Here is a small wrapper I wrote to do common things with the registry in windows with the registry extension.
# ms_shell_setup # A simplified way to modify the way the Windows shell treats files based on file extensions. # This is a simple wrapper arround the registry commands provided by the standard Tcl # installation on Windows. I wrote it reading that Tuba need something like this. # By using this library you advoid some details of the registry use, but not all. Remember # to treat your registry with caution! # # Copyright (c) 1999 # Earl Johhnson # [email protected] # http://www.erols.com/earl-johnson # # Permission to use, copy, modify, distribute and sell this software # and its documentation for any purpose is hereby granted without fee, # provided that the above copyright notice appear in all copies and # that both that copyright notice and this permission notice appear # in supporting documentation. Earl Johnson makes no # representations about the suitability of this software for any # purpose. It is provided "as is" without express or implied warranty. # package provide ms_shell_setup 0.1 package require registry namespace eval ::ms_shell_setup:: { # add key for extension # Example: shell_assoc_exist .txt => 1 # Example: shell_assoc_exist .NEVER => 0 proc shell_assoc_exist {extension} { if {[catch { registry get "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\[set extension]" "" } err_str]} { set ret 0 } else { set ret 1 } return $ret } # Show if a filetype exist # Example: shell_fileType_exist txtfile => 1 # Example: shell_fileType_exist NEVER => 0 proc shell_fileType_exist {fileType} { if {[catch { registry get "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\[set fileType]" "" } err_str]} { set ret 0 } else { set ret 1 } return $ret } # Creates a file extension and associates it with fileType. # Example: shell_fileExtension_setup .txt txtfile proc shell_fileExtension_setup {extension fileType} { registry set "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\[set extension]" "" "${fileType}" } # Remove connection between extension and fileType # shell_fileExtension_setup .txt "" # Creates a fileType # Example: shell_fileType_setup txtfile "Text Document" proc shell_fileType_setup {fileType title} { registry set "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\[set fileType]" "" "${title}" } # Creates a open command on left click. # Allows sets action for double click. # Example: shell_fileType_open txtfile "C:\OS\WINDOWS\NOTEPAD.EXE %1" # Please note the %1 for passing in file name proc shell_fileType_open {fileType openCommand} { registry set "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\[set fileType]\\Shell\\open\\command" "" "${openCommand}" } # Creates a print command on left click. # Example: shell_fileType_print txtfile "C:\OS\WINDOWS\NOTEPAD.EXE /p %1" # Please note the %1 for passing in file name proc shell_fileType_print {fileType printCommand} { registry set "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\[set fileType]\\Shell\\print\\command" "" "${printCommand}" } # Sets an icon for a fileType # Example: shell_fileType_icon txtfile "C:\OS\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\shell32.dll,-152" # Please note the C:\OS\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\shell32.dll,-152 # We can give a name.ico file or a dll or exe file here. # If a dll or exe file is used the index for resource # inside it that gives the icon must be given. proc shell_fileType_icon {fileType icon} { registry set "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\[set fileType]\\DefaultIcon" "" "${icon}" } # Sets the quick view for a fileType proc shell_fileType_quickView {fileType quickViewCmd} { registry set HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\[set fileType]\\QuickView" "" "${quickViewCmd}" } # This adds any command you like to a fileType # Example: shell_fileType_addAny_cmd scrfile config "%1" proc shell_fileType_addAny_cmd {fileType cmdName cmd} { registry set "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\[set fileType]\\Shell\\[set cmdName]\\command" "" "${cmd}" } # Uses some string instead of actual command on right click. proc shell_fileType_setMenuName {fileType cmdName str} { registry set "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\[set fileType]\\Shell\\[set cmdName]" "" "${str}" } # Show or not show the extension on the fileType # Example: shell_fileType_showExt txtfile proc shell_fileType_showExt {fileType {yesOrNo t}} { if {$yesOrNo} { registry set "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\[set fileType]" "AllwaysShowExt" "" } else { registry delete "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\[set fileType]" "AllwaysShowExt" } } # Over-ride the windows ordering of commands on right click # Example: shell_fileType_setCmdOrder txtfile {print open} proc shell_fileType_setCmdOrder {fileType cmds} { set l [llength $cmds]; set ll [expr $l -1] for {set i 0} {$i < $ll} {incr i} { set l [lindex $cmds $i] append str "$l, " } append str "[lindex $cmds end]" registry set "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\[set fileType]\\Shell" "" "${str}" } # Never show extension on fileType # Example: shell_fileType_neverShowExt txtfile proc shell_fileType_neverShowExt {fileType {yesOrNo t}} { registry set "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\[set fileType]" "NeverShowExt" "" if {$yesOrNo} { registry set "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\[set fileType]" "NeverShowExt" "" } else { registry delete "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\[set fileType]" "NeverShowExt" } } # Example from the Tcl Debugger Tuba proc Tuba_setup {tubaDir} { shell_fileExtension_setup .ses Tuba_file shell_fileType_setup Tuba_file "Tuba the Tcl Debugger" shell_fileType_open Tuba_file "[info nameofexecutable] [set tubaDir]\\tuba.tk -- -s %1" shell_fileType_print Tuba_file "C:\\OS\\WINDOWS\\NOTEPAD.EXE /p %1" shell_fileType_icon Tuba_file "D:\\tuba-2.1.p1\\tubaicon.bmp" shell_fileType_addAny_cmd Tuba_file edit "C:\\OS\\WINDOWS\\NOTEPAD.EXE %1" shell_fileType_setCmdOrder Tuba_file {edit open print} } # Example of something Tuba might have to use. # Tuba_setup "D:\\tuba-2.1.p1" # Gets all the commands assocated with a extesion # Example: shell_getCmds file.txt => {open print} proc shell_getCmds {file} { set extension [file extension $file] if {[catch { set fileType [registry get "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\[set extension]" ""] } err_str]} { puts $err_str; return; # No assocation or fileType } if {[catch { set cmds [registry keys "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\${fileType}\\shell"] } err_str]} { puts $err_str return ; # No commands assocated with file Type } return $cmds } # Gets the implimentation of command given a file type # Example: shell_getCmd_imp test.txt open => C:\OS\WINDOWS\NOTEPAD.EXE $1 proc shell_getCmd_imp {file cmd} { set extension [file extension $file] if {[catch { set fileType [registry get "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\[set extension]" ""] } err_str]} { puts $err_str; return; # No assocation or fileType } if {[catch { set imp [registry get "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\${fileType}\\shell\\$cmd\\command" ""] } err_str]} { puts $err_str return ; # No commands assocated with file Type } regsub -all {%([0-9]+)} $imp {$\1} ret return $ret } # DDEs # shell\open\ddeexec\appliation # shell\open\ddeexec\topic namespace export [info procs] }; # End namespace ms_shell_setup