C# adding context menu item to windows explorer for all file types

Question

I'm currently writing an application where I need to modify the context menu of windows explorer so that I can call a method within the application to be used on all files/folders that are seen in windows explorer.

As there are already quite a few posts on stackoverflow (and also tutorials) on how to add the context menu for specific file types I know already that that is done usually by assigning the application to the right parts of the registry entry for those file types.

As I don't want to limit myself to only specific filetypes my question is: IS there any way to assign this new context menu item to ALL filetypes (aside from going through each registry entry beginning with . and assigning the application to them there)?

Answer 1

Yes, the * class:

1. Create the key:

   HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\Open with MyThing

2. Create the sub key:

   HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\Open with MyThing\command

3. Set the default value to your command line:

   C:\foo\myThing.exe "%1"

   (You can add fixed values here also: C:\foo\myThing.exe "%1" /ranfromshell)

4. To set an optional icon create the string value Icon in:

   HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\Open with MyThing

   You can put the path to an icon, dll or exe here - Windows will extract the appropriate icon & display it.

---

Example

For:

---

.Reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\Open with MyThing]
"Icon"="C:\\foo\\myThing.exe"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\Open with MyThing\command]
@="C:\\foo\\myThing.exe \"%1\""