faux file extention

I'm using ShellExecute API to run an outside application(Acrobat Reader). Is there a way to put a faux file extention on my (.pdf) files to have my outside application (Acrobat Reader) to execute.

I have several reasons to do this, one of which is that if someone has Acrobat Exchange loaded, the (.pdf) files will open in that app. -You get the picture- I want to change my (.pdf)s to another extention name and have them be mapped to my outside app (Reader).

Any suggestions??

You mean like changing the file extension?
Or making your own extension and if a person dubble-clicks that your app fires up with the clicked file?

Yea, I would like to have my (.pdf) files saved as, say, (.jop) files. While you go through the VB program, the (.jop) files are opened by Adobe Acrobat Reader.

-jp

So your program is a sort of filter for files?
Like opening the file, do things you want, then redirect it to Acrobat Reader?

Here's how to make a file association with Icon:

Code:

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'[begin of code]
'Author: Unknown
'Origin: About.com
'Purpose: Create a file association
'Version: VB5+
'// You may use this code all you want on the condition you keep this simple comment
'// Anyone who improves the code please let me know.
'// Date    : 21/1/2000
'// Author  : Damien McGivern
'// E-Mail  : [email protected]
'// Web Site : http://www.dingo-delights.co.uk
'// Purpose  : To create file associations with default icons

'// Improved 23/1/200 - New parameters 'Switch', 'PromptOnError', better error handling

'// Parameters
'// Required    Extension      (Str) ie ".exe"
'// Required    FileType        (Str) ie "VB.Form"
'// Required    FileTYpeName    (Str) ie. "Visual Basic Form"
'// Required    Action          (Str) ie. "Open" or "Edit"
'// Required    AppPath        (Str) ie. "C:\Myapp"
'// Optional    Switch          (Str) ie. "/u"                  Default = ""
'// Optional    SetIcon        (Bol)                          Default = False
'// Optional    DefaultIcon    (Str) ie. "C:\Myapp,0"
'// Optional    PromptOnError  (Bol)                          Default = False

'// HOW IT WORKS
'// Extension(Str)  Default = FileType(Str)

'// FileType(Str)    Default = FileTypeName(Str)
'// "DefaultIcon"    Default = DefaultIcon(Str)
'// "shell"
'// Action(Str)
'// "command"  Default = AppPath(Str) & switch(Str) & " %1"

Option Explicit

Private Const REG_SZ As Long = 1

Private Const HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT = &H80000000
Private Const ERROR_SUCCESS = 0
Private Const KEY_ALL_ACCESS = &H3F
Private Const REG_OPTION_NON_VOLATILE = 0
Private PromptOnErr As Boolean

Private Declare Function RegCloseKey Lib "advapi32.dll" _
                                    (ByVal hKey As Long) As Long

Private Declare Function RegCreateKeyEx Lib "advapi32.dll" _
                                    Alias "RegCreateKeyExA" _
                                    (ByVal hKey As Long, _
                                    ByVal lpSubKey As String, _
                                    ByVal Reserved As Long, _
                                    ByVal lpClass As String, _
                                    ByVal dwOptions As Long, _
                                    ByVal samDesired As Long, _
                                    ByVal lpSecurityAttributes As Long, _
                                    phkResult As Long, _
                                    lpdwDisposition As Long) As Long

Private Declare Function RegOpenKeyEx Lib "advapi32.dll" _
                                    Alias "RegOpenKeyExA" _
                                    (ByVal hKey As Long, _
                                    ByVal lpSubKey As String, _
                                    ByVal ulOptions As Long, _
                                    ByVal samDesired As Long, _
                                    phkResult As Long) As Long

Private Declare Function RegSetValueExString Lib "advapi32.dll" _
                                    Alias "RegSetValueExA" _
                                    (ByVal hKey As Long, _
                                    ByVal lpValueName As String, _
                                    ByVal Reserved As Long, _
                                    ByVal dwType As Long, _
                                    ByVal lpValue As String, _
                                    ByVal cbData As Long) As Long


Public Function CreateFileAss(Extension As String, _
                              FileType As String, _
                              FileTypeName As String, _
                              Action As String, _
                              AppPath As String, _
                              Optional Switch As String = "", _
                              Optional SetIcon As Boolean = False, _
                              Optional DefaultIcon As String, _
                              Optional PromptOnError As Boolean = False) _
                              As Boolean

    On Error GoTo ErrorHandler:

    PromptOnErr = PromptOnError

    '// Check that AppPath exists.
    If Dir(AppPath, vbNormal) = "" Then
        If PromptOnError Then MsgBox "The application path '" & _
            AppPath & "' cannot be found.", _
            vbCritical + vbOKOnly, "DLL/OCX Register"

        CreateFileAss = False
        Exit Function
    End If

    Dim ERROR_CHARS As String: ERROR_CHARS = "\/:*?<>|" & Chr(34)
    Dim i As Integer

    If Asc(Extension) <> 46 Then Extension = "." & Extension   
    '// Check extension has "." at front

    '// Check for invalid chars within extension
    For i = 1 To Len(Extension)
        If InStr(1, ERROR_CHARS, Mid(Extension, i, 1), vbTextCompare) Then
            If PromptOnError Then MsgBox "The file extension '" _
                  & Extension & "' contains an illegal char (\/:*?<>|" _
                  & Chr(34) & ").", vbCritical + vbOKOnly, "DLL/OCX Register"

            CreateFileAss = False
            Exit Function
        End If
    Next

    If Switch <> "" Then Switch = " " & Trim(Switch
  Action = FileType & "\shell\" & Action & "\command"

    Call CreateSubKey(HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, Extension)        '// Create .xxx key
    Call CreateSubKey(HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, Action)          '// Create action key

    If SetIcon Then
        Call CreateSubKey(HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, (FileType _
            & "\DefaultIcon"))    '// Create default icon key

        If DefaultIcon = "" Then
            '// This line of code sets the application's own icon as the _
            default file icon

            Call SetKeyDefault(HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, _
              FileType & "\DefaultIcon", Trim(AppPath & ",0"))

        Else
            Call SetKeyDefault(HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, FileType _
                & "\DefaultIcon", Trim(DefaultIcon))

        End If
    End I
  Call SetKeyDefault(HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, Extension, _
                FileType)                  '// Set .xxx key default

    Call SetKeyDefault(HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, FileType, _
                FileTypeName)              '// Set file type default

    Call SetKeyDefault(HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, Action, _
                AppPath & Switch & " %1")    '// Set Command line

    CreateFileAss = True
    Exit Function

ErrorHandler:

    If PromptOnError Then MsgBox "An error occured while _
          attempting to create the file extension '" _
          & Extension & "'.", vbCritical + vbOKOnly, "DLL/OCX Register"

    CreateFileAss = False

End Function

Private Function CreateSubKey(RootKey As Long, NewKey As String) As Boolean
    '// This function creates a new sub key
    Dim hKey As Long, regReply As Long
    regReply = RegCreateKeyEx(RootKey, NewKey, _
        0&, "", REG_OPTION_NON_VOLATILE, KEY_ALL_ACCESS, 0&, hKey, 0&)

    If regReply <> ERROR_SUCCESS Then
        If PromptOnErr Then MsgBox "An error occured _
        while attempting to to create a registery key.", vbCritical + _
        vbOKOnly, "DLL/OCX Register"

        CreateSubKey = False
    Else
        CreateSubKey = True
    End If

    Call RegCloseKey(hKey)
End Function


Private Function SetKeyDefault(RootKey As Long, Address As String, Value As String) As Boolean
    '// This function sets the default vaule of the key which is always a string
    Dim regReply As Long, hKey As Long
    regReply = RegOpenKeyEx(RootKey, Address, 0, KEY_ALL_ACCESS, hKey)

    If regReply <> ERROR_SUCCESS Then
        If PromptOnErr Then MsgBox "An error occured while attempting _
          to access the registery.", vbCritical + vbOKOnly, "DLL/OCX Register"
        SetKeyDefault = False
        Exit Function
    End If

    Value = Value & Chr(0)

    regReply = RegSetValueExString(hKey, "", 0&, REG_SZ, Value, Len(Value))

    If regReply <> ERROR_SUCCESS Then
        If PromptOnErr Then MsgBox "An error occured while _
          attempting to set key default value.", vbCritical + _
          vbOKOnly, "DLL/OCX Register"

        SetKeyDefault = False
    Else
        SetKeyDefault = True
    End If

    Call RegCloseKey(hKey)
End Function


'[end of code]

---

for getting the file in your prog:

Code:

---

Private Sub Form_Load()
msgBox Command()
End Sub

---

Thanks Jop, I'll try it!

I'm still not getting this to work, and getting frustrated. Perhaps it's because I'm such a novice that I'm doing something stupid. Can anyone take me through this step-by-step??

jp