Advertised File Type / Create File Type

These commands create a new file type, bind one or more file extensions to that file type, and associate that file type with an application. Both commands are very similar, however the Advertised File Type command offers additional features over the Create File Type command:

• If the application owning the file type is missing, it will automatically be re-installed. This provides a self-healing setup.
• If the product has been installed in advertised mode, opening an advertised file type will automatically install the application on-demand. This provides a setup with installation-on-demand capabilities.

In return for these benefits, the Advertised File Type command has several restrictions:

• DDE options are not available.
• The application owning the file type must be directly installed by the setup.
• Does not support explicit per user or explicit per machine file type registration.
• Cannot override user choices or set applications as file type handlers.
• Ignored by the Native Engine.

File Type

The file type to create. This file type will own one or more extensions and be associated with an application.

Opens With

Full path to the application executable which is associated with the file type. Some considerations apply for the Advertised File Type command:

• The Install Files command that installs this file must be located in your script before the Advertised File Type command. This is necessary to allow the setup compiler to properly resolve the target of your advertised command.
• You may not use the Advertised File Type command with files that are not directly installed by your script using the Install Files command. In such cases, use the Create File Type command instead.

Description

The end-user visible description for the file type.

Icon File

If a custom icon will be used instead of the default icon of the application that is being associated with the file type, enter the full path to the file containing the custom icon here. You may specify an executable, library, or icon file. For Advertised File Type, do not use variables and provide the full path to a file on your local system. The icon will be extracted at compile time. For Create File Type, you may use variables, and the provided path must point to a file on the target system. No icon extraction will occur.

Icon Number

If an icon other than the first icon should be used, enter the index of the icon to use here.

For User Types

Choose the type of user to create the file types for.

Default creates the file type for either all users or the current user, based on the installation type: The file type will be created in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE hive with a per-machine installation, and in the HKEY_CURRENT_USER hive with a per-user installation.

All Users always creates the file type for all users, regardless of the installation type.

Current User always creates the file type for the current user, regardless of the installation type.

List of Extensions Belonging to File Type

Enter the file extensions that are owned by the file type. You should provide at least one file extension.

Additional Activations (Windows 7 and higher)

Check the Register application as known hander for file type(s) box to associate the application executable for this file type as a well-known owner of the file type.

Check the Force user choice to override any previously existing file association box to mandate the application executable for this file type as the active owner of the file type.

Verb

Enter a canonical or custom verb indicating an operation that is available for this file type in the system shell, such as Open or Print.

Parameters

Enter the command line parameters to be passed to the application associated with this file type for the current verb.

DDE Command, DDE Application, DDE Topic (only with Create File Type)

If the application supports DDE, enter the values into the DDE fields to be passed to the application associated with this file type for the current verb. Otherwise leave these fields empty.

 Notes

• Use the File Associations visual view in the IDE to quickly switch the type of a file type command between advertised and non-advertised.
• Since it is no longer necessary to use the Advertised File Type command for logo certification, you may use the Create File Type instead as it is more versatile.
• If you use the Create File Type command, the command is internally implemented as a series of Write Registry calls.
• The installation type (all users or the current user) is determined by the value of the $ALLUSERS$ pre-defined variable.