Windows 7 Add Context Menu item for Agent Ransack

[Ben Amada]

I just did a clean install of Windows 7 RTM 64-bit a few hours ago. I installed an old (but good) piece of software, Agent Ransack.

It installed correctly, and runs okay too. But normally there is a context menu item for Agent Ransack when right-clicking on a folder. This allows you to search the folder you right-clicked on with Agent Ransack.

However, there is no context menu item for Agent Ransack. I tried uninstalling, and re-installing, but same results.

Is there something I need to do that would allow the Agent Ransack installation program to add a context menu item? Or is adding the context menu item manually my only choice? If so, any tips on doing this are appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Ben

 

[reghakr]

I's need to know the exact path and file name and I could create it for you.

Also, what would you like the context menu entry to be named?

 

[Ben Amada]

Hi reghakr,

The EXE path and filename is:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Mythicsoft\Agent Ransack\AgentRansack.exe

The command line option to have Agent Ransack open up with the right-clicked folder is -d. I justed tested it by opening up the c:\data folder. The syntax below worked:

AgentRansack.exe -d "c:\data"

(of course, for the context menu entry, c:\data would be variable)

If the context menu entry is named "Agent Ransack", that would be perfect.

TIA,

Ben

 

[reghakr]

Hello Ben,

One more thing I need to know...........

What is the 3-letter extension that Agent Ransack uses?

 

[Ben Amada]

From what I can tell and from what I know, there is no associated 3 letter extension.

On other operating systems, the Agent Ransack context menu entry shows up when right-clicking a folder -- not a file. It's a tool that searches a folder for files. Meaning, it operates on folders, and not on files.

I just now searched through the registry. There's quite a lot of Agent Ransack entries, even for "shell" related items. About 3 or 4 times, I saw a reference to "arshellext.dll" in the same Agent Ransack directory (that file does exist).

But even though I see a bunch of Agent Ransack entries in the registry, I guess the important one(s) to make it show up on the context menu aren't there.

Hopefully we can still come up with a registry entry to make it show up on the context menu when right-clicking on a folder.

... thanks!

 

[reghakr]

Try "registering" arshellext.dll.

Go to Start > Run, and type regsvr32 "C:\Program Files (x86)\Mythicsoft\Agent Ransack\arshellext.dll".

Make sure to use the parenthesis

 

[Ben Amada]

I successfully registered it (needed to run the command prompt as administrator).

BUT, the context menu entry isn't showing up. I did close Windows Explorer and re-opened it. I didn't try rebooting.

 

[reghakr]

I've got it:

Copy and paste the info inside the quote into Notepad, choose Save As, then select All Files from the drop-down menu box and type in Directory.reg. Save it to your desktop and double-click on it to merge it intro the registry. this will place Agent ransack of files and right-click context menu for complete directories.

Make sure to save as ANSI

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shellex]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\AgentRansackHere]
@="{6646F704-1528-4B5C-BAB7-176FA4B5F80A}}"

Copy and paste the info inside the quote into Notepad, choose Save As, then select All Files from the drop-down menu box and type in Drive.reg. Save it to your desktop and double-click on it to merge it intro the registry.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shellex]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\AgentRansackHere]
@="{6646F704-1528-4B5C-BAB7-176FA4B5F80A}}"

Make sure there are no spaces in the paths. This forum puts spaces in long lines.


It should read ContextMenuHandlers

 

[Ben Amada]

Thanks reghakr -- it looks like you even have the correct GUID!

Looking in the registry, both of those "AgentRansackHere" registry keys actually exist in the shellex\ContextMenuHandlers key under both Drive and Directory (under HKCR).

So assuming I already have those registry entries, does it have anything to do with a 32-bit DLL or 32-bit program or 32-bit shell running in a 64-bit environment? Yesterday, I read something related to that, but the discussion may have been about something else (don't quite remember). This program is old and doesn't have a 64-bit edition. Still seems like a context menu entry should be do-able. Hmm...

(thanks for all your help thus far, btw).

 

[reghakr]

Yes, looking over the other entries I realized I needed the GUID or the 3-letter extension I had asked about.

I installed it on my 32-bit edition and the shell extension is working correctly.

You're probably right about the 64-bit edition for some reason not being able to display it properly.

If you feel comfortable editing the registry, you could try placing the entries under this key:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AllFilesystemObjects\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers

I also have a redistributable shell extension that I could also try. That may take a while.

Try downloading ShellExView v1.37 and [URL="http://nirsoft.net/utils/shell_menu_view.html[/URL"]ShellMenuView v1.07[/URL] to see if you can enable it by one of these programs.

 

[unawave]

does it have anything to do with a 32-bit DLL or 32-bit program or 32-bit shell running in a 64-bit environment?

I have installed "Agent Ransack" several times in Windows 7 32-bit - and I always get the context menu.

But I have no access to a PC running Windows 7 64-bit.

Perhaps you can try to install Windows 7 32-bit in a virtual machine or in a VHD file and test if context menu of "Agent Ransack" is working there.

 

[Ben Amada]

@reghakr, I tried manually adding the same key to AllFilesystemObjects, but still no context menu entry. Interestingly, I noticed on the existing registry keys and the ones you provided a few messages ago, they value ends with two braces }}

"{6646F704-1528-4B5C-BAB7-176FA4B5F80A}}"

I tried removing the 2nd brace on the existing Agent Ransack entries in the registry (there were about 3 of them), but it didn't help. For the new key I added to AllFilesystemObjects, I also tried it with one closing brace and two closing braces.

Next, I might try the ShellExView utility.

Isn't it possible, for example, to add a context menu entry that would point to the EXE file with the -d command line option and %1 for the parameter? Something like:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Mythicsoft\Agent Ransack\AgentRansack.exe -d %1

I actually tried doing this before first posting on these forums. The context menu entry actually showed up, but when I clicked on the menu entry, I got an error message about not having permissions to run the file (or something along those lines). I might not have had the syntax correct, or maybe I need to change permissions on the folder, or maybe it's just not possible to do that.

@unawave, thanks for the info, it's good to know. Agent Ransack's context menu entry did work for me in Vista 32-bit. Since it works for you in Windows 7 32-bit, it could be a 64-bit thing. Right now I don't have a Windows 7 32-bit Virtual machine setup, but I suspect it probably would work since it worked for you.

 

[reghakr]

Ben,

Sorry, the double brackets were my mistake. After changing to single brackets, did you shutdown and restart?

I've been working the the external DLL and have Agent Ransack on the right-click context menu, but when I right-click on a drive or folder I get this error message:

The dialog box is titled Agent Ransack and the message is "Access to C:\Program Files was denied." It gives this message for any folder or drive.

I tried changing permissions and talking ownership to no avail. I also tried the -d option.

In Vista and Windows 7, I added an alternate explorer to the right-click menu of folders and Drive and it works correctly.

I just don't get it

 

[Ben Amada]

No problem on the extra closing brace. I never did apply your registry patch since the keys it would have added were already in my registry. But as I mentioned, the existing registry entries for Agent Ransack actually have the double closing braces. That doesn't seem right. I did remove the second closing brace on the 3 existing registry entries. But I haven't rebooted yet. I'm in the middle of a 2 or 3 day backup of all my data again with Mozy and I don't want to interrupt the process (although I think it will just pick up again where it left off if I did reboot).

I should check on my old Vista 32-bit installation to see if the registry entries for Agent Ransack have two closing braces (it's now part of my dual boot system, and I don't want to reboot now!)

A little later, I'll probably Google around a bit to see if anything interesting turns up. I may also try ShellExView. Thanks

 

[reghakr]

No, the double-closing brackets are definitely wrong.

Make them single same as the beginning bracket.

 

[reghakr]

I've got it working!!!!!

OK,

Unzip the attached file to the C:\Program Files (x86)\Mythicsoft\Agent Ransack directory. Now go to Start > Run, and type regsvr32 "C:\Program Files (x86)\Mythicsoft\Agent Ransack\FEShlExt.dll"

Try right-clicking on a folder and see if the entry is there, if not, restart your computer.

If that doesn't work, I have another possibility.

 

[Ben Amada]

That's great it's working for you, but not me

I extracted the 2 files into the Agent Ransack directory. Before doing a regsvr32, I did modify FastExplorer.ini. Before modifying it, there were these 2 lines in the INI file (among other lines):

Application0=C:\Program Files\Mythicsoft\Agent Ransack\AgentRansack.exe
Application1=C:\Program Files\Mythicsoft\Agent Ransack\AgentRansack.exe

The (x86) part was missing. So I added it to both of those lines.

Application0=C:\Program Files (x86)\Mythicsoft\Agent Ransack\AgentRansack.exe
Application1=C:\Program Files (x86)\Mythicsoft\Agent Ransack\AgentRansack.exe

Then, I did a regsvr32 on FEShlExt.dll. That worked.

But the context menu entry doesn't come up. I rebooted too. I then added the registry entry for AgentRansack to AllFilesystemObjects and rebooted. This last step probably wasn't necessary.

So, currently, I'm still not getting the context menu entry for Agent Ransack when right-clicking on either a drive or folder.

If I did anything wrong, please let me know. I'd be interested in hearing your other possibility.

Tia,

Ben

 

[reghakr]

Hello Ben,

That was a mistake on my part, you correctly changed the path

Im sorry, just in a hurry I gues.

I'm going to attach another version of the feshlext.dll file.

Unregister the previous one and register this one.

If thi still doesn't work, try these registry entries:

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive]
@="Drive"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\AgentRansack (*)]
@="AgentRansack"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\AgentRansack (*)\command]
@="C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Mythicsoft\\Agent Ransack\\AgentRansack.exe -d\"%1\""

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell\AgentRansack (*)]
@="AgentRansack"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell\AgentRansack (*)\command]
@="C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Mythicsoft\\Agent Ransack\\AgentRansack.exe -d \"%1\""

 

[Ben Amada]

The two registry entries you posted here got it working!

The new DLL didn't help, unfortunately. I ended up unregistering/deleting the final DLL version, rebooted, and everything's still working with those 2 registry entries to the "shell" key.

Life will be much easier now Now I just need to figure out some other Windows 7 problems I'm having ...

Thanks very much...

Ben

 

[reghakr]

Hello Ben,

Yes, I was afraid the shell extension dll would fail, that's why I included the registry script.

Glad it finally worked out