Instant File Type Associations in RES PowerFuse explained – Part 2

Instant File Type Association in RES PowerFuse SR5 and lower

RES PowerFuse has support for File Type Associations since the early versions. For most environments this basic implementation of File Type Associations was sufficient. The implementation was based on the fact that a File Type was created in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes based on RES PowerFuse managed application.

The last few years applications are more integrated in each other’s and document management systems are more frequently used in Windows based environments. This raised a lot a Support question about the Support for DDE (Dynamic Data Exchange).
More information about DDE can be found on Http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_Data_Exchange

Despite that DDE is so called “old Fashion” it is still heavily used inside the Windows environment with applications like Microsoft Office, SharePoint Server etc.
Next to the fact that there was no DDE Support in RES PowerFuse, also some other File Type associations parts where not adapted.

What will be new in RES PowerFuse 2008 Service Release 6
In RES PowerFuse 2008 SR6 we did a redesign of the way we implemented the File Type Associations support. RES PowerFuse 2008 SR6 supports DDE, Icons, Print from mail clients, Thumbnail views and more.

How does RES PowerFuse create and enable File Type Associations
If there are no file type associations configured in RES PowerFuse, RES PowerFuse will not create or managed any file type association. (see part 1 why you should enable this in RES PowerFuse) Tasks in RES PowerFuse PowerLaunch on top of applications are not executed if RES PowerFuse does not manage the File Type Associations.
When File Types are added to an application the association will be created and managed by RES PowerFuse during logon or refresh of the users session.

The following procedure will be executed during logon or refresh to created all File Type Associations managed by RES PowerFuse.

• Based on Access control the Workspace Manager will determine what File Types need to be associated to applications
• The Workspace Manager will create the Association by creating a File Type Key in HKCU\Software\Classes.
  Example : .doc

• For every File Type the Workspace Manager will check the original File Type created in HKLM\Software\Classes
• When the original File Type exists, the workspace Manager will create a Key in HKCU\Software\Classes based on the original file type and will Add PowerFuse_FileType to this.
  Example: Microsoft.Word.8.PowerFuse_doc
  
• The Workspace Manager will add the Key default to the File Type.
  Example: .doc ->default = Microsoft.Word.PowerFuse_doc
• To enable support for document management systems the Workspace Manager will look up the CLSID of the application and checks if the VersionIndependentProgID and Curver are present. If both exist then we will take over the original ProgID and create a second class with the original name
  Example: Microsoft.Word.8
• To Support shellextensions the Workspace Manager will check for ShellEx subkey in the original ProgID. If this exist then the whole ShellEx tree will be copied to the HKCU\Classes for that ProgID
• When the default elements are created the Workspace Manager will create all defined file type associations (Added to the Application in the Management Console) under the correct key.
  Example: Open, Print, Edit etc.etc.
• To Support ShellNew the Workspace Manager will check for ShellNew subkey in the original FileType. If this exist then the ShellNew will be taken over into HKCU\Classes for that FileType
• When a filetype is defined by RES PowerFuse, but is not set as the default. The Workspace Managers will check the original FileType and take over the default settings.

When the user ends the session all File Type Associations and related information created by RES PowerFuse will be deleted.

Hopefully this gives you a view on how RES PowerFuse handles and create File Type Associations.