File association with UE disturbs "browser" command of AutoCAD (solved)

File association with UE disturbs "browser" command of AutoCAD (solved)

1581
Power UserPower User
1581

    Jun 02, 2014#1

    Short version:
    A colleague uses AutoCAD and UltraEdit for some years. Yesterday he updated to current version, and now the "browser" command in AutoCAD opens UE instead of Internet Explorer IE.

    Long version:
    AutoCAD has an internal command called "browser" which asks for an URL (like "https://www.ultraedit.com"). The online help says "it invokes that browser which is defined in the registry".

    Until yesterday it always invoked IE, now it opens the URL with UE and an error.

    - For HTM and HTML we changed all the "Open with ..." commands from UE to IE.
    - We checked the file extension inside Windows 7 - HTM and HTML display IE.
    - We made a double click on an HTM and on an HTML file inside Microsoft Explorer - both are opened with IE.
    - We made a reboot of the PC - nothing changed, "browser" opens still UE.

    Any ideas?

    Peter
    UE 26.20.0.74 German / Win 10 x 64 Pro
    6,687587
    Grand MasterGrand Master
    6,687587

      Jun 02, 2014#2

      The installer of UltraEdit does not change any file association. The user can do that within UltraEdit or outside UltraEdit. If that was done within UltraEdit, it can be undone also within UltraEdit.

      Open Advanced - Configuration - File Associations, select a file association in the list and press button Delete. The file associations with .htm, .html should be at least deleted.

      If above does not help, open Default Programs in Windows Control Panel. Click on Set your default programs, select from the list Internet Explorer and click on Set this program as default.
      Best regards from an UC/UE/UES for Windows user from Austria
      1581
      Power UserPower User
      1581

        Jun 03, 2014#3

        Hi Mofi
        Mofi wrote:The installer of UltraEdit does not change any file association. ....
        I'm not sure ...

        I found these entries in registry:

        Code: Select all

        \\\Registry\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.htm\Default     Ultraedit.htm
\\\Registry\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.html\Default    Ultraedit.htm
        I changed them to

        Code: Select all

        \\\Registry\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.htm\Default     htmlfile
\\\Registry\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.html\Default    htmlfile
        http://www.winfaq.de/faq_html/Content/t ... ip0556.htm

        And now it is OK.

        Peter
        UE 26.20.0.74 German / Win 10 x 64 Pro
        6,687587
        Grand MasterGrand Master
        6,687587

          Jun 03, 2014#4

          The installer of UltraEdit does definitely not change any file association. I can guarantee that.

          Prior to version 20.00 of UltraEdit a window was displayed on first start of UltraEdit after installation or after an upgrade (not after updating to a newer hotfix version) giving the user the possibility to quickly select file extensions to associate UltraEdit with. This quick file association dialog was removed by IDM in UE v20.00. I suppose the reason was that many users selected in this dialog .htm, .html, .php, .bat, ... as wanting to edit files with such a file extension with UltraEdit, but not knowing about the disadvantages of making UltraEdit the default application for opening those files.

          Additionally there was Check and show file associations on startup in configuration which when checked resulted in showing the quick file associations configuration dialog window again on next start of UltraEdit. This configuration option was removed in UE v21.00.

          So now file associations with UltraEdit can be done only manually by the user via Advanced - Configuration - File Associations. The installer of UltraEdit does whether add nor remove file associations made by the user with UltraEdit or with Windows Explorer.

          It is long time ago that I have changed file associations with UltraEdit and therefore made a test because of this topic.

          I made a file association for .htm with UltraEdit v21.10.0.1032 at Advanced - Configuration - File Associations by selecting .htm from the list, entering as file description HTML File and clicking on the buttons Add and OK on Windows 7 x64.

          This action resulted in following changes in Windows registry.

          Added to registry by UltraEdit:

          Code: Select all

          [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.htm]
@="UltraEdit.htm"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.htm\OpenWithProgIDs]
"UltraEdit.htm"=""

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\UltraEdit.htm]
@="HTML File"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\UltraEdit.htm\shell]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\UltraEdit.htm\shell\Open]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\UltraEdit.htm\shell\Open\Command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\IDM Computer Solutions\\UltraEdit\\uedit32.exe\" \"%1\""

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\UltraEdit.htm\shell\Print]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\UltraEdit.htm\shell\Print\Command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\IDM Computer Solutions\\UltraEdit\\uedit32.exe\" /p \"%1\""
          Added and changed by Windows Explorer:

          Code: Select all

          [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.htm\UserChoice]
"Progid"="UltraEdit.htm"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer]
"GlobalAssocChangedCounter"=dword:00000097
          The counter was increased by 1.

          Next I opened again Advanced - Configuration - File Associations in UltraEdit, selected .htm from the list and clicked on the buttons Delete and OK.

          This action resulted in following changes in Windows registry.

          The following key was removed from registry completely:

          Code: Select all

          [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.htm\UserChoice]
          The value of the default string of key

          Code: Select all

          [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.htm]
          was changed to an empty string. And of course the GlobalAssocChangedCounter was increased again by 1.

          Conclusion:

          The action Add does not result anymore in storing the current default string value of the changed file association under key UltraEdit.htm on Windows 7, at least when there is no user account related file association present in Windows registry. It looks like UltraEdit should additionally remember under key UltraEdit.htm if a file association exists already under key HKCU\Software\Classes or not.

          The action Delete does not result anymore in restoring the previous default string value of the changed file association from key UltraEdit.htm respectively deletion of the file association under key HKCU\Software\Classes if that key was not present on adding the file association. And the key UltraEdit.htm is not removed from registry.

          The added string value UltraEdit.htm under OpenWithProgIDs is added by Windows Explorer automatically and not by UltraEdit and therefore UltraEdit should not remove it. It is possible that UltraEdit.htm remains intentionally because of this string although I don't think so.

          But not saving and restoring the current default string value respectively remembering existence of a current user file association and complete deletion if not existing before adding the file association is not good as it requires a manual correction of the file association by the user like when the file association was done outside UltraEdit with Windows Explorer.

          I will report my observations on add/delete of a file association with UltraEdit on Windows Vista / 7 / 8 / 8.1 to IDM.

          What I have to find out is in which version of UltraEdit the file associations changed from HKLM\Software\Classes (=HKCR) to HKCU\Software\Classes. Changing the file associations under HKCU is better as it does not require administrator privileges and the file association is changed only for the current user and not all users using the computer.

          The existence of string valueUltraEdit.htm for HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.htm is an indicator that the file assocation was made most likely with an older version of UltraEdit.

          There is no problem with file association addition and deletion on Windows XP using UE v21.10.0.1032 with a user account with administrator privileges. UltraEdit changes on Windows XP the file assocation on HKLM\Software\Classes.
          Best regards from an UC/UE/UES for Windows user from Austria
          1581
          Power UserPower User
          1581

            Jun 03, 2014#5

            Hi Mofi

            it's good that you find the issue with "Add/Delete". It makes it easier for me to make a small drawback :oops:
            Mofi wrote:....The presence of UltraEdit.htm at HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.htm is an indicator that the file assocation was made most likely with an older version of UltraEdit or ...
            Yes - the colleague told me that he "updated to current version" (what I mentioned above), but today I saw that he updated from something to version 19. So all of your conclusions are right (as supposed :) ) - but my solution did it too.

            Thanks

            Peter
            UE 26.20.0.74 German / Win 10 x 64 Pro