Configuring Windows Explorer
Registry Overview - Keys


The descriptions below are specific to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT (which is actually an alias for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes).

There are many differences between Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0. Only some are shown below. In general, differences in directory names are not shown.


HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT --> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes

KeyName Data Comment
.bat default "batfile" Links the extension to the Type
batfile default "MS-DOS Batch File" Type name which shows in Explorer
EditFlags D0 04 00 00 (95) Disable the Remove File Type, Remove, Edit, and Set Default buttons
30 04 00 00 (NT) Disable the Remove File Type, New and Set Default buttons
  .\DefaultIcondefault C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\shell32.dll,-153 All *.bat files will show this icon.
  .\Shelldefault"" (95)
value not set (NT)
Each sub-key under Shell defines an entry in the context sensitive menu displayed when the user right clicks a file name with one of the associated extensions. The value, when assigned, defines the first/default selection in the menu. The command associated with the default value is executed when the file is double clicked. Open is the default value when this is not assigned.
  .\.\edit default&EditThis one of the context menu selections. If it is also asigned a value, then that value appears in the menu. Any character preceded with an ampersand (&) is underlined and becomes a hot key (accelerator key).
  .\.\.\command defaultC:\WINDOWS\NOTEPAD.EXE %1 
  .\.\open default""When the default value is not assigned, the key name appears in the context menu.
EditFlags00 00 00 00Unknown
  .\.\.\command default"%1" %*This basically executes the bat file
  .\.\print default"" 
  .\.\.\command defaultC:\WINDOWS\NOTEPAD.EXE /p %1 
  .\Shellexdefaultvalue not set 
  .\.\PropertySheetHandlers defaultvalue not set 
  .\.\.\PifProps default{86F19A00-42A0-1069-A2E9 -08002B30309D}Property Sheet CLSID