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Author Topic: File Type in Windows Explorer "Media Center File"  (Read 8694 times)

jaynyc

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File Type in Windows Explorer "Media Center File"
« on: November 02, 2011, 09:28:07 pm »

I of course know how to change the default application which opens a file type.  For example, in the File Type column of Windows Explorer, it can say FooType, since I associated it with the application Foo to open it.  However, here is the challenge:   what if I want the File Type displayed to be different than the name of the application which is set to default open it?

Specifically:  We use JRiver Media Center.   If I want JRiver to open both MP3 and FLAC as default, it displays file type as Media Center File.  However, in Windows Explorer, I can't tell the difference between FLAC and MP3 without looking at the long file name, and I of course cannot sort by FLAC or MP3 because they are both listed as Media Center File.   I do not see a column heading for simply Extension.

Suggestions?  How can I have JRiver as the default application to open both FLAC and MP3 yet also be able to sort by those file types in Windows Explorer?
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MrHaugen

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Re: File Type in Windows Explorer "Media Center File"
« Reply #1 on: November 03, 2011, 07:09:37 am »

Good question. I tried several of the MANY choices of tab sorting in Explorer, but could find nothing to sort the different extensions. Perhaps bitrate could help? This is much higher on flack right?
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jaynyc

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Re: File Type in Windows Explorer "Media Center File"
« Reply #2 on: November 03, 2011, 08:10:42 am »

ah yes, very true.  i did just find a workaround though, using a different system explorer
http://zabkat.com/x2down.htm

this worked perfectly.... i guess sometimes easier to go for a different solution than fight Windows
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AoXoMoXoA

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Re: File Type in Windows Explorer "Media Center File"
« Reply #3 on: November 03, 2011, 08:30:33 am »

I have encountered this same problem and have found no way around it comfortably, except NOT to associate MC with any of my media files. Unfortunately this impedes my ability to use MC as I'd like, but I do feel a need to discern file types within Windows Explorer.

I once had a perfect solution, a program that would customize all your audio icons so you could set a different style and/or color for each type (even when associated with MC) but unfortunately I have lost that program and cannot find it on the web.

My current "solution" is to associate all my audio files with Foobar since it's icons do reveal file type rather nicely, although I rarely ever actually use the program as a player/tagger/etc.

JRiver, Please change your media icons to differentiate/indicate media types and file types. PLEASE!
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jaynyc

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Re: File Type in Windows Explorer "Media Center File"
« Reply #4 on: November 03, 2011, 08:32:50 am »

JRiver, Please change your media icons to differentiate/indicate media types and file types. PLEASE!

what's the best way to log this as a future feature request?
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Matt

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Re: File Type in Windows Explorer "Media Center File"
« Reply #5 on: November 03, 2011, 09:07:06 am »

I agree this is a good idea.

I think we need to make a bunch of extra types, so instead of just this in the registry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\MediaCenter.16.File

We need:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\MediaCenter.16.File.MP3
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\MediaCenter.16.File.APE
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\MediaCenter.16.File.JPG
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\MediaCenter.16.File.M4A
etc.

It seems like there should be a cleaner way but I can't find it.  Does anybody know any tricks for this?
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Matt Ashland, JRiver Media Center

Gl3nn

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Re: File Type in Windows Explorer "Media Center File"
« Reply #6 on: November 03, 2011, 09:29:32 am »

.... i guess sometimes easier to go for a different solution than fight Windows

I've been using Directory Opus for several years now and it's wonderful.  An expensive solution but I've never regretted it.
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glynor

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Re: File Type in Windows Explorer "Media Center File"
« Reply #7 on: November 03, 2011, 06:01:29 pm »

By the way... This drives me bonkers too.  I don't associate MC with anything in Windows because of this, even though it would often be more convenient to have the association.

A fix, even if it requires a ton of extension-specific reg entries, would be awesome.

I just checked, and the extension-specific reg entries is how VLC does it.
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RobertH

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Re: File Type in Windows Explorer "Media Center File"
« Reply #8 on: February 28, 2013, 05:06:23 pm »

This is SO ANNOYING! I can not believe it has not been addressed already.  :'(
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JimH

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Re: File Type in Windows Explorer "Media Center File"
« Reply #9 on: February 28, 2013, 05:15:49 pm »

Turn off file associations in MC.  It's under File Types.
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