File associations for different users

MiniMetro

Just wondering if anyone can help me with this. Is there anyway to associate files with different programs for different users. One of the users on my PC is an IPOD user so anytime I log in after him and open up an mp3 it opens up in iTunes. I'm using XP home edition, and this is really getting on my nuts.

Any help is much appreciated.

aidan_walsh

File associations are system wide, one of many thing that it would be nice, is a little unmanageable, to work at user level.

snappieT

I don't have the expertise to do it, but surely a script could be written to run at startup for user MiniMetro, to associate .mp3 with whatever (hopefully not WMP), and another for his friend, to associate to iTunes.

ressem

Not an easy way, but you can create registry entries for Current User to manipulate an association with a different app, assuming you've registry edit permissions.

Safest to back up registry, change using explorer, look up and copy the altered entry in regedit. Create in the Current User Section.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q257592

Orion

A script could be written very easily.

Run "assoc .mp3" from the command prompt both before and after you reassociate it to get the actual FTYPE names for Winamp.File and iTunes.

C:\>assoc .mp3
.mp3=Winamp.File

C:\>ftype Winamp.File
Winamp.File="C:\Program Files\Winamp\winamp.exe" "%1"

Then write two scripts for each of your Startup folders:

For iTunes User

ASSOC .mp3=iTunes.File
   or whatever it actually is

For you

ASSOC .mp3=Winamp.File

If you don't use winamp then whatever else you use will be listed in the FTYPE list.

MiniMetro

thanks macros i'll give that a try when i get home from work

Talliesin

ressem wrote:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q257592

Yep, I'd go that way, cleaner than a script.

astrofool

there's probably an option within iTunes to stop associating itself with mp3 files. Option 2 would be the winamp plugin for iPods, and get rid of the piece of trash that is iTunes forever..

Orion

Talliesin wrote:

Yep, I'd go that way, cleaner than a script.

If it works in Xp Home. There are substantial differences between Home and Professional and the article states that it's for 2000 and 2003 server.

FWIW I'd say that astrofools Option 2 is the best solution.

aidan_walsh

Macros42 wrote:

If it works in Xp Home. There are substantial differences between Home and Professional and the article states that it's for 2000 and 2003 server.

FWIW I'd say that astrofools Option 2 is the best solution.

2000 and 2003 server families only by the looks of it. XP wasn't mentioned at all.

Talliesin

aidan_walsh wrote:

2000 and 2003 server families only by the looks of it. XP wasn't mentioned at all.

As a rule XP added to what you could do in the registry over 2000 and took little away. That said, winamp agent set to maintain file associations and to start on run-up, while essentially the script method my another name, would seem an obvious way to go int this particular case.

Orion

Talliesin wrote:

As a rule XP added to what you could do in the registry over 2000 and took little away. That said, winamp agent set to maintain file associations and to start on run-up, while essentially the script method my another name, would seem an obvious way to go int this particular case.

That should be true alright but Home is not as configurable as Pro or Server families even through the registry. It's not like NT WS vs NT Server where there was only about 11 lines of code in the difference. There are substantial differences between the two OS's. But it should be still possible to do it - even if the keys aren't there already creating them similar to the 2003 ones should do the trick. But definitely the Winamp route is the best and easiest option.