards

Ron Badour, MS MVP for W98
Tips: http://home.satx.rr.com/badour
Knowledge Base Info:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=kbinfo

"Ivan Bútora" wrote in message
...
Hi Ron,

yes, I'm confident .dat was not registered whatsoever. But it's not only
..dat, I think it could be other extensions as well. Let me give you an
example. I received a file by e-mail without any extension at all, which,
upon double clicking, opened up in MS Word. To show that the extensions is
probably irrelevant, I renamed this file to "file.xxx". It's a small file,
you can download it at www.princeton.edu/~ibutora. If you have MS Word (I
have MS Word 2000, but I'm guessing the version doesn't matter much), you
can test it.

Thanks,

Ivan


"Ron Badour" wrote in message
...
I don't know where Chris is--not my day to watch him :-)

Regarding your observations. How do you know it was an unregistered file
type--did you check in the registry or in Explorer, view, folder options,
file types? Not all associations show up on the file types screen for
some
reason. .Dat files should have no standard association and if one opened
with Word merely by double clicking, then I would assume that an
association
had to exist. Do you still have access to the PC where these actions
occurred? If so, go to HKEY_Classes_Root and see if the file types are
listed.
--
Regards

Ron Badour, MS MVP for W98
Tips: http://home.satx.rr.com/badour
Knowledge Base Info:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=kbinfo

"Ivan Bútora" wrote in message
...
cquirke, where are you!?

"Ivan Bútora" wrote in message
...
Based on my understanding, Windows Explorer should behave in the following
ways when determining what to do when the user double clicks a file (or
presses the Enter key):

1. If the file is a registered file type, and at least one action is
defined, Explorer will perform that action.
2. If the file is not a registered file type, explorer will perform the
action defined for unknown files (under HKCR\Unknown), which is, by
default,
"Open with...", but which can be changed to something else.

It seems, however, that there are some ambiguities and the situation is
more
complicated. Let me provide the following examples, and I hope someone
will
be able to shed some light on things. I've seen a case of a file without
an
extension, or a file with a .dat extension which opened with MS Word on
double-click. Is this based on some information in the header on the file
which override the explorer registry settings? Do various programs have a
free hand in acting like this, or is it only MS Word?

I've witnessed some other ambiguities as well, but this is the one I
wanted
to ask about first.

Ivan