Vista - File action options in Context menu

I've read a number of posts about this question and have yet to see a clear answer, or even a "you can't do that any longer":

How can I assign different actions to a file type so that all of the actions are available in the context menu. For example, for an *.html file, I want to use IE to "OPEN" the file, but want to use HTML-Kit to "EDIT" the file. Creating these file type - program associations was easy in Windows XP.

This seems to be what you are after:
http://www.creativelement.com/powertools/
"File Type Doctor - Right-click any file and select Edit File Type to modify
the applications used to open files of that type. Use File Type Doctor to
choose default programs, add or remove file types from Explorer's New menu,
and customize files' context menus"

If you use it and it works OK, you might want to report back.
--
Jeff Richards
MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)
"dleddy" <guest@xxxxxx-email.com> wrote in message
news:61b5dd7621630b914d7b5268b159222f@xxxxxx-gateway.com...

Jeff, thanks for your input. I've looked at the program you reference, and in addition to costing money (XP had the function as a basic part of its Folder Options menu), it is my impression that it only allows you to change the ONE application used to OPEN the file. What I am looking for is a means of associating an application to a file type to OPEN the file, and associating another application to the same file type to EDIT the file. This facility has great use in files such as html which need different programs to run and edit (all script files for example, and command files).

Hi,

You might like to take a look at this freebie and see if it does what you're after

FileMenu Tools

Hope it helps

SIW2

It definitely does what you require (see the File Type Doctor applet) and
you have a 45-day trial period in which you would be able to make all the
changes you need. It even lets you re-establish the user-choice option,
which can be handy.
--
Jeff Richards
MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)
"dleddy" <guest@xxxxxx-email.com> wrote in message
news:aa2c57caaa7d81d4632e88a444f4427c@xxxxxx-gateway.com...

Jeff,

OK, I'll give it a try. If it works, it seems that an $18 price tag would be well worth the price.

Just a quick note to report what I found with Creative Element tools. It 'almost' does the trick, but comes up a bit short. File types are grouped in Vista (html, htm, xhtm, shtml, etc all share the same grouping), and the utility lets you assign programs to the individual actions shared by each file type. Even though it will let you specify a program to be associated with EDIT for html, et al. there is no EDIT action associated with these file types, hence the context menu doesn't change. The only alternative I can see is to use the "Open With" or "Send to" menu items. The utility did allow custominzing the "Open" (i.e., Run) action and the Edit action for some script type file types (e.g., .rexx, .pl, etc). HTML seems to be in a class by itself, not having a direct Edit action in the context menu.

I've downloaded the 'freebie' but haven't tried it yet.