"Open with" tool for iconless, non-executable files in workbench 3.1?

[Yulquen74]

instead of having the "Execute a file" command box pop up when doubleclicking an iconless file in workbench 3.1, is there a tool that (other than dopus5 in workbench replacement mode) changes this behaviour to pop a file requester or perhaps a list of fixed programs to open the file with (unless the file is executable)?

[PeterK]

There is a DefIcons tool for WB 3.1 in the NewIcons 4.6 package. You need to install the deficons.prefs in ENVARC: and a bunch of def_xxx.info files in ENVARC:Sys. Put the DefIcons tool into your WBStartup drawer. Edit the def_xxx.info icons, set the type to "project" with SwazInfo and choose your desired program for the default tool.

http://aminet.net/package/util/wb/NewIcons46
http://aminet.net/package/util/wb/SwazInfo18b

... or try my IconDemoADF floppy image to see how to use DefIcons:
http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=64079

[Yulquen74]

Thanks, will try it out!

[pixie]

I tried altering a def_icon into def_adf.info and yet when I add a volume with adfs it present it as project type icons. I guess it has something to do with deficon.prefs, do you know if there a way to change it from wb 3.1?

(The first icon is a real icon, only the white ones are deficon icons)

[Sani11]

Yes, the behavior you're seeing is likely due to the settings in deficon.prefs. As PeterK mentioned, you can use the SwazInfo tool to alter the icon type from "project" to the appropriate type for your use case.

If you've already done this and it's still not working, you might want to double-check that the def_adf.info file is in the correct directory (ENVARC:Sys) and that the DefIcons tool is in your WBStartup drawer.

Also, if you're making changes to deficon.prefs, remember to save your changes and restart Workbench for the new settings to take effect.

[thomas]

SwazInfo is of no help for deficons.prefs.

There is no program for 3.1 which can change this file. NewIcons documentation contains info about how to build this file from assembler macros, but you still need some coding skill to do it.

The file format has not changed, though. So if you have OS 3.9 available, you can use its DefIcons prefs program to edit the file and then copy it over to OS 3.1.

The deficons.prefs file defines how a file type is recognised and which def_xxx.info is used for this type of files. Copying a def_xxx.info file to env:sys is of no use if there isn't a correponding file type defined in deficons.prefs.

[pixie]

Indeed, to get it working I had to change the deficon.prefs file.