Associating File Extensions with Multi-Edit

[ReidSweatman]

Question
How do I associate file extensions with Multi-Edit in Windows Explorer

Answer
There are two methods, each with a different purpose. The first method creates the standard Open file associations you’re used to, the ones which, for instance, cause Windows to open a particular application when you double-click on a filename in Windows Explorer. The steps to do this are as follows:

[*:3qvicbdb]go to Tools | Customize… from the main menu bar;[/*:m:3qvicbdb]
[*:3qvicbdb]press the Filename extensions… button to display the Filename Extension Setup dialog;[/*:m:3qvicbdb]
[*:3qvicbdb]select the extension group you want to associate with Multi-Edit from the list on that dialog;[/*:m:3qvicbdb]
[*:3qvicbdb]click on the Edit button to bring up the Edit Filename Extension Setup dialog for that extension group; and[/*:m:3qvicbdb]
[*:3qvicbdb]check the Associate to Desktop Shell checkbox;[/*:m:3qvicbdb][/list:o:3qvicbdb]
This works by creating the familiar Open entries in the Windows registry that you see when you go to Tools | Folder Options… | File Types in Windows Explorer or Folder Options | File Types from the Windows Control Panel.

The second method puts an extra entry on the Windows Explorer right-click context menu that reads Edit with Multi-Edit when the file is the proper type. This is what Microsoft calls a shell extension. To do this:
[list:3qvicbdb]
[*:3qvicbdb]go to Tools | Customize… from the main menu bar;[/*:m:3qvicbdb]
[*:3qvicbdb]press the Filename extensions… button to display the Filename Extension Setup dialog;[/*:m:3qvicbdb]
[*:3qvicbdb]make sure the Create “Edit with Multi-Edit” shell extension checkbox is checked;[/*:m:3qvicbdb]
[*:3qvicbdb]make sure the radio button next to the Include text box is selected;[/*:m:3qvicbdb]
[*:3qvicbdb]add the extensions for which you want the context-menu option to appear to the Include text box, separated by spaces, commas, or semi-colons.[/*:m:3qvicbdb][/list:u:3qvicbdb]
It might seem more natural to have Multi-Edit’s installer set these file associations up during installation, as many applications do; however we think programs shouldn’t force such decisions on users. If our users are anything like us, they likely already have a lot of associations set up with other programs that they don’t want modified, so Multi-Edit leaves such choices to them. This behavior is by design.

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