Open with�huh? How am I supposed to know?

Open with�huh? How am I supposed to know?

By: Scott Hendison � Published: April 2001

No single subject has drawn as many questions recently as the one I�m writing about this month. I can remember being confused and frustrated by it when I was learning, and I remember how good it felt to finally figure it out.

It�s a little more advanced, but if you haven�t run into this, your time is coming, I assure you. To help you follow this subject better, feel free to do this�

Right click on your desktop, select �new� � �text file�. Then type in the name 123.456 and press enter. Now you have a funny icon on your desktop, for a file named 123. The file �extension�, or file type is .456, one that doesn�t really exist.

If you try to open that file, a nice little window will pop up saying �open with:� and then list all the software programs on your computer, asking you to choose one. This is what happens when Windows does not know what the file extension is, and it�s asking you to choose what software you want to use to open it with. Anytime you try to open a file with an extension that your computer doesn�t recognize, you�ll see that window.

Now, here�s where people get into trouble. When the window pops up, people try to guess what program to use. If they know it�s supposed to be a picture, they�ll try to open it with their usual picture viewer, which usually doesn�t work.

There�s nothing wrong with guessing, but the mistake is in a very small check box. There�s a box at the bottom of the window that says, �Always use this program to open this file�. Incredibly, by default, Windows pre-checks this box. Therefore, if you guess wrong, and you don�t have the foresight to UNcheck the box, you�re unable to try any more guesses, and your computer will forever have that file extension associated with the wrong program, until you fix it.

What�s that you say? Scott, you�ve told me how I got screwed up, and it won�t happen again, but what can I do about it now? My file associations are wrong! Well have no fear�

Go back and select (left click once) the 123.456 file on your desktop. Now press and hold the shift key, and right click on the file. Choose to �open with�. Aha! Notice your friendly window is back? Here you can choose the proper software program you want to use, and you can also get another crack at that checkbox to fix the wrong file association. You can try every software program on your computer if you want to, but of course none will work with this .456 nonsense file.

This �open with� will work from almost anywhere in your computer, but strangely enough; will not work from inside your e-mail program. You�ll need to save the file on your desktop, or into a folder before you can try it. That�s annoying, because you�ll most need it for e-mailed files, but that�s how it is.

Still I hear you asking me, �What program do I use to open this strange file my friend e-mailed me?� The answer is easy. E-mail them back and ask them. They sent it, so they should know what software you need to have to open it.

If you can�t wait, or you need to know now, the Internet is the place to go. If you go to www.extsearch.com you can type in any file extension (without the dot) and get back a brief description of what it is. This site is more tech oriented, and it�s not really a very helpful or friendly description, but at least you have something to go on besides three strange letters. From there you can follow links to file extension help bulletin boards, etc. that are sometimes too geeky for even me to understand.

I hope this was helpful. Now go delete that 123.456 file on your desktop