File Associations

Settings Notebook - Page 3_1

User defined file associations that are linked to executable programs may be set in the setup notebook. In the notebook, select the Paths page. There are three path pages. The first one is used to set the paths to the editor, viewer, zip, unzip and file compare executable programs that the use of these functions require. By default, the editor is set to the Enhanced PM editor (EPM.EXE), the viewer is set to faster but more limited PM editor (E.EXE), and the file compare utility is set to COMP.COM. These programs are installed as part of the base OS/2 installation. The InfoZIP zip and unzip executables are provided with the program. Optionally, there are entries to set the paths to an external directory compare program and an external print utility program that a user may prefer to use although there is significant builtin capability for these functions.

The two additional pages of the Paths section are labeled User Defined Associations. There are nine push buttons on each page used to establish an executable program link to files with the defined extensions. The dialog process to set these links is simple yet effective. Use the dialog to link an executable program to files of certain extensions. Once this link is defined, double clicking on a file with a defined extension will cause the linked executable program to run with the clicked on file passed as its argument. Run time switches may also be defined. By defining a different program than that associated with a file extension in the WPS associations, it is possible to easily run two different programs for files with the same extension. A double click will start the FS/2 program and an Alt double click will start the associated WPS program.

Use the Setup->File Associations menu item to control the actions associated with double-clicking files as follows:

File Associations Menu Options

• Default To WPS Associations - When enabled, the associated WPS action will be invoked in priority over any user defined FS/2 association.

• Use Both FS+WPS Associations - When enabled, any user defined FS/2 association is used in priority over any defined WPS association. When both this option and the Default to WPS Associations are disabled, only the FS/2 associations are used.

• Use FlexEdit as System Editor - When enabled, FlexEdit will be used in lieu of the system editor for files associated with the system editor.

• Use FlexEdit as Enhanced Editor - When enabled, FlexEdit will be used in lieu of the enhanced editor for files associated with the enhanced editor.

Note: With all options disabled, only the FS/2 associations will be used. All browsing will be with FlexEdit.