Solved 'New' Context Menu opening shortcuts only.

[Pilgrim]

I finally got around to creating an RTF default template using a tutorial I found on this site.
When I had it set up I decided to add it to the 'New' context menu.

It appeared on the menu without any problem but when I clicked on it instead of opening Wordpad it created a shortcut, when I double clicked on the shortcut that opened Wordpad with the new default template.

I went back over what I had done without finding a problem so I tried one of the other items in the 'New' menu and discovered that everything in the menu (except Shortcut) is doing the same thing, instead of opening a new document or whatever it is creating a shortcut to the item I want.
The same thing is happening if I access the 'New' menu from an Explorer window as well as from the Desktop.

I have keyboard shortcuts for several items in that menu, Notepad, Word, Wordpad, they all work correctly, which leads me to the conclusion that the problem is with the menu itself rather than its contents.

In the nine months since I built this computer the only thing I can recall using the 'New' menu for is to create shortcuts which is still working as it should, so I have no idea when this started or what might have caused it.

I have looked at dozens of threads and articles on the 'New' menu without finding any mention of the same problem so I decided to start a new thread.

Any thoughts appreciated.

 

[Brink]

Hello Pilgrim, and welcome to Seven Forums.

It sounds like it's working just fine. The purpose of the "New" context menu items is to only create a new file of whatever you selected in the New context menu at that location.

For example, if you click on New -> Text Document, it will create a "New Text Document.txt" file at that location.

When you select New -> Shortcut, it opens the shortcut wizard to be able to create a new shortcut file at that location.

New doesn't open the program. Only when you click on the file will it open the file with it's default program.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Pilgrim]

Hi Shawn,

Thanks for that, I was under the impression that it was meant to directly open a new file.
The other thing that threw me was that if I open a document and then close it, with or without saving it, the shortcut remains, either on the Desktop or in an Explorer window depending on where I accessed the menu.

As I said I have rarely used the 'New' menu and having just tried it on an XP computer I see that it is doing the same thing.

Seems to me that using the keyboard shortcuts is more efficient, one action as opposed to two.

Thanks again.

 

[Brink]

You're welcome.

The main thing I think that you are getting confused over is that the "New" menu doesn't just create shortcuts. It also creates new files of the type you select.

 

[Pilgrim]

It also creates new files of the type you select.

Thats the confusing bit because what is appearing on the Desktop for a new text file is this:



In spite of the .txt suffix I would have called that a shortcut.

What I was expecting was Notepad to open.

 

[Brink]

Yeah, it'll just open that file in Notepad by default unless you had associated .txt files to open with some other program instead.