Filename without extension as a registry key variable (windows 7)

Question

I have the following problem on Windows 7. I am trying to create a context menu for right clicking files of a specific type, let us say *.hyb, i.e. I want, when I right click on this kind of files (like filename.hyb), an option in the menu like "Run with Myapplication", and when I click on it I want that the command "Myapplication.exe filename" to be run.

I have managed to create the context menu for this specific file, but the problem is the filename is passed as an argument to Myapplication.exe with its extension. Myapplication.exe cannot handle file-extensions, so I need to remove it. My registry key (stored under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\hyb_auto_file\shell\Myapplication\command) has the value C:\SomeFolder\Myapplication.exe %1

Can I tweak the %1 parameter so that the filename is passed without its extension?

Thank you very much!

Answer 1

It does not work to write "%~dpn1" in the registry.

You could call a CMD command file which chops off the extension and calls your application:

Content of file hyb.cmd:

echo on

myApp.exe "%~dpn1"

"%~dpn1" will take drive+path+name of parameter 1 and leave out the extension.

Registry definition file hyb.reg to call this script:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.hyb]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.hyb\shell]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.hyb\shell\open hyb file]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.hyb\shell\open hyb file\command]
@="cmd.exe /c hyb.cmd \"%1\""

Note that Windows provides useful commands to maintain file associations from the commandline without touching the registry. Ask Google for ASSOC and FTYPE.