unit Assoc;
{Richard Ebbs March '99}
{a small unit to text the setting up of 'file associations' (so that by
clicking on a file with a .wtf extension, this brings up the Writer's
Toolkit with the file loaded into the Writer's Toolkit Editor)...}
{See below program code for detailed notes on what we're doing...}
interface
uses
Windows, Messages, SysUtils, Classes, Graphics, Controls, Forms, Dialogs,
StdCtrls, Registry, IniFiles;
const
wtExeFileName = 'WT.EXE';
instDirName = 'C:\WTOOLKIT';
type
TAssocForm = class(TForm)
GoButton: TButton;
ExitButton: TButton;
procedure GoButtonClick(Sender: TObject);
procedure CreateFileAssociations(fullEXEPath, winDirPath: String);
procedure ExitButtonClick(Sender: TObject);
private
{private declarations}
public
{public declarations}
end;
var
AssocForm: TAssocForm;
implementation
{$R *.DFM}
procedure TAssocForm.GoButtonClick(Sender: TObject);
var
winDirName: array[0..144] of Char;
fullEXEPathName: String;
begin
GetWindowsDirectory(winDirName, sizeof(winDirName));
fullEXEPathName := instDirName + '\' + wtEXEFileName;
CreateFileAssociations(fullEXEPathName, winDirName);
ShowMessage('Done');
end;
procedure TAssocForm.CreateFileAssociations(fullEXEPath, winDirPath: String);
var
reg: TRegistry;
fullINIPathName, newValueName, newValueData, iniDataString: String;
winINIFile: TIniFile;
begin
{1) add an entry to WIN.INI...}
fullINIPathName := winDirPath + '\WIN.INI';
winINIFile := TIniFile.Create(fullINIPathName);
with winINIFile do
begin
try
{here the first parameter in WriteString writes a 'key name', if you
like, to the INI file. This is a value that's found at the left of a
line in the INI file. The IniFile.WriteString routine itself inserts
a '=' character between that and the next parameter, which is the
'value' if you like...}
iniDataString := fullEXEPath + ' ^.wtf';
WriteString('Extensions', 'wtf', iniDataString);
finally
{free up memory used in creating the INI file...}
Free;
end;
end;
{2) make a new registry entry under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT...}
reg := TRegistry.Create;
reg.RootKey := HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT;
{reg.LazyWrite := False;}
reg.CreateKey('\.wtf');
reg.OpenKey('.wtf', False);
newValueName := '';
newValueData := 'WritersToolkit';
reg.WriteString(newValueName, newValueData);
reg.CloseKey;
reg.free;
{3) make another key with a subkey for icon
double-clicking(?) under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT...}
reg := TRegistry.Create;
reg.RootKey := HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT;
reg.CreateKey('\WritersToolkit');
reg.CreateKey('\WritersToolkit\DefaultIcon');
reg.OpenKey('WritersToolkit\DefaultIcon', False);
newValueName := '';
newValueData := fullEXEPath;
reg.WriteString(newValueName, newValueData);
reg.CloseKey;
reg.free;
{4) make another key with a subkey for 'open' under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT...}
reg := TRegistry.Create;
reg.RootKey := HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT;
reg.CreateKey('\WritersToolkit');
reg.CreateKey('\WritersToolkit\Shell');
reg.CreateKey('\WritersToolkit\Shell\Open');
reg.CreateKey('\WritersToolkit\Shell\Open\Command');
reg.OpenKey('WritersToolkit\Shell\Open\Command', False);
newValueName := '';
{note the space in string here...}
newValueData := fullEXEPath + ' %1';
reg.WriteString(newValueName, newValueData);
reg.CloseKey;
reg.free;
{5) make a new registry entry under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE...}
reg := TRegistry.Create;
reg.RootKey := HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE;
{reg.LazyWrite := False;}
reg.CreateKey('\Software\Classes\.wtf');
reg.OpenKey('\Software\Classes\.wtf', False);
newValueName := '';
newValueData := 'WritersToolkit';
reg.WriteString(newValueName, newValueData);
reg.CloseKey;
reg.free;
{6) make another key with a subkey for 'icon
double-clicking(?) under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE...}
reg := TRegistry.Create;
reg.RootKey := HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE;
reg.CreateKey('\Software\Classes\WritersToolkit');
reg.CreateKey('\Software\Classes\WritersToolkit\DefaultIcon');
reg.OpenKey('\Software\Classes\WritersToolkit\DefaultIcon', False);
newValueName := '';
newValueData := fullEXEPath;
reg.WriteString(newValueName, newValueData);
reg.CloseKey;
reg.free;
{7) make another key with a subkey for 'open' under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE...}
reg := TRegistry.Create;
reg.RootKey := HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE;
reg.CreateKey('\Software\Classes\WritersToolkit');
reg.CreateKey('\Software\Classes\WritersToolkit\Shell');
reg.CreateKey('\Software\Classes\WritersToolkit\Shell\Open');
reg.CreateKey('\Software\Classes\WritersToolkit\Shell\Open\Command');
reg.OpenKey('\Software\Classes\WritersToolkit\Shell\Open\Command', False);
newValueName := '';
newValueData := fullEXEPath + ' %1';
reg.WriteString(newValueName, newValueData);
reg.CloseKey;
reg.free;
{this next may well not be necessary...}
reg := TRegistry.Create;
reg.RootKey := HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE;
reg.OpenKey('Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Extensions', False);
newValueName := '.wtf';
newValueData := fullEXEPath + ' ^.WTF';
reg.WriteString(newValueName, newValueData);
reg.CloseKey;
reg.free;
end;
procedure TAssocForm.ExitButtonClick(Sender: TObject);
begin
Close;
end;
end.
{To associate a file extension with an application (so that the user
can double click on a file or icon in Explorer to run the application
with that file loaded) seemingly it's necessary to do SEVEN things-
(and for this example we set up the association of the Writer's Toolkit
application with it's default file format of .wtf). Note that in
essence what we're doing is adding a line to the WIN.INI file, then
adding two virtually identical sets of values in different places in
the registry, one set under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, the other set under
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.
i) add a new line to the WIN.INI file, under the 'Extensions' category
so that the entry looks like this
wtf=C:\WTOOLKIT\WT.EXE ^.wtf
ii) add a new folder (key) and value to the registry under
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT. For this example the folder (key) will be called
simply .wtf and the (two-part) value in there will be name: default value
(ie an empty string written to the 'name' field) and, data: WritersToolkit.
Note that values in the registry are in two parts, 'name' and 'data'. The
Delphi WriteString routine for writing to the registry takes two parameters,
one for each of these two parts of the value.
iii) add another new folder (key) and value to the registry under
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT. This one we will call WritersToolkit (and this entry
must be spelt in exactly the same way as it's spelt in ii) above). Under
this new key ('folder') we now create a subfolder. The subfolder (or
'subkey' if you prefer) we will call DefaultIcon. The value within
this is name: default value, and data: application exe name (including the
full path). Note that we add [space] %1 to the EXE name (so that the file
in question is opened with the application).
iv) now we create more subfolders under the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT rootkey, also
under WritersToolkit as above. These subfolders we will call
Shell\Open\Command. We don't need to write anything to the 'Shell' or 'Open'
keys, so we now ignore them, but in the Command key we again write the
application exe name (including the full path).
v) here we add a new value to the registry under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE that is
the same as the entry under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT in ii) above. The only
difference here is that the key is under the rootkey of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
and \Software\Classes (not HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT). (See ii) above for the value
we use).
vi) similarly, here we add a new key under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE that is the
same as in iii) above, except that here we create a new key under
the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE rootkey called WritersToolkit, and we also create a
subkey called DefaultIcon, writing name: default value (ie nothing) and
data: full_exe_name_inc_path to this.
vii) lastly we create extra subkeys called Shell\Open\Command under the
rootkey of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and also under the key of WritersToolkit
(similar to iv) above, but in a different place). Again we create subkeys
called Shell\Open\Command. We don't need to write anything to the 'Shell'
or 'Open' keys, so we ignore them, but in the Command key we again write the
application exe name (including the full path). OK?
Note 1. I guess that by adding %1 to the exe name variously here we are
setting things up so that the application takes the filename of a file
to open as a parameter. This will only work, of course, if the application
itself HAS the code to handle exe file parameters...
Note 2: if icon double-click no worky try adding ',1' to the end of each
full_EXE_name value (under both DefaultIcon keys/folders)..?}
{maybe we need to do this as well...
reg := TRegistry.Create;
reg.RootKey := HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE;
reg.OpenKey('Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Extensions', False);
newValueName := '.wtf';
newValueData := fullEXEPath + ' ^.WTF';
reg.WriteString(newValueName, newValueData);
reg.CloseKey;
reg.free;}
*********************************************
It is complicated enough that I wouldn't
want to write an explanation here, but Neil Rubenking does a good job of
explaining it all in the docs for his PC Magazine utility "Freedom of
Association". I suggest you use the www.pcmag.com web site and read the
explanation of the utility.
*********************************************
Check this out.
http://x53.deja.com/getdoc.xp?AN=459725089&CONTEXT=972400484.1695154184&hitn
um=32
Mark Bracey
----------------
Having a Delphi Day ...
**********************************************
It's a real pain in the butt to do.
Look for "shcmdint.zip" on DSP or maybe Torry's.
It's by Ken Miles
"Allow your application to interact with the Windows Explorer, open
documents in existing instances of the application, create and
respond to right mouse menu items for file types in the Windows
Explorer and simply process the command line parameters and
switches."
--
Daniel J. Wojcik
http://www.genjerdan.com
********************************************************
i did some checking and ended up writing a wrapper component for the api.
these are the steps i followed:
1) you'll need to consult the MSDN dox here:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/psdk/shellcc/shell/Functions/URLAssociatio
nDialog.htm
2) unfortunately the MSDN dox are "not completely" correct. they point you
to shell32.dll - but really the api is in url.dll.
3) do a dump on the dll to get the info you need: tdump.exe
c:\winnt\system32\url.dll > c:\junk.txt
4) write your export unit for the dll. look at something like wininet.pas
to see how it's done.
5) write your component to wrap the api calls.