I depend upon my text editor UltraEdit to open many types of ASCII and even some binary files for editing. I do this by double-clicking on the file name in Windows explorer. For example, when I double-click on a file with the name of FILENAME.TXT, it automatically runs UltraEdit because I've associated TXT files with UltraEdit.

I have also associated a bunch of other file types with UltraEdit, such as LOG and RPT, because those are also ascii files with a different file extension. I have even associated files named ME and 1ST because I sometimes get files inside of zips named READ.ME or README.1ST and I want those to open in UltraEdit as well.

However, I have always run into one problem, which is that sometimes I have a file with no file extension. For instance, when I get a unix software package, its readme file has no file extension. The file is just named README with nothing at the end.

Windows won't automatically associate a file without an extension. When I double-click on README, it says "what program would you like to use to open this file" and it lets me select UltraEdit. However, the little checkbox of "always use this program to open files of this type" is grayed out.

I wanted a way to associate "no file extension" with UltraEdit. I finally found out how in a Microsoft Knowledge Base article, while I was stumbling around looking for something unrelated.

Here's how you do it. You associate with the extension of .
(Just a period)

I did it by hand-editing the registry, but I think it might be doable in the "File Types" dialog, too. Do it like this:

REGEDIT4 

 

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.\shell\open\command]

@="D:\\utils\\UEDIT32.EXE \"%1\""

You could do this for any program. For instance, you could do the same for Wordpad if that's what you prefer:

REGEDIT4 

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.\shell\open\command]

@="wordpad.exe \"%1\""

Does anyone else find this extrememly useful?

I wouldn't suggest trying it though File Types. If you enter nothing, it asks you to enter something. If you enter a '.' it causes some trouble. At least on my system, it listed a new file association that was called something like FT00001, and clicking on the advanced tab does nothing, and the new association is not deletable.

I haven't tried your method yet, Tony.

Yuck, sorry about the problem in the File Types dialog.

On my win2k system, I seem to have some garbage in that list of file types, too. But those were there for years, long before I tried this....

Normally, I just wedge an extra item in the "Send To" menu -- that way, I can open any file with (in my case) TextPad, associated or not.

Of course Textpad allows you to add directly to the right click (context) menu. Saves me the one extra step of going through the Send To menu.

UltraEdit also adds an entry to the context menu IIRC.

Yeah, I've got a bunch of fun stuff in the Send To menu as well. Also, I keep a shortcut to UltraEdit easily reachable in the corner of my desktop so I can drag any file onto it at any time (even those not associated with it, like an MP3 file). So I had plenty of ways to open these "no-extension" files. My gripe was being unable to associate a default "open" function for doubleclick. Now I can.

When installing UltraEdit there's an option to put it on the right click menu!

It'll appear there for ANY FILE type! Just incase you didn't know.

Great tip. Thanks, Tony

When installing UltraEdit there's an option to put it on the right click menu!

I'm running a pretty old version of U.E., so I probably don't have that.