CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c#registrywindows-explorer
Thomas
Thomas

Reputation: 2984

C# adding context menu item to windows explorer for all file types

I'm currently writing an application where I need to modify the context menu of windows explorer so that I can call a method within the application to be used on all files/folders that are seen in windows explorer.

As there are already quite a few posts on stackoverflow (and also tutorials) on how to add the context menu for specific file types I know already that that is done usually by assigning the application to the right parts of the registry entry for those file types.

As I don't want to limit myself to only specific filetypes my question is: IS there any way to assign this new context menu item to ALL filetypes (aside from going through each registry entry beginning with . and assigning the application to them there)?

Upvotes: 6

Views: 11257

Answers (1)

Alex K.
Alex K.

Reputation: 175766

Yes, the * class:

  1. Create the key:

    HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\Open with MyThing

  2. Create the sub key:

    HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\Open with MyThing\command

  3. Set the default value to your command line:

    C:\foo\myThing.exe "%1"

    (You can add fixed values here also: C:\foo\myThing.exe "%1" /ranfromshell)

  4. To set an optional icon create the string value Icon in:

    HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\Open with MyThing

    You can put the path to an icon, dll or exe here - Windows will extract the appropriate icon & display it.

Example

cap1

For:

cap2

.Reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\Open with MyThing]
"Icon"="C:\\foo\\myThing.exe"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\Open with MyThing\command]
@="C:\\foo\\myThing.exe \"%1\""

Upvotes: 14

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