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[Beth UK]

Hello,

When MC is associated with a file type (e.g., mp3) the icon for that file type in explorer becomes the MC Icon (the round disc with a blue centre). Is there a way to maintain association with MC without changing all file type icons to the JRiver one?

I would like my file types (Mpeg, avi, MP3 etc) to display different icons so that I can tell at a glance which is which. Ideally I like to use custom icons for each file type but MC insists on changing back to its own.

Thank you.

[Vincent Kars]

I'm afraid the same applies to extensions.
All are labelled J River Media Files so you can't see the file type anymore in Explorer.
Very inconvenient

[JimH]

In MC, turn off the file association under Options/Filetypes.

[Beth UK]

Thank you - but does that mean that any files that are unassociated will not open automatically in MC?

I have been using Directory Opus in place of Windows Explorer and find that if I un-associate in MC the file will not open by default in MC. In Directory Opus I can 'associate' Mp3 or Flac with MC but it does not automatically open MC.

I seem to be going in circles. I don't want to un-associate any media files from MC (MC is my media player of choice!); I just want to change the file type icons so I can then spot different file types visually...

Edit: Actually this is the first time I have encountered something in MC that has me frustrated!

[Vincent Kars]

but does that mean that any files that are unassociated will not open automatically in MC?

Correct

Jim
if I associate audio files with WMP, their extension remains readable (MP3, FLAC)
What is wrong by doing the same in MC?
As I said I don't mind seing MC MP3, MC Flac, etc
Often in explorer I do need to know the file type.

[Beth UK]

Often in explorer I do need to know the file type.

Same here - May open a file in editing software or simply be do a bit a 'housekeeping' and it is so useful to be able to identify a file visually...

[brossmac]

I agree with this as well.  I want to know if a file is FLAC, WAV, MP3 or whatever, not that it's a Media Center File.

[JimH]

I agree with this as well.  I want to know if a file is FLAC, WAV, MP3 or whatever, not that it's a Media Center File.

Are you using a thumbnail view?  I see the extensions in a details view.

[Beth UK]

Are you using a thumbnail view?  I see the extensions in a details view.

Sometimes I prefer to use a more graphic interface - sure, if I switch to 'details' view I can see the extension but switching views is not always something I want to do.

• Would it be possible to customise icons from with MC?
• Would it be possible to maintain association with MC yet maintain existing system icons?

[Amadan]

Hi,

i agree with Beth and would prefer icons by media type, too. Why not do it like Irfanview? There you can associate image files with Irfanview while still seeing the file type. What i mean is this:



Bye,
Stefan

[Sauzee]

I'd love to see this too, specifically that MC doesn't change the file type to Media Center file in explorer, but that the file type in explorer reflects the file extension, eg. flac file, mp3 file etc

[mojave]

If you use the built-in Explorer in MC (under Drives & Devices in Standard View and Gadgets in Theater View) you can view by file type and use the views' sorting and grouping to further break things down. This is a an easy way to browse media that you don't want imported into your library.

[glynor]

I'd love to see this too, specifically that MC doesn't change the file type to Media Center file in explorer, but that the file type in explorer reflects the file extension, eg. flac file, mp3 file etc

Same here.  I don't keep MC associated with much for essentially this reason alone.

[Beth UK]

If you use the built-in Explorer in MC (under Drives & Devices in Standard View and Gadgets in Theater View) you can view by file type and use the views' sorting and grouping to further break things down. This is a an easy way to browse media that you don't want imported into your library.

Thanks Mojave, however this doesn't solve the issue of MC changing and 'locking' icons in the wider windows environment. I use something called Directory Opus to replace windows explorer as it is a very powerful, and configurable file manager. Unfortunately, MC icons override those that I can set in Directory Opus so when using thumbnail or icon browsing all I can see are MC Icons. Using MC to work as a file management system offers less flexibility than my existing system setup as a rule.

I should say that this issue is not unique to MC - lots of programs associate themselves with file types and in doing so lock down the icons as well. It would just be wonderful if MC could do as Stefan (see above) suggested and offer icon replacement options so that I can maintain the visual integrity of my wider system.

[Edit] Or... perhaps MC could maintain association without altering existing file icons?

[Gl3nn]

I use Directory Opus too and I created file type groups and assigned them different colors. Not exactly what you're looking for (icons) but it certainly differentiates between different file extensions by using a different color font.

[rick.ca]

I use Directory Opus too and I created file type groups and assigned them different colors.

That's what I've done, but just assigning one colour to a media type. It's nice to be able to look at a video folder that contains the associated sidecar and image files and have the actual media files stand out.

On reading glynor's comment, I decided to see what would happen if I turned-off file association for all file types in MC. It had the immediate effect of returning all the icons for those file types to what they were before they were assigned the common MC icon. The actual association, however, remains. So there doesn't seem to be anything lost in doing that. I suppose what might happen is if I open any of those files in another application which is inclined to take the file association, it may do so.

The annoying thing that remains is that all of those file types are still called "Media Center files." In most cases, I can still see what they are from their icon and/or file extension, but I do appreciate having a more descriptive Type. Maybe it's a Windows issue. It doesn't seem uncommon for File Types to be named according to the application associated with them, and the same application may be associated with a number of different (I don't even know how to say it...) "extension-types." I've tried and failed to find solutions to the issue using DOpus and other file association utilities, but none offer a way around this.

On the other hand, I've got lots of Types that remain based on a single file "extension-type," although the application is associated with a number of different types. Microsoft Types, for example, are of the (annoyingly wordy) form "Microsoft [Application Name] [extension-type];" others use "[Application Name] ([.EXT])." So that would suggest it is under the control of the application taking the association to make one Type for all it's associations, or to maintain them separately. It seems to me is the keeping them separate that's critical. Even if it uses the same icon for all of them, users would still have the ability to change the icons to something else (and many icon collections, BTW, have nice icons for specific media file types). This can't be done if all the file extension-types have been defined as one Type.

[Beth UK]

I use Directory Opus too and I created file type groups and assigned them different colors. Not exactly what you're looking for (icons) but it certainly differentiates between different file extensions by using a different color font.

Yes - Me too! It is helpful but is second-best to what I would like to be able to do.

On reading glynor's comment, I decided to see what would happen if I turned-off file association for all file types in MC. It had the immediate effect of returning all the icons for those file types to what they were before they were assigned the common MC icon. The actual association, however, remains. So there doesn't seem to be anything lost in doing that. I suppose what might happen is if I open any of those files in another application which is inclined to take the file association, it may do so.

I tried that but, as you say, found the association was then stolen by other applications. Also, I lost association that allowed me to click on a file in DO (Directory Opus) and open it in MC.

[EDIT] I think the reason this has surfaced for me now is the realisation that Windows 7 is very visually configurable (as is Directory Opus, and of course, MC). When I used XP and Vista I was less bothered about having visual flexibility. Now I have started adapting everything to suit my 'method' of file management I can see how different programs actually 'claim' and 'lock down' parts of the system - and in doing so, reduce some of the wider system options. I spend a lot of time in MC, but not ALL my time (otherwise I guess this may not be an issue).

[Gl3nn]

I haven't tried this but what about:

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/12383/change-a-file-types-icon-in-windows-7/

[Amadan]

I meanwhile built my own solution by doing some changes in the registry and "designing" my own icons.

As you can see in the following screenshots .mp3, .flac and .wav have now their own adapted icons and file types while other audio files associated with MC have still the standard icon.
The problem is to design the icons (especially the 16x16 solutions) and to find a font that is readable in that solution. 24x24, 32x32 etc. are no problem. I'm not fully happy with my 16x16 design but it's ok for now.

http://www.sscnet.eu/images/mcicons/screen1.gif
http://www.sscnet.eu/images/mcicons/screen2.gif
http://www.sscnet.eu/images/mcicons/screen3.gif
http://www.sscnet.eu/images/mcicons/screen4.gif

I haven't checked the tool Crescent mentioned in his last post. In case it doesn't work with MC and somebody is interested in my solution i can write a short tutorial (but you should be slightly familiar with editing the registry).

Bye,
Stefan

[Beth UK]

I meanwhile built my own solution by doing some changes in the registry and "designing" my own icons.

I haven't checked the tool Crescent mentioned in his last post. In case it doesn't work with MC and somebody is interested in my solution i can write a short tutorial (but you should be slightly familiar with editing the registry).

Bye,
Stefan

I would be interested in this - I guess that any icons could be used?

[Amadan]

Yes, you can use any icon file. Ok, i'll try to write something tomorrow then...

[rick.ca]

I haven't checked the tool Crescent mentioned in his last post.

Nirsoft's File Type Manager is one of the utilities I tried. It doesn't offer a way around the dilemma I described. Changing the icon of one extension will change the icon for all the extensions included in the file type. And it doesn't allow a new type to be created, so it can't even be used for the awkward solution of removing an extension from an existing type and adding it to a new type (and thereby have its own icon).

So I'll be interested in seeing how you accomplish this by editing the registry. Are changes made this way "safe" from changes made by an application? I assume the changes you make preserve the MC association, but if that is changed in MC (e.g., turned off, then back on again for a file type) or updated by installing a new major version, will the changes be lost?

Let's not lose sight of the fact the best solution may be what was asked for in the first place. It seems the problem could be avoided by MC registering each file (extension) type separately—rather than registering all file types associated with MC as "Media Center files." And perhaps a default icon for each media type could be provided, rather than just one icon for all. The screen shot illustrates what would appear to be a better handling of the situation by a similar application. All of its icons are the same, but any of them could easily be changed to something else without messing-up the association.

[Amadan]

It doesn't offer a way around the dilemma I described. Changing the icon of one extension will change the icon for all the extensions included in the file type

Exactly. Because MC associates all media files with "MediaCenter.16.File"

I assume the changes you make preserve the MC association, but if that is changed in MC (e.g., turned off, then back on again for a file type) or updated by installing a new major version, will the changes be lost?

Yes. But you can restore your adaptions in < 5 Minutes, see tutorial.

Let's not lose sight of the fact the best solution may be what was asked for in the first place. It seems the problem could be avoided by MC registering each file (extension) type separately—rather than registering all file types associated with MC as "Media Center files."

Full Ack!


Ok, but now for the tutorial. You can download it here. I hope the description is detailled enough and that everything will work as expected.

http://www.sscnet.eu/images/mcicons/tutorial.pdf

Bye,
Stefan

[rick.ca]

I hope the description is detailled enough and that everything will work as expected.

Thanks! I haven't actually done it yet, but I believe I understood your instructions perfectly. Well done!

[flac.rules]

I'm afraid the same applies to extensions.
All are labelled J River Media Files so you can't see the file type anymore in Explorer.
Very inconvenient

I am not trying to be a smart-ass, but why don't you show extensions for all file types? I always have that setting on in windows, I never saw a reason for the "hide extensions for know file-types"-setting

[Beth UK]

I am not trying to be a smart-ass, but why don't you show extensions for all file types? I always have that setting on in windows, I never saw a reason for the "hide extensions for know file-types"-setting

  Welcome to the debate! I usually have extensions showing too. For me, I would like to be able to maintain existing system (or custom) icons without MC converting them all to MC Icons. There are times when I am not using 'details' view in explorer or Directory Opus and then I would like to be able to distinguish file types at a glance. As Windows OS has developed through its various versions the ability to change the 'visual' configuration of the file system has evolved too. This is compromised whn a program like MC (and others) lay claim to certain file types and use a single generic icon.

[flac.rules]

Yeah, that i can understand, the "icon-problem" i understand very well, but the fileextensions doesn't seem like a big problem (although i suppose there is a reason for hiding file extension is the default in windows, someone must prefer it)

[rick.ca]

It's not just a matter of displaying file extensions. Sometimes it's helpful to see a meaningful Type descriptor—so it's clear what the file is for and what it's associated with. At the very least, if Type is displayed in a file manager for that purpose, it's annoying to see it filled with meaningless descriptors like "Media Center File" or unnecessary ones like "Microsoft Office Excel Comma Delimited Value File."

[glynor]

Drives me crazy when I want to sort a file listing in Windows Explorer by Type.

[Beth UK]

Yeah, that i can understand, the "icon-problem" i understand very well, but the fileextensions doesn't seem like a big problem (although i suppose there is a reason for hiding file extension is the default in windows, someone must prefer it)

I suppose for the same reason that in MC we have 'theatre view' as an alternative to other forms of file listing - if every album cover came up as an MC file icon it would be less useful. Applying that to explorer it becomes frustrating when the MC file icon replaces a more visually identifiable file type.