open with...

[Curio]

Try this http://filext.com/ - you can also add a shortcut to notepad in your 'send to' menu if you want to take a peek inside. Then there is the handy filesnoop from pc-utilities magazine which can peek in most files and give you some info.

[TrdTaWrnYa]

Not quite what i had in mind.
Both good sites but u were a little off base.
N the notepad thing i got a handle on that. i can recognize things that should b opend with notepad(or wordpad). n even have my "to-do list" on my desktop so i can open it when i log on.(which is related to another question that i haven't searched 4 yet' but may jus ask in a new thread witout searching)
i wish i could be more spacific, maybe some1 elses p.o.v will help me.
Thank u.

[efc]

I am not understanding the problem. If you have established a file association for a txt file, or any other file format for that matter, double clicking on the file will start the program required. If you need to change a file association, open Windows Explorer Tools>Folder Options>File Types. Delete the file type you need to change. The next time you attempt to open that type of file, windows will allow you to choose the program you want to use.

I assume that you know everything I have said, so you must be dealing with something more obscure.

[TrdTaWrnYa]

I am not understanding the problem. If you have established a file association for a txt file, or any other file format for that matter, double clicking on the file will start the program required. If you need to change a file association,

[K. I have found a diffrent path but leads to the same place->]

open Windows Explorer Tools>Folder Options>File Types.

[Mine is->start/settings/active desktop/costimze my desktop/folder options/file types]

Delete the file type you need to change. The next time you attempt to open that type of file,

[Ok here is where i get confused, i know very little of the file types n can only recognize pictures, notepad(wordpad) or items that should b opend with the media player. Is there a sure fire way to know how to open any file? or is every file that is in my whole system on that "file type" page? and i can referance it any time i get prompted 4 a quick solution? or r those programs that already have definate pathways assined to them?]

windows will allow you to choose the program you want to use.

I assume that you know everything I have said, so you must be dealing with something more obscure.

N u got that right. It asks me at obscure times. N it jus happened to me. I went to go into my mail n it kept asking me what i wanted to open the login page with. I had to restart my pc n google search msn hotmail. then add it to my favorites...again.
Usually i'm jus searchen through my pc to get a better understanding of the files.

[efc]

OK lets try again. Wordpad is not a very powerful word processor. It can open only four file formats (rtf, txt, doc and wri). I wasn't sure which formats it could handle so I opened Wordpad and clicked on Open File icon and found that the above four file types listed. You can use this procedure with many programs to find out which type files the program uses. If you are trying to open other file types with Wordpad it will not work.

Once you get an inappropriate file association established, Windows will always attempt to open that file type with the program you have designated. That is why you have to go to the to the location I specified to delete the file type that is giving you a problem.

To do that, (I am using XP Pro) open Windows Explorer. Now click on Tools and then Folder Options. Next click on the File Types tab. Now scroll down the page and find the txt entry. Highlight and click on Change button. Now select Wordpad in the window that opens. If it is not there, locate it using the Browse button.

I just used this proceedure to change my from Notepad to Wordpad. I found Wordpad in Program Files>Windows NT> Wordpad.exe. If you are using a different OS we may have to get someone else to provide "step by step" instructions.

Good Luck.