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The installer for version 5.0 wrote two entries into the registry which caused problems with Explorer's Open With command and file associations. These entries were under the following keys, if you installed for all users:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Applications\TextPad.exe\shell\open\ddeexec
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Applications\TextPad.exe\shell\edit\ddeexec

or these keys, if you installed for a single user:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Classes\Applications\TextPad.exe\shell\open\ddeexec
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Classes\Applications\TextPad.exe\shell\edit\ddeexec

When version 5.0.2 is installed over 5.0, it first uninstalls 5.0, which should result in those entries being deleted. If you are still having the same problems, please do the following:

• Either on XP, click Start and choose Run, type regedit and click OK.
  Or on Vista, click Start and choose Computer, right click regedit.exe in your Windows folder and choose "Run as Administrator".
  Browse for the above paths.
  If either of the ddeexec keys exist, right click them and choose the Delete command.
  Try the Open With command and file associations.

If the ddeexec keys did not exist, or deleting them did not help, please let us know here. If the keys did exist, please describe how you updated to 5.0.2.

Thanks,
Forum Administrator

OK, I found the fix. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction. I went to look for HKLM\...\ddeexec and HKCU\...\ddeexec but I didnt find them. However, I DID find an entry under:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Classes\Applications\TextPad.exe\shell\open\command

And it was still pointing to Texpad 4.0! So I deleted the entry, and now IT WORKS.

I think this is what may have happened..
1. I had installed Textpad 4.0 for Single User.
2. Then I tried to install Texpad 5.0 for All Users.

So that is why explorer couldn't open with Textpad 5.

Hope this helps.

I upgraded from 4.7 to 5.02 and reused the textpad 4 directory.
I had the same problem and found ddexec entries in hk_local_machine and hk_current_user

I don't understand why there had to be a change of default directory.

I have one issue with the install that I hope someone can help with. But first, the registry entries: mine were different than what is listed in this discussion. The path is (single users):

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Classes\Applications\TextPad.exe\shell\open\command

And

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Classes\Applications\TextPad.lnk\shell\open\command

Under both command directory: there is a type REG_SZ with Data of “C:\program files\textpad 5\textpad.exe� “%1�. The TextPad 5 was 4 – had to edited to correct.

With version 4 I could highlight a txt file, or group txt files, right click on the file and in the same dialog box listed under Open With (NOT in the Open With drop down) was TextPad. Selecting this would open all highlighted files in the same incident of Text Pad. Could select Text Pad in the Open With drop down and each file would open in a separate incident of TextPad.

With version 5 (after I corrected the registry) the TextPad entry in the same dialog box as Open With is gone. How do I get this one back (again, this is not the TextPad entry in the Open With drop down - it is still there): would like to have it so that opening a group of files will be in the same Incident of TextPad?

Right clicking on the files and selecting Open also opens each file in it’s own incident.

The only way I see to open a group of files in the same incident is to open TextPad and navigate to the files.

Perhaps the developers could put together a simple .reg file that fixes all of these problems? Hacking the registry is not a great way to go, but supplying a ZIP file with a .reg file, and clear & simple instructions, would keep a lot of people reasonably happy until all the fixes are done and a new install package is made.
For instance, the GUID for fixing the context menu shell extension was given to me just a while ago, and I can probably fix that problem now.
Also, there are a heap of registry references to Textpad4 that should be wiped out.

WESTERN WOMBAT wrote:Perhaps the developers could put together a simple .reg file that fixes all of these problems?

Is it possible to create entries in a .REG file that will delete existing items from the registry? If so, what's the syntax?