Windows 7 no longer recognizing ZSNES for file associations

[Heilongjiang]

Utterly stupid question, I'm sure. But it bugs me and my various ideas and searches into google aren't fixing the problem.

You see, I don't like the traditional system of finding and clicking on a file-name from a list for zsnes (btw i'm too stupid to learn the name of the emulator). I prefer to have a desktop shortcut or lists with pictures like in Dolphin. It's much easier just to click a shortcut on my desktop or start menu of my favourite games and cut out the middle-man. And since building this computer and many others I did just that.

But recently due to the insane amounts of space video capturing was taking up, I move all of my emulation folders to a secondary storage drive for back-up. And along with it of course the programs I had set file associations to, like ZSNES. I had no problems in the past setting .SMC files to open with ZSNES.

But now that I'm trying to re-arrange and play the games again with desktop shortcuts like this, it's not working. Snes9x will work. But whenever I go to browse and choose program for ZSNES, no matter where I've put the ZSNES program, it will not recognize it. I clicked ZSNES, and it chosen Adobe Reader the first time. It recognized ZSNES as yes, adobe reader. And no matter where I go, control panel, or right click and properties on a .SMC file. It will not recognize ZSNES as a program and not change the file association to ZSNES. ZSNES itself works fine, but Windows won't allow it file associations.

I even tried other things, like trying to associate notepad files with ZSNES. But it won't be allowed to associate with any files. Again, it's like Windows 7 isn't recognizing ZSNES as a program to associate file types with anymore. And Snes9x just isn't good enough overall. I prefer ZSNES. And it seems to refuse to open my games in full screen right now. I want to just click a button and have them in full-screen, not windowed.

I am a bit technology stupid, but what on earth is going on here? And is there some way for me to manually force ZSNES to be the default program again without going through typical Windows 7 features like clicking properties? Because it looks like I need to go through the back-door of sorts to make this work again.

[paulguy]

Not sure if this still exists, but you should open an explorer window, click Organize -> view -> menu bar (or menu or whatever it's called). Then Tools -> Folder Options. File Types tab. Find your association and delete/remove/whatever it (not 100% sure what it's called.). Then try associating ROMs with zsnes again.
However, there have been issues with associating ROMs with zsnes related to loading configuration (And stuff that modern OSes have like permissions and ownership and stuff make the issue more complicated.). This could be why your games aren't starting in fullscreen the way you want. You might just want to run zsnes and then choose files from that, as much as you dislike doing so.
You can also use some kind of frontend if you want, which can provide you with icons and all kinds of other stuff if you download packages for them, including descriptions, videos, box art, etc. I'm sure there are plenty you can choose from.

[Heilongjiang]

I would think that if it was able to work before, it would be able to work again. The only reason I lost the association with ZSNES to begin with was because I moved ZSNES and all my other emulators off of my OS drive. I'm sad to hear that ZSNES has problems with file associations. I certainly like doing things the easy way that GUI enables and I always take advantage of being able to do things the most quick, painless way possible, even using greasemonkey to make tasks quicker, easier, and more friendly/pretty. And it's certainly welcoming and plush to have a "Final Fantasy III" button on my desktop, with all of the best settings, making it more approachable than even my version of the game in the Virtual Console. I'm rambling, sorry. My love of having a "Final Fantasy III" icon really comes out.

I appreciate the help, but I don't think those specific options you speak of apply to Windows 7. Sorry, I have tried every option I know of to try to change associations, by the way. From control panel to clicking properties.

As much as I hate going downhill and fixing something that was never broken. I guess a frontend wouldn't be too bad. One that could give off that quick and painless clicking sensation like you speak of, similar to having a desktop icon. I certainly enjoy that sort of thing in Gamecube and Nintendo 64 emulators. But I honestly don't know of which one to use, I've tried several from here, but none of them have been satisfactory. Is there a particularly good and friendly one?

[odditude]

step 1: go to the directory zsnes resides in, and create a shortcut to zsnes in that directory. rename the shortcut to "zsnes". in the shortcut properties, make sure "start in" isn't blank - if it is, set the directory to that directory i.e. for e:\emulators\zsnes\zsnesw.exe you should put e:\emulators\zsnes .

step 2: run regedit, look at the default value for HKCR\.smc and remember that. assuming it's "smcfile", look at HKCR\smcfile\shell\open\command and change the default value to the path to the shortcut to zsnes, enclosed in quotation marks, followd by "%1" e.g. if zsnes is located in e:\emulators\zsnes, and you renamed the shortcut to "zsnes", then the value should be

Code: Select all

"e:\emulators\zsnes\zsnes.lnk" "%1"

associating via a shortcut with working directory properly set prevents the path-related issues paulguy referenced.

let us know if you have any problems with this.

[Heilongjiang]

Now THIS is some help. Well thank you, I do seem to be still having some problems executing this, though. So bear with me and stick around, please.

You instructions seem to imply that "start in" needs to be shortened somehow. Well it's not blank, but if the "start in" name needs to be changed for Registry Editor to somehow notice it, I don't know how to do that. The target is currently "E:\1\Emulators\SNES\ZSNES 1.51\zsnesw.exe". And "start in" is currently "E:\1\Emulators\SNES\ZSNES 1.51".

And I would assume that in Registry Editor, I look under the left hand scroll bar under H for "HKCR". Of which I have not been able to find, I'll show you a screenshot. Which should show that there is no alphabetized "HK.." at all. No K after H to be found at all.

What should I do exactly? I await your further instructions.

[odditude]

the current "start in" value is correct, no need to change it.

HKCR = HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT - it's standard shorthand, sorry for not expanding it. as a side note - you'll also commonly see references to HKLM and HKCU; i'm sure you can guess what they stand for.

[Heilongjiang]

Well... that's good to know. Thank you. So that explains it, I needed to be looking under 's'. Okay, I'll do that now.

Well here's the thing, I haven't found smcfile, but I've found a smc_auto_file. And here's the weirder part, it already seem set to zsnes, even though I've tried opening it again and it's still opening with snes9x.

That looks looks very similar to what it should look like(except that it's redirecting to where it was when it was on my OS drive). Except that you said put it to the link file, which I assume is why the instructions to make a link. I'll do that right now.

Okay, I modified it. And it should work, but it's not. Sigh.

After all that work, I can't tell anything is wrong. But it's still opening with Snes9x instead of ZSNES. Do I need to restart my PC maybe?

Edit: Wait wait, no! I changed it from link back to .exe when I changed the path. And while it still opened with Snes9x when I double clicked on the files. I right clicked and tried to change association again, and zsnes came up as the option! Success! Thank you! Not only is it back to working quickly and easily. I learned a little something about Windows in the process. That was great. Thanks again so much for the help.

[odditude]

what does "not working" mean? is it silently failing or throwing an error (and if so, what is the error?)

what is the name of the shortcut you created? what is the result of dir run from the commandline in that directory?

what is the default value of HKCR\.smc ? if it's not smc_auto_file, what is it?

[Heilongjiang]

Oh, but it is working. Check out the last of my post!

[odditude]

glad i could help.