Awful design of 'Open with...'

[terrypin]

With a file selected in Explorer I right click to show the context menu. Then I click 'Open with' to display the menu of choices.
But why does this not include the default, associated program (GPS Utility in this case)?

I did not d-click the file to launch it with that associated program, as I wanted to see all the options. So, unless I now remember that my preference for GPX files is the program GPS Utility, (in which case I could cancel out of here and d-click the file), I must proceed with 'Choose another app' to discover that key option.

4. Doing so displays this poorly designed dialog. Even now, the most important app, GPS Utility is still not even identified fully.

5. In an attempt to get 'GPS Utility' added to the list, I then used 'more apps' (hidden before scrolling), but it wasn't in that list. I had to use 'Look for another app on this PC'. But having then navigated and chosen 'gpsu525.exe', that still does not get added to the list - presumably because it's at the top of the dialog.

What a mess! Why on earth doesn't the 'Open with...' dialog simply display a list of all the options, in standard fashion? As it did 15 years ago in XP.

Anyone know if there is any setting, third party tool or hack that will get me back that facility please?

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

 

[Old Guy Geek]

You don't have to proceed or 'opt-out'. Simply click anywhere outside of the dialogue box and it will disappear. Windows 10 no longer makes you click on a Cancel button.

If you want your 'gps...' file to open this file type, just go to Settings and Default Apps. There are links on the page to associate the program by file type or protocol. Just assign 'gps' as your default. Then it should always be there for you.

As for the Open With having more options, I imagine on some file types, like txt files, the list could get quite long and not appear without having to scroll down to it. It makes perfect sense that they would limit the list to the top 5 or so programs that have been used to open that type of file. By going to a program and opening that file type, it should eventually appear on the list and get bumped to the top the more it is used.

 

[terrypin]

Thanks, but I think you've misunderstood my main point. I said
"I must proceed with 'Choose another app' to discover that key option."

With a GPX file in front of me in Explorer I was trying to decide which app to open it with. I right-clicked Open With to get prompted. The initial context menu failed to include one of the apps, GPS Utility. The most 'important' one in a sense, as it's the associated program for that extension. IMO an intelligent design would include it. As in XP.

Of course, in most cases, you would remember the associated program on seeing the extension. But you might still want to consider other options. (I had as many as 10 options at one time for MP4 and 8 for JPG.)

And maybe I've missed something but there seems no way in this dialog to correct this. IOW to get that previously associated program treated like all others. As you see, I have not checked the option Always use this app to open .gpx files, yet if I proceed through the remaining steps and choose that program, it doesn't get added to the Open With context menu list.

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

 

[terrypin]

Sorted!

A poster in the SuperUser forum came up with a registry hack solution. For anyone else with a similar requirement here's my summary:

The issue arises because the executable doesn't have a name or description. This prevents it from being listed in the Open with sub menu. To fix it, I opened Regedit and found this key:
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\gpsu525.exe]

I then added two new strings with the following values
'ApplicationCompany' with the value 'A S Murphy'
'FriendlyAppName' with the value 'GPS Utility'

On right clicking a GPX file I now see the full list:

BTW, I was surprised that the above Applications folder contains a very long list of programs, all apparently without a 'friendly' name.

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

 

[Old Guy Geek]

The only reason it now appears in the list is because you did the job of the programmer. Once given the proper metadata, the OS handled it as it does with thousands of other programs. It put it in the list in alphabetical order. The 'Intelligent Design' shortcoming you speak of is not a failure of Microsoft's, but of the programmer. In each executable it is the programmer's job to include the proper metadata so that the OS can handle it correctly for all requirements. The program's Friendly Name is a basic entry that should have been included.

I'm not surprised that all the programs in the same folder don't have the Friendly Name field populated. But unless they are separate programs with separate functions, they don't need a Friendly Name. If those executables are only called from the main program, they're fine as is. On the other hand, if they are separate utilities that are launched by the user, the do need it.

Visiting his web site, I see that he just released a new version last month. If you haven't already upgraded to it, maybe it has the proper Friendly Name filled in. In any case, whenever you install the next release there is a good possibility that your modification in the registry might be obliterated depending on how he executes his installs. It would be a good idea if you submitted a bug report to him, telling him of your problem and solution. After all, every one of his users has to make the entry themselves in order to achieve the desired functionality.

 

[terrypin]

I agree, but I'm curious to know why that FriendlyAppName entry (which seems important to me) is apparently ignored by the majority of program developers!

Not sure I've understood your second para. Here, all 108 entries are separate programs, mainly EXEs but afew DLLs. Here's another screenshot to remove any remaining ambiguity:

Thanks for the heads up about GPSU 5.28 which I've now installed (after that screenshot) and duly added its missing FriendlyAppName registry entry.

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

 

[Old Guy Geek]

Actually, it's not ignored by a majority of developers. Maybe some small shops, but even those should follow the standards.

Although programs call DLLs to execute functions, they can also launch separate EXEs Those EXEs don't require a Friendly Name since they are called by the parent app.

As far a the registry entries, having an entry for 'Friendly Name' is not the only way the system gets the name. It can be imbedded in the .exe itself.

Also the new version of your GPS app may not have added the FriendAppName entry. It may have just not deleted your addition. The only way to tell would be to delete the app, check the registry and delete your addition if it still exists. Then reinstall. Of course, you may lose any personal data associated to the app. If it doesn't appear in the registry, it may still appear in your context menus because the name is in the .exe. If you right-click on a file and the name appears, he fixed it. If not, time to send him an email.