Add TextPad to the right-click menu in Explorer

[OnlyTextPad]

It was default on 4.7 , but it seems to have disappeared (at least during my installations ; ) or my be I used HiJackThis too fast

Here is the registry hack working for me ...
So simply save it on a *.reg type of file and double-click it to load it into the registry

Code: Select all

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\TextPad]
@="&TextPad"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\TextPad\command]
@="cmd /c start /max textpad.exe  \"%L\""
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell\TextPad]
@="&TextPad"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell\TextPad\command]
@="cmd /c start /max textpad.exe  \"%L\""
;So a non-privileged user can apply it, replace 'HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT' with 'HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes'

One small slightly annoying thing - the flash of the cmd.exe starting Any ideas how to make it not appear

[gan]

I think it would be easier using textpad and select "Configure-Preferences" from the menu and check the "Context menu". Then it will be on the context menu in explorer, but it's not started from a dos windows and no cmd.exe flashing.

[OnlyTextPad]

I wander why the check is removed by default on the installer ... anyway moderator please remove this post

[jasonb]

If you have Vista, it doesn't seem to work - even if you configure it. See this discussion for the correct registry information that won't call it via a DOS window.

[WESTERN WOMBAT]

That's a kludge, if ever I saw one.

I mean this

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\TextPad]
@="&TextPad"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\TextPad\command]
@="cmd /c start /max textpad.exe \"%L\""
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell\TextPad]
@="&TextPad"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell\TextPad\command]
@="cmd /c start /max textpad.exe \"%L\""
;So a non-privileged user can apply it, replace 'HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT' with 'HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes'

[oneto]

I use since version 3 something like:

Code: Select all

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\Shell\OpenWithTextPadHex]
@="Open with TextPad (Hex)"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\Shell\OpenWithTextPadHex\command]
@="C:\\PROGRA~1\\TEXTPA~1\\TEXTPAD.EXE -s \"%1(0x0001)\""
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\Shell\OpenWithTextPadText]
@="Open with TextPad (Text)"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\Shell\OpenWithTextPadText\command]
@="C:\\PROGRA~1\\TEXTPA~1\\TEXTPAD.EXE -s \"%1(1,1)\""

which give the choice to force an open of ANY file in either Text or Binary mode. Very convenient to have a quick look at weird files !

[WESTERN WOMBAT]

This may work for you, but the short pathnames and filenames may not be valid for some people - I suspect.

For example, depending on how many versions of TextPad they had installed, and the order in which they insatlled them -

TEXTPA~1

may represent \TextPad 3\ or \TextPad 5\ or \TextPad 4\

[It did not work for me. What happened was that the Windows file association (Open With..) form was shown, with Textpad as the preferred selection.
This occurred even for .txt extension ]

I think it would be best if Helios people provided a simple .REG file, or a new version that fixed some of these poroblems and cleaned up the bad registry settings
(eg, \TextPad 4\ remnants when 5 is installed).

[oneto]

This may work for you, but the short pathnames and filenames may not be valid for some people - I suspect.
[...]

I entirely agree, that's why I said "something like", meaning "adapt paths/filenames to your configuration"...
I used short paths since under Win95, when I first did used this, paths with blanks were rather tricky to use. Sorry if I wasn't clear enough

[lgpiper]

I think it would be easier using textpad and select "Configure-Preferences" from the menu and check the "Context menu". Then it will be on the context menu in explorer, but it's not started from a dos windows and no cmd.exe flashing.

Thank you for finding this. Why ever would someone change basic functionality that we've all been using as default for five years?