📎 AI Summary:
The user is seeking help to add their C++-compiled app, "spine.exe," to the Windows 'Open with' dialogue for files with the .spv extension, but they're unable to get it to appear in the recommended or other programs list. After some troubleshooting, they discover that existing files with the same name as their executable—located in different folders—are causing conflicts. Renaming the executable to a unique name resolves the issue, allowing it to be added successfully.

MikeRox

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Joined
Aug 10, 2015
Messages
4
Thread Author #1
I can't figure out how to add my own app to the 'Open with' dialogue box (below). I want to open files with an .spv file type with an app. I compiled with Visual C++. In other words I want my app to open when I double-click on any file ending in .spv. It works fine from the command line. There are multiple ways to associate a file type with an app in Windows. In the end they all lead you to this dialogue box. I can not get my app to show up in either the 'Recommended Programs' section or the 'Other Programs' section. It's a C++ program compiled to the name 'spine.exe'. I consulted with one of my company's specialists on this. He couldn't get it to work on my system. Though he did get is to work on his system. I have admin rights on my system. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

An image from ''Open with' Dialogue Box'. Windows 'Open with' dialog showing program options to open the file 'Back_Red.spv'.
 

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Solution
Think I found the problem. Turns out there are many files on my system with the same name as the executable I'm trying to associate with. These are all older versions of the same program in other folders. Windows doesn't like that. If I give the executable a unique name, it solves the problem.

MikeRox

New Member
Member details
Joined
Aug 10, 2015
Messages
4
Thread Author #2
Think I found the problem. Turns out there are many files on my system with the same name as the executable I'm trying to associate with. These are all older versions of the same program in other folders. Windows doesn't like that. If I give the executable a unique name, it solves the problem.
 

Solution