File Types and Preview

In Vista, Windows Photo Gallery is associated with the Preview verb for many file types, and Preview is set to be the default action. In the DOpus File Types window, the Preview action doesn't appear at all. Even if Open is set to default in the DOpus File Types window, and Open is associated with the preferred default application, Preview remains the default action whether a file is double-clicked in DOpus or Windows Explorer. Worse still, Preview appears in the context menu in DOpus, but Open does not, even if the option to include Windows context menu items is not selected.

Is there any way to modify the Preview action with DOpus (or Vista for that matter!), or at least to have DOpus show only the file type actions defined and visible within the File Types window?

Does this help? [HOW TO: Use the Opus image viewer inside or outside of Opus)

Thank you for the reply and link, nudel, but I'm afraid that doesn't help in this case. I don't want to use DOpus preview for files opened from outside DOpus: I just want the Open verb I have configured to trigger by default, whether inside or outside DOpus, rather than Preview. (I don't much mind what application is assigned to the Preview verb for image types, as long as Open triggers when I double-click).

Is it the case for all DOpus users that the Preview verb isn't displayed in DOpus's file type window? Is there any way to make it appear, or at least to be able to set Open to be the primary verb system-wide?

I can't see how to change this in the Vista UI either. I've also searched the registry and can't see where the Preview verb is defined for image file formats at all, so I can't change the primary verb even in the registry! I'd be very grateful for any tips.

If you turn off the Double-click on Files: Use internal picture viewer... mentioned at the start of the FAQ, and then use the Open With menu (mention mentioned lower down) to assign the default program, does that not work? (Pick the program of your choice rather than d8viewer.exe, of course.)

As I understand it, the settings made via the Open With override the default verb.

Thank, but no, that does not seem to work. (I was also under the impression that it should, or perhaps did under XP.) I already have DOpus's double-click to use internal picture viewer options switched off, incidentally. (I prefer to use a different keyboard shortcut for previewing).

If I use Open With and select my preferred application from the list, everything works as expected. However, when I select 'Open With --> Choose Default Program' and choose my preferred default, it runs 'Preview' rather than 'Open' anyway. Despite this it seems that the Open verb has been correctly assigned to the chosen application (when viewed in the DOpus File Type window or under Windows). The problem is just that the Preview verb continues to take precedence, and I can find no way to access its assignment or stop it from being default. The Open action does not even appear on the context menu (with or without including Windows items).

The situation is really confusing: I can run only Preview (not Open), but I can view/assign only Open (not Preview). Perhaps this is primarily a Vista problem? Still, as a Preview verb is clearly defined somewhere, should this not be visible in the DOpus file type window? Can you see Preview entries for any file types in DOpus?

I've finally got this working as I wanted, although I can't be certain how the issue arose. My suspicion is that the problem came with importing a DOpus configuration from my old computer.

If anyone else experiences a similar problem after importing a saved configuration, the 'trick' is to use 'Change...' in DOpus's File Type window. (Assigning the correct application to 'Open' and making it default under 'Edit' was insufficient). If it already appears to be configured as you want, with your preferred application as default, right-click and select 'Clear Default', and then choose 'Set Default' again. Otherwise, you will first need to add the preferred application to the Open With list.

For some reason it was impossible to achieve this with Vista's UI: frustratingly I could make my files open by default in any application except the one I wanted; selecting this application as default always restored Preview as the default verb.

Glad you fixed it.

Not much help now, but in case it's of interest, I think the Preview verb on Vista comes from a fairly hidden place in the registry that is applied to many picture file types. I remember looking at this as part of another recent thread but haven't have a chance to dig it up. The solution you found is much easier than editing obscure parts of the registry anyway, so it's an improvement on what I probably would have suggested. Thanks for passing it back in case other people need it.