Thank you for replying!
Unfortunately it does NOT work!...
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Browse All TopicsI use a PC with Windows XP SP3 (32-bit), and I always need to use a lot of PDF files. I installed 3 different PDF Readers/Viewers, since each one of them have different advantages and disadvantages, what forces me to frequently change and re-change the PDF file type association ("open with") <=> mouse right button click (context menu) => open with => choose application (PDF Reader/Viewer). Such procedure is not difficult but it is very boring, annoying and time-consuming (since the "explorer.exe", aka "Windows Shell", is slow and heavy CPU loader...). I really would like to only click once, each time I need to change the PDF file type association ("open with"). I think it is possible to create 3 *.reg (registry entries) files - "Open PDF with App1.reg"; "Open PDF with App2.reg"; "Open PDF with App3.reg". With only 1 click, I would be able to change the PDF file type association, each time. However, since I know almost nothing about the registry, I do not know how to make such *.reg files... Or you may even suggest a totally different solution/approach (other than using *.reg files)...
Thanks and regards.
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Hmmm... Do they all state FoxitReader.Document beneath that first entry? If so, I suspect when you are switching PDF readers via the Open With dialogue, are you not enabling the "Always ..." option at the bottom of the dialogue before taking the next export (it is this which makes the change in the registry).
asgarcymed--I do not know how much simpler this is, but once set up it should save a few clicks.
Right click any .pdf file|Open With|Choose Program. If the 3 PDF viewer programs are already in the list, highlight one and click OK. If they are not in the list already, click Browse and find the executable for one of the PDF viewers and add it to the list. Then highlight it and click OK.
Repeat the above for each of the PDF viewers.
You should wind up with all the PDF viewers appearing in the initial Open With window--so you can directly click on one-- and you will not have to click Choose Program and go through the porcedure in that window.
Now what?... Is there any "registry expert" able to help me to improve this solution?...
To be a "perfect" solution, I would not need to manually "open with" a PDF file with each application; and I would have to indicate the full path of each PDF viewer (even portable versions, such as "Sumatra PDF"), like [pseudo-code]:
Ext = .PDF
Currently active = a
Open with option list:
a = "C:\Portable Apps\PDF\Sumatra.exe"
b= "C:\Program Files\Foxit\Foxit Reader.exe"
(and son on...)
On the other hand, I would like to set the PDF files' default icon to be the same of the application EXE file's icon (I would know what is the currently active viewer by looking at the icon of any PDF file, since I remember the icon of each application).
Do you have any ideas?
Thanks and regards
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by: BarthaxPosted on 2009-08-28 at 02:42:12ID: 25206001
Get set up with one of your PDF readers & then enter the registry editor (Start -> Run, regedit). When it opens, look at the top of the left-hand side & you should find the second item is HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT - click the + sign to the left of it to open it (if it isn't already). In the long list that opens up, find the .pdf entry. Right-click this entry and choose the Export option. Save the registry file in a location you want to access the file from & you have your first .reg file.
Switch to your second reader & then perform the export again (obviously saving as a different file) and then switch to your third reader & perform the export once more. You'll now have your three .reg files which can be double-clicked.