File association

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

File associations are what the Microsoft Windows operating system uses to open a file with the correct program. For example, a .doc file will open with Microsoft Word, and a .bmp will open by default with Microsoft Paint. These associations are retained in the registry. In Windows XP, file associations can be set by right clicking on a file and selecting the 'Open With' option.

File associations can be uniquely assigned to specific actions (verbs), for example:

• open
• opennew
• edit
• play
• print
• preview

[edit] See also

• File format
• Filename extension
• Association (object-oriented programming)

[edit] External links

• File Associations
• Technology Glossary and Terms
• FileInfo.net - The File Extensions Resource
• Tips & Tricks
• Verbs and File Associations
• Description from KDE
• Shared MIME info specification
• The Programmer's File Format Collection