NightOwl

I looked at two of my WinXP OS. Neither have BAT in the File Types tab list. Batch files work fine.

Hope this helps.

NightOwl

I looked at another two WinXP computers. No BAT in File Types.

roxe

roxe wrote on Sep 28^th, 2013 at 10:16pm:

Thanks for your feedback.  I'm going from long ago memory (dangerous), but I'm sure it used to show up in the list.  Maybe not though!  The main reason I looked, some time ago, was that loss of the BAT file functionality.  I know I added it back, and it was listed when you brought up the Folder Options--at least for awhile when I was trying to fix the problem, but it's gone from the list again now, but the functionality has remained!

Maybe it was a Microsoft Update, or happened when installing sp1, sp2, or sp3?

roxe wrote on Sep 28^th, 2013 at 10:16pm:

Yes, it allows you to add one.  When you are on the *File Types* tab, click the *New* button.  Type in the *BAT* in the File Extension box, and then click the *Advance* button.  That brings up the Associated File Type box with the default listing of MS-DOS Batch File.  Click the OK button and you are back at the File Type tab and BAT is added to the list.

You can then click the Advanced button on that tab and it brings up the dialog screen where you can edit or change the default behaviors of that file association--see the screen shot below.

But, as soon as you close out the File Options dialog, and then re-open it, the BAT extension is no longer listed...again!  The good news is that the Default action is remembered even though that BAT extension is no longer included in the File Type list.

roxe wrote on Sep 28^th, 2013 at 10:16pm:

When you click on a file with an extension associated with that program, you will get an error box saying that Windows can not find a program that will run that file type.  It gives you the option of selecting a program to run that file (it gives you a list, and the option to Browse to select a program), and you can select to have Windows remember that selection (i.e. it puts the extension in the File Type list with the associated *action*--usually *Open*--but you can edit the actions in the Advanced settings box where you can select a Default action and add or subtract other actions that are added to the right mouse click menu when you are right clicking on that file).

I have changed the Default action of the BAT file association from Open to Edit--so I can not accidentally click on the BAT file and have something happen I did not intend at the moment.  I have to right click the file, and select Open to have the BAT file run, otherwise the BAT file opens in Notepad.

I've also made a similar change to the REG (registry file) extension--changed the Default from Merge to Edit so I don't accidentally make changes to the registry if I click on a REG file which is designed to add or subtract Registry entries.  (I think Windows now requires a Confirmation when you use a Merge of a REG file--so it doesn't *just happen*--you have to click Yes--but it used to just do the action without notice!)

roxe wrote on Sep 28^th, 2013 at 10:16pm:

Hmmmm....conspiracy theories  .   I suspect the NSA (and other spy and hacker types--China, Anonymous, etc.), even though it hasn't been *revealed* as yet, probably can hack into whatever system they would like!  I think I saw a news item where Russian's Putin has gone back to using typewriters instead of computers to create sensitive documents.  Yikes!!!!

Brian

Thanks for the updated information.

Quote:

Well, of course they don't!  Don't want the OS settings to remain in a unified, consistent location that was used on previous versions of the OS--it would look like you didn't get your money's worth if you could still find everything where is used to be!