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sl23 Posts: 285
24/06/2017
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I've been having some issues for some time, but they have been intermittent. I thought it was either windows 10 or my system playing up. I reinstalled windows a while ago and the problem persisted.
Essentially here is what happens:
1. I was clicking on a JPG file and the windows associated program (XlideIt, installed in SyMenu) was opening and after appearing would then close.
2. Then I noticed this would happen with PDF files too.
3. Again, it started happening with RAR files. but with this I would R-click to archive a PDF file and it would open WinRAR, close it as soon as it had opened, then open Foxit!!!
A system Restart would solve the issue, hence I thought something was wrong with my system. But... yesterday, it occurred to me that it was fine one minute then the next it was playing up. So I thought, what had changed? I'd opened E:/SyMenu to access an app not on my main used D:/SyMenu. As this seems to only affect certain file types I then tried Disable Extension Manager from the E:/SyMenu. Lo and behold, it worked! All these months I was plagued by this issue and it was SyMenu's Extension Manager causing the problem!
I also have the Extension Manager active on the D:/SyMenu so perhaps it's a conflict?
One thing I'm unsure of, when using this Extension Manager, does it simply open files activated via SyMenu or is it meant to work system-wide? For example, should I be able to click on a PDF in Cubic Explorer and it opens the app specified in SyMenu's Extension Manager? Or does it only work if the file has a SyItem and is opened within SyMenu?
It would be a great addition if full on system-wide file associations were possible via SyMenu, LiberKey achieved this, but I found it a bit complex  As it was only a short lived thing I couldn't be bothered to figure it out!
Thanks
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Gianluca Administrator Posts: 1274
26/06/2017
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Extension Manager works on a system wide level.
So if a file is opened in your system, EM checks for it to verify if its extension is among the ones it manages.
This is the EM behavior in the ideal world but indeed it is not so good and it is able to managed only some sort of file opening.
Regarding to your scenario, activating EM in two different SyMenu versions at the same time in the same PC is definitely not a good idea because the two will continuously steal the just opened file to each other. If you really want to have to EM active at the same moment, you can't overlap their extension scopes. So if your SyMenu A manages pdf, rar and jpg extensions, SyMenu B can't manage pdf, rar and jpg.
Well as I told you EM isn't able to always work as it should. A more reliable solution should be a program that physically manages the extensions changing them in the Windows registry and resetting them when the working session is ended. An example is eXpresso but it seems the developing is now stopped (https://sourceforge.net/projects/expressoportabl/).
My question is: since you are working with a local SyMenu version, why don't you associate the system extensions with the SyMenu programs using the Windows normal way?
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sl23 Posts: 285
26/06/2017
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Thanks for the reply. I understand all your points and pretty much guessed what your reply would be, I have indeed disabled the second EM.
However, my main reason for portable file associations is twofold:
1. Associating around 100 file types is a pain when reinstalling windows.
2. It helps when using the menu on another PC.
I reinstall windows around once a year, so it's very useful to have portable file associations, amd a pain in the ass not having it! PortableFileAssociator was absolutely perfect for my needs but no longer works since MS have changed things in windows 10!
With all these portable apps around you think portable file association would be a much needed thing!
Oh well, thanks anyway Gian.
edited by sl23 on 26/06/2017
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sl23 Posts: 285
26/06/2017
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Just a thought, is it worth adding a safeguard on this?
If you launch a second menu perhaps it should check for am existing instance and auto disable the EM. What do you think?
At least that way it wouldn't produce unwanted results such as I had above.
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Gianluca Administrator Posts: 1274
28/06/2017
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Well your scenario is a very unusual one. Two SyMenu versions on the same PC, both running, both with EM activated hover the same extensions. I doubt this control could be a useful feature for a lot of people.
Anyway I perfectly agree with you about the need for a more reliable extension associator. The EM architecture has severe limits but it's the cleaner, and currently unique, way to accomplish this task. In fact, for security reasons, starting from Windows 8, the third party programs are no longer allowed to change the extensions associations without an explicit user action. This is the reason for which eXpresso and Portable File Associator are dead projects now.
IMHO there are only two workarounds for this limitation:
- use an alternative file explorer ("Whatever" Commander, XYplorer...) that allows you to open certain files with certain programs
- adopt a so called "drop box" program.
The latter solution is the most suitable for any portable solution but I suspect you are already using this one... isn't Portable Extension Warlock from the SyMenu suite your work? 
There is Dropper too (https://sites.google.com/site/freewarewiresoftware/software/dropper) and who knows how many others.
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sl23 Posts: 285
28/06/2017
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The reason I have two identical menus, almost identical, is that one contains all possible required apps with a few extras, plus folders and install files for some apps.
My regular menu is a streamlined version for my use only and is fixed. The 'full' version is also used for usage as a portable system and so is occasionally used for sorting other people's PC out or passing on apps etc. Here is where the same file associations become useful.
Here is where the trouble can also start. As with my problem above, it is very feasible that symenu could be on a friends laptop. Which they then ask me to look at for one reason or another, so I take my hard drive with my full symenu round, start it up and find conflicts with associations. Do you see the problem?
I suppose it's maybe rare, but very real.
I know what you're saying about windows and it's file associations though, I spent many days trying to find ways around it, looking for apps or registry hacks in the hope something would work.
I'd be happy with a reg file that I could edit and simply run when reinstalling windows or adding new entries!
Doesn't seem to be anything like that that works though! Bloody Microsoft are a pain in the ass!!!
Wasn't happy with PEW, PFA was dead long before win10.
Thanks anyway Gian
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