AboutMike Dacre Expertise I am proficient with all windows platforms. Installation and maintenance
of home/business networks and small business servers.
windows Vista and XP questions please but I will answer win 2000 as well. If your system is older then that, then your problem is your operating system is just too old to be using on the internet!
Expert: Mike Dacre Date: 7/4/2008 Subject: File Association
Question Hello. I was wondering if it was possible to associate files of the same type with more than one particular program. For example, I have ten .doc files that I would like to open always with, say, Word Perfect each time I click on them (instead of having to select "open with" every time) but I would the rest of my .doc files on my computer to open with MS Word as usual. It sounds like I'm asking too much. Would there be any software that would do this, I wonder? It would be very helpful Thanks, Mary
Answer Hello Mary,
This is actually quite simple.. First of all, if the file was already opened with word perfect and then saved within word perfect, it should already have the word perfect association whereas a word document will have its association. Thing is, if you open a (wpd) word perfect file within word, it will convert things.. so the solution is to RIGHT CLICK on the icon and choose OPEN WITH. At this point windows will display what it thinks you should use and so word and word perfect should be listed, if they are, simply browse to the exe file for word or word perfect and choose it. One thing to note however, and this is important, is the small checkbox that will display "always use this program".. you will NOT want this selected initially since you may choose the wrong program and it will automatically change the file association to this new executable file therefore be sure you do click on the correct choice. But if you leave the association alone, you can simply right click and choose OPEN with..
Thing is, if you simply read the file you are ok but if you make changes, and go to save, it will then generally do the converting to the program you are using therefore be sure you 'save as' and choose the correct file extension that you want to save it as.
You may also want to visit my website at http://tpsconsulting.com and read the TIPS page on OPTIMIZING your computer and then go to the SOFTWARE/SUPPORT page where I suggest installing all the programs from the PINK section as they will help with the cleaning/removal and ongoing maintenance from the spyware/malware issues that cause so many problems and slowdowns..
