Edit custom files in custom programs

Ideas for improvements and requests for new features in XnView Classic

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Dreamer
XnThusiast
Posts: 4608
Joined: Sun Jul 25, 2004 9:08 pm

Edit custom files in custom programs

Post by Dreamer »

Edit custom files (or just file types) in custom programs.

I mean Edit - F4 - Open with associated editor. Users could choose default or custom editor there.

Add "Edit" options there, same as 'Open in ... program', to current option 'Browser > Open action'.
And add also 'Custom files' there, same as in 'Items displayed'.

Code: Select all

Open action     |Open in   |Edit in (with)
---------------------------------------------------
Images          |xnview    |custom - [C:\Program Files...\PhotoFiltre.exe]
Audio files     |xnview    |default editor
Video files     |xnview    |custom - [C:\Program Files...\VirtualDub.exe]
...
Custom files (*)|no action |default editor
---------------------------------------------------
Custom files (*) e.g. EXE BAT COM
[                    ]
Edit: New suggestion - we could add "Insert >>" button there with the list of programs from "Open with..".

E.g:
[filetype or jpg gif bmp] |open with | edit in [C:\Program Files...] [Insert >>]

Or, the same as in this file manager:

Image

Note: some options are available in 1.82 RC1 version only.
Last edited by Dreamer on Mon Feb 06, 2006 11:50 pm, edited 3 times in total.
ckit
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Location: QLD, Australia

Post by ckit »

I support this request 1000% but it will have to wait for XnView 1.83.
AMD Ryzen 3 3300X 3.8Ghz, 16Gb DDR4, RX6600XT with Dell U2520D at 2560x1440@60Hz scaling 125%
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Xyzzy
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Joined: Tue Nov 23, 2004 10:17 pm
Location: Poland

Post by Xyzzy »

I personally don't need such option. All filetype handlers I care for are assigned in Windows anyway (so 'Open in associated application' is enough). And if I need something special, current 'list of applications' feature will do.

X.
Guest

Post by Guest »

Yes, this is a good idea.
Dreamer
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Joined: Sun Jul 25, 2004 9:08 pm

Post by Dreamer »

Xyzzy wrote:I personally don't need such option. All filetype handlers I care for are assigned in Windows anyway (so 'Open in associated application' is enough). And if I need something special, current 'list of applications' feature will do.

X.
But images are associated with xnview right? With this feature you could just press F4 to open image in your favourite image editor.
Danny
Posts: 578
Joined: Sat Sep 04, 2004 5:09 pm

Post by Danny »

Xyzzy wrote:I personally don't need such option. All filetype handlers I care for are assigned in Windows anyway (so 'Open in associated application' is enough). And if I need something special, current 'list of applications' feature will do.

X.
My thoughts, exactly.
Dreamer wrote:But images are associated with xnview right? With this feature you could just press F4 to open image in your favourite image editor.
There's a default editor item already. And who's holding you back from putting your favourite editor in the 'list of applications'?
Dreamer
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Joined: Sun Jul 25, 2004 9:08 pm

Post by Dreamer »

Danny wrote:
Dreamer wrote:But images are associated with xnview right? With this feature you could just press F4 to open image in your favourite image editor.
There's a default editor item already.
But it's MS paint :| and I can't change it.
Danny wrote:And who's holding you back from putting your favourite editor in the 'list of applications'?
I must use a mouse, context menu and find correct program... With this option I could just press F4 and images would be opened in Photofiltre (e.g.), videos in VirtualDub, mp3s in mp3DirectCut...
Danny
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Joined: Sat Sep 04, 2004 5:09 pm

Post by Danny »

Dreamer wrote:
Danny wrote:
Dreamer wrote:But images are associated with xnview right? With this feature you could just press F4 to open image in your favourite image editor.
There's a default editor item already.
But it's MS paint :| and I can't change it.
You mean you don't know how to change it. Try Google.
Dreamer
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Joined: Sun Jul 25, 2004 9:08 pm

Post by Dreamer »

Danny wrote:
Dreamer wrote:
Danny wrote: There's a default editor item already.
But it's MS paint :| and I can't change it.
You mean you don't know how to change it. Try Google.
OK, but most users will never try to do it. I don't want to change it every time I reinstall Windows.

BTW - Why don't tell us how to change it if it's so easy? :wink:
Danny
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Joined: Sat Sep 04, 2004 5:09 pm

Post by Danny »

Dreamer wrote:BTW - Why don't tell us how to change it if it's so easy? :wink:
In one sentence: You look up the reg-key for the extension you'd like to change and add or edit the "edit" tree. That's how i do it.

If you need a windows menu you can edit it within the Windows' Explorer folder options' menu.
Dreamer
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Post by Dreamer »

I still think my solution would be better and easier for normal users. You would set it once and it would be in xnview.ini 'forever'.

Edit:
Danny wrote:If you need a windows menu you can edit it within the Windows' Explorer folder options' menu.
It doesn't work good, if I want change editor for JPG (e.g.), there is 'restore' button instead of 'properties', so I must first press 'restore' button... and there are 400 filetypes - just for images!

'Playing' with registry is not for normal users and you must change editors also for other media filed (audio, video) - many filetypes for each category...
Danny
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Joined: Sat Sep 04, 2004 5:09 pm

Post by Danny »

Bottom line: You would have to configure it once either way. So we can as well stick with the "open with" list that's already available.
Dreamer
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Post by Dreamer »

Danny wrote:Bottom line: You would have to configure it once either way.
But if I configure it in xnview...
...it would be in xnview.ini 'forever'.
And - important - configuration, in registry or in folder options, is NOT easy to do, NOT for normal users, normal users don't know about it, they don't know how to configure it...
Xyzzy
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Location: Poland

Post by Xyzzy »

Dreamer wrote:configuration, in registry or in folder options, is NOT easy to do, NOT for normal users, normal users don't know about it, they don't know how to configure it...
... and they don't need to configure it anyway?
Nonetheless, if configuration in folder options is too hard for an user, he should keep away from XnView anyway- it is too complicated.

EDIT: And, what's the purpose of having another handler for Edit in Windows and another in XnView? I think that users tend to use one application to edit some filetype, regardless of where editing is started from.
BTW Windows configuration is more detailed, because it can be set per file type, while proposed solution ties a whole publicly unknow set of filetypes to an action (fe. it is nowhere published what XnView thinks to be a video).

X.
Dreamer
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Posts: 4608
Joined: Sun Jul 25, 2004 9:08 pm

Post by Dreamer »

Xyzzy wrote:
Dreamer wrote:configuration, in registry or in folder options, is NOT easy to do, NOT for normal users, normal users don't know about it, they don't know how to configure it...
... and they don't need to configure it anyway?
Nonetheless, if configuration in folder options is too hard for an user, he should keep away from XnView anyway- it is too complicated.

EDIT: And, what's the purpose of having another handler for Edit in Windows and another in XnView? I think that users tend to use one application to edit some filetype, regardless of where editing is started from.
BTW Windows configuration is more detailed, because it can be set per file type, while proposed solution ties a whole publicly unknow set of filetypes to an action (fe. it is nowhere published what XnView thinks to be a video).

X.
Do you use any file manager? Most file manages have this feature. Why? Because:
- you don't need to use registry
- you don't need to configure it again (when you reinstall Windows...)
- it can be saved to configuration file (ini, reg...)
- it's easy to use/change
- filetypes are predefined
- you don't need to change it for several filetypes (10/100..., if you don't use registry)

And again - most users will never use registry, they will never try to find help here, how to configure it.

New suggestion - we could add "Insert >>" button there with the list of programs from "Open with..".