Integrating OpenEdge with Windows Explorer
In Windows platforms, Microsoft allows applications to integrate certain features with Windows Explorer. Among those features, OpenEdge supports defined icons, shortcut menus, and property sheets for several of its file types. You can now easily perform an action on a file or view detailed information about a file from Windows Explorer. This section presents:
OpenEdge file types
OpenEdge supports defined icons and shortcut menus for the following file types:
OpenEdge also supports specific property information for these file types:
This information is stored in the registry, separately from your OpenEdge settings.
If another application has already registered a file extension that OpenEdge uses, the Installation Utility asks if you want to overwrite the information for that file extension. If you choose no, OpenEdge does not display the icon, shortcut menu options, or properties information for that file type. If you choose yes, OpenEdge replaces the icon, shortcut menu options, or properties associated with the file extension with OpenEdge-specific information.
The shell integration DLL uses the DLC and, optionally, the PROMSGS environment variables to locate the PROMSGS file. The DLL searches these registry locations for the following variables:
The Installation Utility writes the proper values to the above registry locations. However, if after the installation you move OpenEdge to another location (or move or rename the PROMSGS file), you must edit the variables in the registry so that the shell integration DLL can find PROMSGS.
Icons
OpenEdge associates each of the OpenEdge-supported file types, except for compiled procedure code files (.r), with a unique icon that is displayed in Windows Explorer. You can execute the default action on a file by double-clicking on its icon. To perform other actions, you can right-click on the file and choose one of the options from the shortcut menu. To change the default setting, see the "Shortcut menus" section.
Shortcut menus
A shortcut menu allows you to perform an action on a file by eliminating several steps to accomplish the task. OpenEdge enhances this feature by adding context-specific options for each file type. For example, to edit the Sports database from Windows Explorer, right-click the sports.db icon and choose Edit in Data Dictionary (single-user) from the shortcut menu. If you do not use the shortcut menu, this same action requires several more steps.
To view the shortcut menu for a specific file, right-click the file. A shortcut menu appears with context-specific options.
To add to or change your default shortcut menu options, choose View
Options File Types from Windows Explorer. In the Registered file types list, choose the OpenEdge file type you want to modify and click Edit.
The command line for each shortcut menu option includes a full PATH to the OpenEdge executable. If you move this executable to another location, you must modify the PATH.
Properties
By default, Microsoft provides general information about a file in its properties sheet. OpenEdge adds an extra page containing specific information for compiled procedure code (.r) and database (.db) file types. To view a file’s properties, right-click on the file and choose Properties from the shortcut menu.