File Associations
By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2004-03-12 17:58:00-05:00
Windows recognizes files by their file extensions, which are the last letters of the name preceded by a period. Although there are some exceptions, most file extensions are three digits long. For example, a file that ends in ".doc" is recognized by Windows to be a Microsoft Word document. If you double-click, a file that ends in ".doc" Windows will automatically open that file with the Microsoft Word program.
It is a fairly simple system. A file with the extension ".xls" will be opened with Microsoft Excel. One that ends in ".cdr" is a Corel Draw file. However, some standard file formats like ".jpg" and ".gif" can be opened by any program that supports that format. For instance, a jpg file is a standard graphic file. It can be opened with Picture It!, Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro and many other programs. In order for Windows to know which program to use to open that type of file, the operating system creates a file association. Every type of file in your computer must have a program associated with it or Windows will not be able to open that file. Only one program can be associated with each type of file at any given time.
Most of the time file associations are created seamlessly in the background. When you install a new program on your computer, the program installer tells Windows which files to associate with that program. With a program like Word, there is no problem, only the Word program uses ".doc" files. Yet, standard file formats can cause trouble with file associations. For instance, when you download the pictures from your camera to your computer, they always pop up in the software that came with your camera. Then you install some new programs and your photos now open up in a different program. It's because the file association were changed when you installed those new programs. Sometimes the file associations seem to change for no reason at all, so you need to know how to change those file associations when necessary.
It's easy to change file associations. In Windows XP, just find a file with the extension you want to change. For instance, if you want to associate those ".jpg" picture files with a different program, just find a file that ends in .jpg. Right-click on the file, and put your cursor on "Open With" then click "Choose Program". You will then see a detailed list of programs. Click on the program you want to associate this type of file with. If the program you want is not listed, you can use the browse button to find the program. Once you have selected the program, click your mouse to put a checkmark in the box in front of "Always use the selected program to open this kind of file." Then click "OK". That's all there is to it. You have now changed the file association. Every time you open a file of that type it will open in the program you have specified.
In Windows 98 or Windows ME, after you find a file with the extension you want to change, press and hold the Shift key and then right-click the file name. The rest of the process is similar.
You can keep control of your file associations by being careful when you install new programs or visit new Web sites. Sometimes a pop-up window will ask you if you would like to change the file associations to allow their software to be associated with a certain type of file. Now that you know what file associations are and what they do, you will be able to determine if you want the new program to have the file association or not.
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