Making portable version default player

[brittney24]

I've read it is possible to make portables the default app (player) in Windows (Vista) via the Default Programs in Control Panel.
For what ever reason (& I'm not alone), that process has never worked, if the desired default app / prgm isn't already listed when you open one of the options in Default Programs.
I've read many "how to" articles on this - none worked.

Anytime I've ever used the "Browse to select a new default prgm," add it & click "OK" - or what ever the steps are, it does nothing - whether for installed or portable prgms. When browse to the desired executable, select & click OK, it doesn't give error, beep, start smoking or anything. Acts like it takes the new selection, but never adds it to the list of suggested prgms. There is even a utility by a MSMVP? that supposedly helped get around this problem in Vista, but it never worked for me either.

Anyone figured out a way that works most of the time to add prgms that aren't already in the displayed list of prgms - like SMPlayer - to choose from?

[Sourcefan]

Hello, brittney24,

Tried a little utility (Coffee) myself on Vista 32 bit.
Can open a .txt file with the web-browser, and make SMPlayer believe it had to open a .jpg file.
In other words: it (temporary) changes file association.
Coffee can be found here, (link:)


Sourcefan

[brittney24]

Thanks. Sounds good, though kind of have a rule about using prgms from sources I don't know, aren't recommended by reputable sites w/ knowledge & experience to have tested software (or gathered complaints from other users), etc. I assume if it worked for you, it's probably OK. Except, I don't know who you are (no offense meant). If I could now go to other sites that actually know something about Coffee, that'd be great. I don't have expertise to examine open source code, other than very simple things, to evaluate their safety.

Q: How "temporary" is the change(s) you made w/ Coffee? They have no info on their site. I don't want to have to do what you described everytime I open a file.
What puzzles me is, why some people seem to be able to add new prgms to the default prgm list, change associations (for the newly added prgms), etc. While many others complain that nothing works for them.

I wonder if it has to do w/ having OEM / branded Windows versions (which I have) vs full retail? There's a logical reason. Been a while, but I remember following some instructions off a major site - maybe a MSMVP - for going in registry & checking / adding / deleting entries to make this work. I backed up registry & made changes & it still made no diff.

[Sourcefan]

Hello, brittney24,

You are right to be careful about running an executable on your PC.
I have done a anti-virus scan and also checked the program at https://www.virustotal.com/
Can't find much additional info about Coffee on the Internet.

The file association changes by Coffee seems temporary since the program makes no changes to the registry; exiting the program will restore the default file associations.
(Yes, Coffee needs to be running to change the file associations.)

Don't like to make changes to registry myself, as it may do some damage to the PC.

Most of my programs are installed by use of an installer; have not much experience by changing the file associations within Windows.
There might be a good reason for you to use SMPlayer as a portable version, else you might consider the installer version.
What also works fine to me is to drag-drop the file you want to play to SMPlayer.

Success,

Sourcefan

[redxii]

These are the registry entries needed for Default Programs and the same exact as the installer does. You have to open it first in notepad or another text editor and change all 3 instances of 'C:\\Program Files\\SMPlayer\\smplayer.exe' to where you have the portable version placed and import it with administrator privileges (UAC should pop up and ask permission).

It isn't listed by default because the point of portable programs is to avoid writing to the registry, settings/data is kept in the same folder and able to be moved anywhere even different machines.

[brittney24]

Sourcefan - thanks for that. Another thing I use for some portables - & even installed apps that can't seem to be set as default - is copy / paste a shortcut into the user acct "Send To" folder. In Vista it's "C:\Users\Name\SendTo".

That allows R clicking a file > Send To, then click icon of prgm to use. Auto opens SMP very quickly on my machine. Can change icons as desired. Bit more work than double clicking a file.

redxii - you're exactly correct about point of portables is not making registry changes. I suppose that's the only way in Windows to make prgms the default "media player," etc.
Thanks for the info. For a moment, I forgot about it being the portable version & was focused on general problems making installed prgms the default in Vista. If prgms set themselves up as default on installing or have UI options, that usually works. If they don't - even though installed, it's sometimes nearly impossible to make them the default in Vista, even following directions to make registry changes.