File Types and File Associations

This section on file types and file associations is organized as follows:

• Application Registration
• File Types
• How to Choose a File Type Extension
• How to Define File Type Attributes
• How to Include an Application on the Open with Dialog Box
• How to Exclude an Application from the Open with Dialog Box for Unassociated File Types
• How File Associations Work
• Content View By File Type or Kind
• How to Register Custom Properties and Layout for Your File Type
• File Type Verifier
• How to Use the File Type Verifier
• File Type Handlers
• Programmatic Identifiers
• How to Register a File Type for a New Application
• Perceived Types
• Association Arrays

Additional Resources

• Set Program Access and Computer Defaults (SPAD) is a Windows Control Panel which allows users with administrative privilege to set a machine default and hide or show an application. Media, Mail, Browser, Messenger and Java applications are examples of applications registered in SPAD. Set Your Default Programs (SYDP) is a Windows Control Panel, that works with limited privileges, and permits users to set a user default. Any application can register in SYDP. For information about SPAD and SYDP application registration, see Guidelines for File Associations and Default Programs, and Set Program Access and Computer Defaults (SPAD).
• For related conceptual background, see Overview of Verbs and File Associations.
• To create a Shell data store, see Implementing the Basic Folder Object Interfaces.

For related reference documentation, see the following topics:

• To execute a verb on a Shell item, see the InvokeVerb method.
• To retrieve a collection of verbs that can be executed on a Shell item, see the Verbs method.
• For performing an operation on a specified file, see either the ShellExecute or ShellExecuteEx functions.
• For a list of default perceived types, see the PERCEIVED enumeration.
• To retrieves a file's perceived type based on its extension, see the AssocGetPerceivedType function.