Registry file created by Class Wizard for MFC MDI Application not creating entry.

Question

Registry file created by Class Wizard for MFC MDI Application not creating entry.

technoway 241

Shown below are the contents of the registry file created by Visual Studio Wizard. The registry file has the file extension, ".reg". I renamed the application name to MyAppName, and changed the file extension to ".ext"; otherwise it's identical to the original file.

When I click on the registry file on the latest version of Windows 11, and respond by clicking "Yes" on the message box asking me if I want to run as administrator, registry entries are created.

However, while a ".ext" entry is created at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT.ext", I don't see "MyAppName.Document" anywhere under the key. I just see "Default".

Is this correct? If so, where is the file extension connected to the document type?

REGEDIT
; This .REG file may be used by your SETUP program.
; If a SETUP program is not available, the entries below will be
; registered in your InitInstance automatically with a call to
; CWinApp::RegisterShellFileTypes and COleObjectFactory::UpdateRegistryAll.

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT.ext = MyAppName.Document
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MyAppName.Document\shell\open\command = MyAppName.EXE %1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MyAppName.Document\shell\open\ddeexec = [open("%1")]
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MyAppName.Document\shell\open\ddeexec\application = MyAppName
; note: the application is optional
; (it defaults to the app name in "command")

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MyAppName.Document = MyAppName.Document

Accepted answer

0 additional answers

Your answer

Answer 1

RLWA32 49,636

First of all, before you select a file extension (.ext) you should check to make sure that the extension is not already in use and owned by another application.

The .reg file created by MFC is not expected to create any keys under the file extension entry in HKCR.

The .reg file for an MFC MDI application created to use the .tvb extension looks like this -

REGEDIT  
; This .REG file may be used by your SETUP program.  
;   If a SETUP program is not available, the entries below will be  
;   registered in your InitInstance automatically with a call to  
;   CWinApp::RegisterShellFileTypes and COleObjectFactory::UpdateRegistryAll.  
  
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.tvb = MFCApplication10.Document  
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MFCApplication10.Document\shell\open\command = MFCApplication10.EXE %1  
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MFCApplication10.Document\shell\open\ddeexec = [open("%1")]  
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MFCApplication10.Document\shell\open\ddeexec\application = MFCApplication10  
    ; note: the application is optional  
    ;  (it defaults to the app name in "command")  
  
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MFCApplication10.Document = MFCApplication10.Document

The registry entries created look like these -

and

Notice that the default value for the .tvb extension identifies the related progid for the document type.

technoway 241 Reputation points

2022-09-15T19:53:04.613+00:00

RLWA32-6355 - wanted to see what the registry entries were supposed to look like, and you showed that, so I'm probably all set.

Part of your response confused you. You wrote:

"The .reg file created by MFC is not expected to create any keys under the file extension entry in HKCR."

Then, you showed a regstiry file with:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT.tvb = MFCApplication10.Document

Perhaps you don't call that a "key"?

In any event, seeing what's created is what I needed. Thank you for the help.
technoway 241 Reputation points

2022-09-15T20:17:58.1+00:00

Update:

I messed up.

When I brought up the registry editor, it showed "Default" at the ".ext" extension entry, however, to the right of that was blank. (Again, ".ext" is not the extension I'm using - it's changed for this report).

I didn't know what was supposed to be there, so I didn't know that the "Default" field was the one that was supposed to be set.

When I tried to set it manually, it showed it was set to what the registry file stated - I hadn't noticed that the columns for the "Type" and "Data" were way too the right, and outside of the application window, so they couldn't be seen, and thus created the impression the field was blank. Doh! I should have noticed the columns weren't there.

I've used regedit many times in the past, but I haven't used it in a really long time.

Sorry for the noise. Thank for the help.
RLWA32 49,636 Reputation points

2022-09-15T21:16:31.79+00:00

However, while a ".ext" entry is created at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT.ext", I don't see "MyAppName.Document" anywhere under the key.

My comment was in response to the above statement. And as you can see from the posted image there is nothing (i.e., subkey) created under the key for the file extenson.

Share via

Registry file created by Class Wizard for MFC MDI Application not creating entry.

0 additional answers

Your answer