Solved Cannot associate file types with custom programs

[icelava]

I have a gaming computer loaded with Windows 7. It might have been years for all I know, but this particular OS cannot associate file types to a new custom program. Be it from Windows Explorer or Control Panel, they open the same Open with dialog box.


Despite navigating and explicitly selecting C:\Program Files\Notepad++\notepad++.exe, the Notepad++ does not appear in the updated dialog box, making it impossible to re-associate.

Even if I tried to associate via Notepad++ Preferences UI, the file extensions will be reverted back to regular Notepad the next time I launch up Notepadd++.

What about this OS has been set to "read-only" mode for file associations? The only programs truly permitted to be the default program handler are the three listed Notepad, Wordpad, and Google Chrome.

 

[Bree]

Clicking the 'Browse...' button shown in your screenshot, navigating and finding the Notepad++ .exe file, select it then click 'Open'. This should add Notepad++ to the list of Other Programs.


If that is what you were doing, then it is not clear why it doesn't work - it should.

 

[icelava]

That is exactly what I've been doing all along. It refuses to put Notepad++ in the bottom list.

 

[Bree]

That is exactly what I've been doing all along. It refuses to put Notepad++ in the bottom list.

Odd, I've just installed Notepad++ as a test and it works for me. Have you tried reinstalling Notepad++?

 

[icelava]

I tested assigning IE or Firefox as the default program for .txt and that seem to stick, so something's peculiar about Notepad++ itself. Downloaded and installed the latest 7.8.3, but still it won't show up in the bottom [Other Programs] list after browsing to its directory path.


Looking again from within Notepad++ preferences, this time I see that it complains about wanting to run as Administrator mode in order to work. So after running as Administrator, I set it as default for the common text file types, and it sticks now.


I am unsure why previous versions did not ask for Adminstrator mode...

 

[Bree]

I am unsure why previous versions did not ask for Adminstrator mode...

Maybe you were not signed in as an administrator when you first installed it? I was when I did my tests.

 

[icelava]

Honestly I don't ever remember having to install Notepad++ as Administrator mode in the decade of using in on multiple computers. For other computers, I have been able to assign Notepad++ as default program, as it successfully shows up in the [Other Programs] or [Other options] list.

Also, good thing is for un-registered file extensions, it has the convenient [Edit with Notepad++] option in the extended Windows Explorer context menu. Still workable albeit slower than double-clicking.