How do I get the associated program for a txt file?

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Hello,

I'm having issues trying to get the the default application for text files on a users machine.

I've tried

C#

Microsoft.Win32.Registry.ClassesRoot.OpenSubKey("txtfile").GetValue("FriendlyTypeName")

But it always returns the standard windows notepad.exe

This is wrong because on my machine .txt files are associated with Brackets.exe and this is what loads if I double click on a txt file.

I need to know the application because I have a lot of custom file extensions that are associated to other programs, but the files are plain text so can be viewed in a text editor.

Is there somewhere else in the registry I should be looking?

Thanks

Posted 27-Feb-14 0:36am

sHoE_FeRReT

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OriginalGriff · Accepted Answer · 2014-02-27T00:44:00

Solution 1

Well, you could use FindExecutable[^]

C#

[DllImport("shell32.dll")]
static extern int FindExecutable(string lpFile, string lpDirectory, [Out] StringBuilder lpResult);
...
    StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder(1024);
    int i = FindExecutable(@"D:\Temp\AAAA.txt", null, sb);
    Console.WriteLine(sb.ToString());

Posted 27-Feb-14 0:44am

OriginalGriff

Comments

sHoE_FeRReT 27-Feb-14 6:53am

Thanks alot that works Great!

OriginalGriff 27-Feb-14 7:05am

You're welcome!

Maciej Los 27-Feb-14 6:56am

+5

Luc Pattyn 24-Nov-17 20:52pm

Hi OG, your solution is fine for a specific and existing file ("a text file" in the title), not for files with ".txt" extension ("text files" in the question's body). Then PInvoking AssocQueryString() would probably be the right way to go.

:)