Introduction | Windows	Helpline Q&A Directory
Associate more than one program with a file type I sometimes want to open a file in two separate programs - is there any way I can do this more quickly than using the right-click menu's Open With option every time? Yes, Windows also allows you to associate more than one program with a file type so you can choose to open a file in any of several applications when you launch it. In Windows Explorer, select View, Folder Options (or View, Options). Click the File Types tab, select the appropriate file type from the list ('Jpeg Image' in this example), and then click the Edit button. In the Edit File Type dialog box, click the New button. Follow the instructions given above for entering data into the New Action dialog box, and click ok. Back in the Edit File Type box, you'll see two actions listed. The one in bold is the default action. To change the default, select your choice and click Set Default. Click ok twice when you're done. From now on, double-clicking a Jpeg file will launch it in your default program. Right-clicking the file will let you choose from all the available options. You can also use the SendTo folder to open one file in different applications. Put shortcuts to alternate programs into your c:\Windows\SendTo folder (copy them from the Start menu). The file will still load with the application associated with its file type when you double-click it, but now you can right-click it and select Send To to open it with some other program. See also tip Associate the same file type with different programs.
© 2002 PC Advisor