Files may be associated with applications by using the
Windows File Manager. For .WAV files we recommend using your
Windows Media Player (MPLAYER.EXE) or you may copy the TEK *
Media Player located on the companion CD-ROM to your Windows
directory.

     COPY SHAREWR\WIN\UTILS\MP1B\MP1B.EXE C:\WINDOWS

These files may be associated with .WAV file types as
explained below.

The following is an excerpt from "Windows 3.1 Complete" (c)
1992 Abacus Software, Inc., Grand Rapids, MI., which
describes the process of associating file types with an
application.

Associating Files with Applications

The "Associate..." command assigns a file to an application
that will be used to edit the file. For example, you can use
Associate... to assign all files ending in .TXT to a word
processor so that these files can be edited. There are
already some default settings for files created by Windows
applications. For example, all files with the .BMP extension
are assigned to Paintbrush, all files with the .CLP
extension
are assigned to the Clipboard, all files with the .WRI
extension are assigned to Microsoft Windows Write (the
Windows word processor), etc. The defaults have already been
activated from the WIN.INI file.

Steps without association

This method reduces the number of steps that are needed to
edit a file with the matching application. To work without
Windows or to edit files without associating then do the
following:

     1. Start the application that you want to use to edit a
        file, such as a drawing or document.

     2. For Windows applications: Select the "Open" command
        from the "File" menu of the application, change to
        the correct directory or drive if necessary, and
        click the "OK" button. For applications that aren't
        programmed to run under Windows, you must load the
        desired file with the appropriate command after
        changing to the proper directory or drive.

     3. Edit the file.

Steps with Association

By using "Associate..." to assign a group of files to an
application, you can automate one of the steps listed in the
previous procedure. So, you must perform only the following
steps:

     1. Select the file to be edited in the file window of
        the File Manager.

     2. Select "Open" or "Run...", press "Enter" or double-
        click the file name. The application associated with
        the file automatically starts and loads the file you
        selected.

     3. Edit the file.

You associate a file with an application by its file name.
Since most applications automatically give extensions to
files when they are created, simply associate the extension
to the application once. Then you'll be able to load and
edit all files created by that application under Windows as
we previously described. You can automate the call of the
application with "Associate...".

In the "Files with Extension" text box, specify the file
extension you want to associate with an application. Select
the application from the "Associate with:" list. If the
application doesn't appear in the list, click "Browse..." to
associate an application from the Browse dialog box.

Entry in the WIN.INI

Once you associate files, which have a specific extension,
with an application, the association is permanent. This
occurs because of entries made in the WIN.INI file. A
section of WIN.INI called [Extensions], records which
extensions are associated with which applications. The
following is an example of the [Extensions] section from a
WIN.INI file:

[Extensions]
cdr=coreldrw.exe ^.cdr
Corel Draw
cal=calendar.exe ^.cal
Calendar
crd=card.exe ^.crd
Cardfile
trm=terminal.exe ^.trm
Terminal
txt=d:\word\word.exe ^.txt
MS-Word
ini=notepad.exe ^.ini
Notepad
pcx=pbrush.exe ^.pcx
Paintbrush (PCX-Format)
bmp=pbrush.exe ^.bmp
Paintbrush (Bitmap-Format)
wri=write.exe ^.wri
Write
rec=recorder.exe ^.rec
Recorder
frm=fm.exe ^.frm
FromMaster
xls=excel.exe ^.xls
Excel (Worksheets)
xlc=excel.exe ^.xlc
Excel (Charts)
xlw=excel.exe ^.xlw
Excel (Workspaces)
xlm=excel.exe ^.xlm
Excel (Macros)

This file is an excerpt from Chapter 15 of "Windows 3.1
Complete"
published by Abacus Software, Inc. This book is a practical
user's guide to learning, installing, customizing and
optimizing Microsoft's new Windows 3.1.

               Windows 3.1 Complete
               Abacus Software, Inc.
               ISBN 1-55755-153-7
               List Price: $34.95 (US)
               Call 1-800-451-4319 for orders only