Registering file extensions with tools

Windows stores descriptions of all the files on your system in a place called the Registry. This way, whenever you double-click a file on your desktop or in Windows Explorer, it automatically opens in the program to which it is registered.

You can also “register” your favorite editing tools in RoboHELP for quick access. For example, you can register .GIF extensions so they open in Paint Shop Pro. Then, whenever you right-click a .GIF file in the Images folder (located in the Project Manager) and select Edit, the file will automatically open in Paint Shop Pro.

To register a file with an authoring tool:

  1. From the Tool menu, select Options.

  2. Click the Tool Locations tab.

  3. Enter the extension to link to the editing tool in the text box at the left side of the Add button (for example, .GIF).

  4. In Program for Editing, click , navigate to the drive and folder where the program is located, and select it as the editing tool (for example, C:\Program Files\Paint Shop Pro 5\Psp.exe).

  5. In Program for Viewing, specify the name of the program that should be launched as the viewing tool for the extension (this is optional if Program for Editing is defined and vice versa).

  1. Click Add. The file type is linked to the editing tool.

Whenever you right-click a file with the registered extension from the Images folder and select Edit or View, the file will open in the specified program (in this example, .GIF files open in Paint Shop Pro).

Tips:

  • To remove an extension, select it and click Remove.

  • To select a different program for viewing or editing an extension, select the extension, update Program for Editing or Program for Viewing with the new tool, and click Replace.

  • RoboHELP cannot set up alternate editors for HTML files. All HTML files, including Help topics and HTML pages, open in the WYSIWYG Editor (or in TrueCode).