How to add a program to the "Open With" right click menu

I would like to add a media player program to the right mouse click
pop up menu that can be used to select an "Open With" . I currently
have MS Windows Media Player and would like to add VLC Media Player to
the menu options when I right click on an .avi or .mpeg file.

Any assistance would be appreciated.

Frank

 

The easiest/most versatile way is to go get FastExplorer
http://thesoftpro.tripod.com/downloads/fe/index.htm

More info in my dandies below.

--
dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

 

Check out OpenExpert at http://www.baxbex.com/openexpert.html

There's another Open Expert for $30 but the one at the link above which
is /this/ one's developer, is free.

 

FastExplorer is a wonderful program for making right click context menus
but just in case the only thing you ever want to do is what you posted
about...

Start
Settings
Folder options...
File Types (tab)

1. Run down the list and find the file type description for the app
opening .avi & .mpeg (presumably, Windows media Player)

2. Select and click "Edit"

[new window]

3. Click "New" under the actions box

[new window]

4. Type in the "action". This is what will be displayed in the righ
click menu so something like "Open with VLC Media Player" or just "VLC
Media Player" would be appropriate. (no quotes)

5. Click "Browse" and do so to the VLC Media Player folder

6. Select the exe and click "Open"

7. OK your way out of all windows.



dadiOH
__________________

--
dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

 

Another approach that's totally free is to use the SendTo folder.
I picked up a tip on Screen Savers that shows how to add the
command "Send To SendTo" to the Send To Menu(I know it
sounds confusing.)

Basically for C: based XP setups you go into
C:\documents and settings\user
in explorer where 'user' is the particular user name

Make sure explorer is set to show hidden files and folders.
Open another explorer window to a different folder(like C:\temp
or something)and drag the SendTo folder
to it and create a shortcut. Rename the shortcut "Send To"
with a space.

Now go inside the C:\documents and settings\user\SendTo
folder and drag the shortcut you just made in C:\temp into it.
Close your explorer windows.

Now when you right click on anything in explorer and go into the Send
To menu they'll be a Folder icon with the command "Send To SendTo".

Once you have that setup, right click on any program, go to
Send To menu, then select "Send To SendTo" and that
program will be in the Send To menu. From then on right
click on any video file and use the Send To menu to send it
to any video player you put in the menu. Works with any
app that takes a filename as command line param.

 

Whoops! My bad!! Told you it's confusing. Actually once you
complete the shortcut creation and put it in the SendTo folder,
the command inside the Send To menu will say whatever you
named the shortcut. If you want the command to say
"Send to SendTo Menu" just rename the shortcut you
made to "Send to SendTo Menu". Any shortcut in
the SendTo folder is just reflected in the menu. The
shortcut refers to the SendTo folder itself. Recursive
techniques are always a bit confusing.

 

Many thanks to dadiOH, Mike Easter and Miles Ahead for their
responses and suggestions.

Frank