Tip O'Tex Computer Club Newsletter
July 2003
Changing Default Programs
Have you ever installed a sound or graphics program and had it take over as the default for those files?
For instance, if you install (or update) MediaPlayer, RealPlayer or Music Match Jukebox, you'll find that your .wav files now have to open THEIR program. Since all you want to do is play a very small .wav sound file, it takes a lot longer to open the program than it does to play the sound.
Lets change that. First the sounds. Lets go back to having Sound Recorder play the .wav files for us. Also, when you play the file, you can have the Sound Recorder program close when the file is done.
Open a Windows Explorer screen. Go to Tools, Folder Options, File Types
If you're using Win98 follow part B, if you're using WinXP follow part A (Other versions of Windows it should be one or the other;)
PART A
Scroll down to WAV and click on it.
Click on Advanced
Click on Open then click on Edit and put in this line for Application used....:
C:\WINDOWS\system32\sndrec32.exe /Play "%L"
Click on ok
Click on Play, then click on Edit and put in this line for Application used...:
C:\WINDOWS\system32\sndrec32.exe /Play "%L" /close
Click on OK, then Ok again. Now click on Change Icon and choose a normal sound icon. Click OK one more time
to close it all out.
PART B
Scroll down to Wave Sound and click on it.
Click on Edit
Click on Open then click on Edit and put in this line for Application used....:
C:\WINDOWS\system32\sndrec32.exe /Play
Click on OK
Click on Play, then click on Edit and put in this line for Application used...:
C:\WINDOWS\system32\sndrec32.exe /Play /close (be sure to have a space after exe and after Play - no other spaces)
Click on OK, then OK again. Now click on Change Icon and choose a normal sound icon. Click OK one more time
to close it all out.
Now The Graphics
Most of you have IrfanView (I-View) and are using that to view your .jpg files. If you don't have that program, I would strongly recommend that you get it from: http://www.irfanview.com
Just like the sound programs, when you install a new graphics program, such as one that comes with your new scanner or camera, you'll find that THAT program insists on opening when you just want to view a picture. Maybe you'll want to use those programs for editing pictures, but to just look at pictures, I-View is the way to go.
When you find that another graphics program has taken over, you can easily make changes that will allow SOME files to open in I-View.
Open I-View - click on Options, then click on Properties. At the top of the next screen, click on the Extensions tab.
Scroll down and put checks in the boxes next to the following: .gif - .jpg - .tif - .wmf All others could open in whatever program they usually use, but you'll want those four to open I-view for you.
