Copyright: 1996 John C. Rahn


Associating Files With SmartAssociation

Contents

You don't have to actually associate any files with SmartAssociation via File Manager or Explorer.  SmartAssociation takes care of this for you by:

•	Letting you enter a file extention to associate with SmartAssociation

•	Provides you with a file browser to find the application you want to multi-associate with your file extention.

•	Lets you immediately open multi-associated files with your applications.

•	Creating the association for you automatically.

You can achieve all of the above by clicking on the [image] button, or selecting the New/Adjust Association from the File Menu at the top of the SmartAssociation window.

If you really want to, you can still use file manager's File|Associate option to associate a file with SmartAssociation, but you will still have to use SmartAssociation's facilities to create the multiple association.  Or, if you are using Windows '95, you can still use Explorer's View|Options|File Types services, but this is at least the same amount of steps you will have to go back and take using SmartAssociation itself.

See Also:

Creating New Associations

No Command Was Passed To SmartAssociation

Side Effects

Right Click Menu In Explorer


BAT File

Contents

If you are using Windows '95, you can associate .BAT (Dos batch files) with SmartAssociation.  This means that when SmartAssociation pulls up the .BAT file you loaded you will have the option to launch the .BAT file or to edit it.  You also have the option to pass additional command line instructions with the .BAT file you choose.

See Also:

Associating Files With SmartAssociation

Launcher

Option Launch Buttons

Right Click Menu In Explorer

Command Line Box


Benefits Of Registration

Contents

Smart Association is only $10!!!

More Registration information.

Registration Form

•	One low $10 payment entitles you to unlimited E-MAIL tech support and free upgrades via MSN, AOL, and Compuserve for one year.

•	 Permentant Un-Associator

•	 Limit of 2 SmartAssociations is lifted.

•	 You can use a drop down box instead of the buttons to see all of your multiple associations at once.

•	 You can store command line statements to use over and over again, with the option of having those statements placed either to the left or right of the command that is already in the command line box.

•	Store all applications you use in one simple drop down box, so you don't have to search all over to find the application you are trying to associate.

•	Your own personal toolbar, which you can customize any way you want.

•	More options on launching applications, such as starting minimized, maximized, or normally.

•	Professional, detailed manual on how to use SmartAssociation.


COM File

Contents

Although it is possible to associate .COM files with other programs such as SmartAssociation, it is strongly reccommended that you do not try this.  It can cause many problems with your system.  And, if you don't know what you are doing, you may never ever get back into Windows again.

However, if you have the need to associate COM files with SmartAssociation, I suggest you use a more indirect method such as Program Manager program items or Explorer Shortcuts to pass the command line of an COM file to Smart Association.  Then use the command line box to pass the options you want to send along with the .COM file.   Also keep in mind that you can open ANY file with SmartAssociation by clicking on the [image] button on the right of the SmartAssociation screen.  Then, you can use the above mentioned method to open that file instead of trying to associate it.

See Also:

Command Line Box

Launcher

Option Launch Buttons

Option Launch Buttons

Right Click Menu In Explorer

Note: You can safely associate BAT, PIF, and LNK file with SmartAssociation.

We can not and will not support any attempts gone awry.


Command Line Box

Contents

See SmartAssocation Anatomy 101 for a picture of the Command Line Box.

The Command Line Box, appearing somewhat simple, is the powerful center of activity in SmartAssociation.  It is used for displaying command line information passed from File Manager/Explorer to SmartAssociation, executing your own personal commands be they DOS or Windows commands, launching any application, and opening any file with an associated application.

The Command Line Box will contain one of 2 things when you load SmartAssociation. It will contain either the command line that was passed to it as a result of you having clicked on a file associated with SmartAssociation or it will display a message to you that no association was passed.  If you get the message that No Command Was Passed To SmartAssociation , then you have probably directly started Smart Association without having launched another program first.  This is generally the mode you will want to be in when you first start to use SmartAssociation or want to set it up.

You can make changes to this command line, run a program just like from the dos prompt, or just launch the application that is already there.

Always make sure you have cleared the command line box of any unwanted text before you type in your command or try to launch the command you type in. Use the clear button to do this quickly.  Also note that SmartAssociation can find virtually any file along your computer's path as specified in your autoexec.bat, but you should always try to specify a program's extention when trying to launch it. Try it!  The next time you are in SmartAssociation, clear the command line box with the wipe button and type in the word "edit" (do not type the quote marks in).  Then, click on the launch button.  You will probably get some type of error message when you do this.  Then, clear the command line box again and type in "edit.com".  Again, click on the launch button and you should see the Dos Edit program load on your computer.

See Also:

Path

SmartAssocation Anatomy 101

Command Line Box Simple Use

For the basic use of SmartAssociation, you will never have to touch the Command Line Box.  If SmartAssociation was loaded as a result of your clicking on another file, thus loading SmartAssociation via an association, then you will see the path and filename in the Command Line Box of the file you had clicked on in an application such as File Manager, Program Manger, Explorer, or the Documents menu of Windows '95.  If this file was a BAT File, COM File, EXE File, LNK File, or  PIF File you should see the Launcher button begin to blink. If the Launcher [image] button begins to blink, you have probably entered a file in the Command Line Box that can be executed or run.  Otherwise, the Option Launch Buttons will display the applications you have setup to open the file type displayed in the Command Line Box.

See Also:

Example: Begin With Command Passed

DOS Programs

Right Click Menu In Explorer


Contents

Scroll down to see the contents of this Windows help file.

Benefits Of Registration

Registration

Registration Form

SmartAssocation Anatomy 101

 Launcher

 Creating New Associations

 Help And Quitting

 Navigation Through The Multi Associations

 Wipe The Window

 Opening Any File Into The Command Line Box

 Saving Settings

Associating Files With SmartAssociation

BAT File

Benefits Of Registration

COM File

Command Line Box

DOS Programs

Example: Begin With Command Passed

EXE File

Exit SmartAssociation Upon Use

Join The Beta Team

Launching Multiple Instances Of Smart Assocation

LNK File

No Command Was Passed To SmartAssociation

Option Launch Buttons

PIF File

Right Click Menu In Explorer

Side Effects

Wildcards


Creating New Associations

Contents

The following instructions tell you how to set up multiple associations.

1.	Click on the [image] button to create a new SmartAssociation.  Or Press and hold the CTRL and N keys.

2.	Click on the down arrow found in the drop down box and pick the type of file you would like to create or edit a SmartAssociation for.

3.	If you do not find the file type you are looking for in Step 2, click one time in the drop down box, then manually type in the file extention.  For Windows 3.x's sake, only the first 3 letters or numbers are recognized.  SeeBenefits Of Registration to overcome this problem in Windows '95.

4.	Click the NEXT button when you have entered the file extention you want to use.

5.	Look in the upper left corner of the screen to confirm that this is the extention you wish to use.  If it is not, click the BACK button to change it, or click the CANCEL button to stop the process and return to the SmartAssociation window.

6.	In most cases, if there is already a program associated with the file type, you will see it already listed on the final screen.  If you want to modify it, you can do so at this point.  To modify an existing association, click once in the box it is listed in, then type your modifications.

7.	To set up a brand new association, click on a + button on the left of the window.  Note that programs will appear on the Option Launch Buttons in the same order you enter them in here.  Once you click on a + button, you will be able to browse your entire computer for the application you are seeking to associate with the file type indicated in the upper left of the window.

8.	Once you have found the application you desire, double click on it and it will display to the right of the + button you clicked on. Repeat this step until you are finished setting up all of your applications with the file type indicated in the upper left corner of the window.  Please note that one of the Benefits Of Registration is to maintain a pemenant list of all the applications you use, so that you will not have to search the entire contents of your computer to find an application.

9.	When you are done, click on the FINISH button.

See Also:

Right Click Menu In Explorer


Example: Begin With Command Passed

Contents

 Examples on the typical use of SmartAssociation

The following example assumes that you have at least associated .TXT files with SmartAssociation.  For more help on this, see Associating Files With SmartAssociation.

1. You double-clicked on a file called essay.txt from File Manger.

2. SmartAssocation Loaded after step 1, and the Command Line Box reads something like "C:\WP\ESSAY1.TXT".

3. One of the Option Launch Buttons reads notepad.exe, another reads write.exe.

4. Your basic options are:

a. Click on the notepad.exe button to open essay1.txt with notepad.exe

b. Click on the write.exe button to open essay1.txt with write.exe

c. Click once in the Command Line Box and change C:\WP\ESSAY1.TXT to read 	ESSAY2.TXT if you wish to open ESSAY2.TXT instead of ESSAY1.TXT.

d. You might want to use the MS-DOS Edit program to view or change ESSAY1.TXT,

so you click once in front C:\WP\ESSAY1.TXT in the command line box, press the 	spacebar, press home, then type "edit.com" and click the Launcher [image] button.

e. You want to make another association for the file type .TXT, so click on the [image] button, or from the Menu click File:New/Adjust Association or use the 	shortcut key combination of CTRL-N.


EXE File

Contents

Although it is possible to associate .EXE files with other programs such as SmartAssociation, it is strongly reccommended that you do not try this.  It can cause many problems with your system.  And, if you don't know what you are doing, you may never ever get back into Windows again.

However, if you have the need to associate .EXE files with SmartAssociation, I suggest you use a more indirect method such as Program Manager program items or Explorer Shortcuts to pass the command line of an EXE file to Smart Association.  Then use the command line box to pass the options you want to send along with the .EXE file.   Also keep in mind that you can open ANY file with SmartAssociation by clicking on the [image] button on the right of the SmartAssociation screen.  Then, you can use the above mentioned method to open that file instead of trying to associate it.

See Also:

Command Line Box

Launcher

Option Launch Buttons

Option Launch Buttons

Right Click Menu In Explorer

Note: You can safely associate BAT, PIF, and LNK file with SmartAssociation.

We can not and will not support any attempts gone awry.


Exit SmartAssociation Upon Use

Contents

If you check the Exit SmartAssociation upon use box located in the lower left of your SmartAssociation window, SmartAssociation will exit when you launch any program.


Help And Quitting

Contents

You can click the door button above in SmartAssociation to instantally exit SmartAssociation.  You do not need to leave SmartAssociation running all of the time in order for it to work.  You only need to associate files once with SmartAssociation.

Click on the question mark button in SmartAssociation any time to bring you to this help program.


Join The Beta Team

Contents

We are always looking for people who would like to test  our new software.  In consideration for your time spent testing the software and returning useful feedback, you will be given a free copy of any finshed product you test.  AOL members simply need to write to JohnRahn@AOL.COM and express their desire to be placed on the beta list.  When projects need to be tested, they will receive a copy of that project in a mass mailing.  The beta versions are also available over the Internet at ftp://members.aol.com:/johnrahn/betabeta.zip.  However, the FTP site is not always the most up-to-date and does not always work as well as I would like it to.  For best results when using the FTP, try to go directly to ftp://members.aol.com:/johnrahn.  Additionally, MSN members may also participate in the testing program.  If you are a member of the Microsoft Network and wish to become a tester, send e-mail to JohnCRahn@MSN.COM.

We reserve the right to limit the amount of members in the testing program.


Launcher

Contents

The [image] icon is for launcing a program indicated in the Command Line Box.  For example, you could type "Notepad.exe" in the command line box, which would cause the launcher icon to blink.  Then, clicking the launcher icon would load the Windows Notepad program.  As a general rule, it is a good idea to type the extention of the program you are trying the load, although it is not necessarily required.  You also do not have to type in the full path of the program you want to load such as "c:\windows\notepad" if the program is located along your Path.  Also, always make sure the command line box does not contain any hidden text when you issue launching commands.  To clear the command line box, simply click on the [image].

You can browse and open any file on your computer by clicking on the [image] button.  See: Opening Any File Into The Command Line Box.

If SmartAssocation detects  an EXE, PIF, BAT, or COM file it will blink the [image] button.

See Also:

BAT File

COM File

Command Line Box

EXE File

LNK File

Path

PIF File

Wildcards


Launching Multiple Instances Of Smart Assocation

Contents

You can usually launch as many instances of SmartAssociation as you want up to available memory/resources.  You should, however, do this with great caution.  For example, if you select/mark/highlight 20 .txt files from Explorer then hit enter, Explorer will try to launch all of those programs at once.  If you have enough memory, this will work fine, and 20 versions of SmartAssociation will load if you have .txt files associatied with SmartAssociation.  On the other hand, if you were to run out of memory at, as an example, the 6th file, then you very well may have to re-boot your system.  On my minimal test systems of at least 8 megs of RAM running Windows 95, I still had %80 resources available after opening 20 instances of SmartAssociation.  Keep in mind however, that this is with only Explorer and basic drivers running, and without any other applications running, so you can imagine what may happen if you opened 20 bitmaps with SmartAssociation and had 20 versions of Paint Brush all running at once.


LNK File

Contents

If you are using Windows '95, you can associate .LNK ('95 PIF File) with SmartAssociation.  This means that when SmartAssociation pulls up the .LNK file you loaded you will have the option to launch the .LNK file or to edit it.  You also have the option to pass additional command line instructions with the .LNK file you choose.  If you are not sure what a .LNK file is, then consider that they are the files you see on your Start Menu, providing links to the actual programs and files they represent.

See Also:

Associating Files With SmartAssociation

Launcher

Option Launch Buttons

Right Click Menu In Explorer

Command Line Box


Navigation Through The Multi Associations

Contents

Click the [image] buttons to navigate up or down through the multiple associations you have created for a particular file type.  Unregistered users of SmartAssociation only have the first two options.


No Command Was Passed To SmartAssociation

Contents

If you  see this message in the Command Line Box, then you have started SmartAssociation directly by clicking or double clicking on it, or its icon.  This is the point where you can begin Creating New Associations, editing them, or opening up any file on your computer. If you have been using SmartAssociation and already created multiple associations, you can click on the [image] button to open any of those or other files.  If you click on that button, and then click on a file that has not been multi-associated with SmartAssociation, just click the [image] button to multi-associate it.

See Also:

Opening Any File Into The Command Line Box

Creating New Associations

Right Click Menu In Explorer


Opening Any File Into The Command Line Box

Contents

Click the [image] button to open any file into the Command Line Box.  From there, you can use other tools.

See Also:

Creating New Associations

Option Launch Buttons

Example: Begin With Command Passed

Right Click Menu In Explorer


Option Launch Buttons

Contents

See SmartAssocation Anatomy 101 for a picture of the Option Launch Buttons, Item #3.

The Option Launch Buttons:

•	Display a list of your applications that are associated with a loaded file type, as displayed in the Command Line Box.

•	Only display numbers if No Command Was Passed To SmartAssociation or you have yet to set up at least one association for the file type displayed in the Command Line Box.

•	Provide one click access for the file type displayed in the command line box.


Path

Contents

The following information is provided in MS-DOS help.  Slight modifications were made to the text to assure it would work properly with MS-Windows:

                   MS-DOS Help

                   Version 1.1

 Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation, 1987-1992.

                                    PATH

Indicates which directories MS-DOS should search for executable files.

MS-DOS uses the PATH command to search for executable files in the

directories you specify. By default, the search path is the current

directory only.

Syntax

    PATH {{drive:}path{;...}}

To display the current search path, use the following syntax:

    PATH

To clear all search-path settings other than the default setting (the

current directory), use the following syntax:

    PATH ;

Parameters

{drive:}path

    Specifies a drive, directory, and any subdirectories to search.

;

    When used as the only parameter, clears all search-path settings and

    specifies that MS-DOS is to search only the current directory.

Related Command

For information about setting a search path for data files, see the

<APPEND> command. (MS-DOS Help)


PIF File

Contents

If you are using Windows 3.x, you can associate .PIF files with SmartAssociation.  This means that when SmartAssociation pulls up the .PIF file you loaded you will have the option to launch the .PIF file or to edit it.  You also have the option to pass additional command line instructions with the .PIF file you choose.  If you are not sure what a .PIF file is, see your Windows manual.  In general, a .PIF file is used to control a DOS program from Windows.  It lets you set up things like memory options and window sizes for the DOS programs on your computer.

See Also:

Associating Files With SmartAssociation

Launcher

Option Launch Buttons

Right Click Menu In Explorer

Command Line Box

See Also:

LNK File

Right Click Menu In Explorer


Registration

Please register if you find this program useful and use it more than 30 days.  Many hours of work went into this program, and the full benefits of that work can be yours upon registration.  The following is a list of ways you can submit you payment for SmartAssociation and a list of what you will receive for registering.  The registration price is only $10 (US Funds).

See Benefits Of Registration to find out all you get!

A text registration form is provided for easier mail registration.  This file is register.txt, and should be located in the directory you installed SmartAssociation in.  If you can not find this file, click here: Registration Form.

Compuserve

Compuserve members can register this program very quickly and have an upgraded copy in their hands within about 24 business hours..  Just GO SWREG and use registration #9985.  The following is other information you may need to register this program using Compuserve's Shareware Registration system:

•	Authors Name: John Rahn

•	CompuServe ID:     102570,3446

•	Program Title:     SMART ASSOCIATION 1.0

•	Registration ID:   9985

Within 24 business hours of Compuserve notifying me of your registration, I will send you a copy of the full blown registered copy via a Compuserve E-MAIL attachment.  If you need the program right away,

feel free to call me at 864.338.3954 to let me know you just registered the program.  Since Compuserve takes a pretty big chunk of the Registration fee, I can't mail the disk or printed documentation to you if you registered via the SWREG system.  SWREG registrations are still entitled to the unlimited upgrades via AOL, Compuserve and MSN and tech support for one year via E-MAIL. However, you can still get the disk and printed documentation for an additional $2.50 (US Funds) to cover shipping.    Send your order to John C. Rahn, PO Box 741, Belton, SC   29627.  Be sure to include your mailing address and your Compuserve user ID# that you used to register SmartAssociation.  Use the Registration Form to assure we have all of the information we need.

John C.  Rahn

PO Box 741

Belton, SC   29627


Registration Form

Contents

Registration information.

Benefits Of Registration

Click on "File" then "Print Topic" to print this form.  You can not fill it in while in Windows help mode, but there is another file called Register.txt you should be able to find in the directory  where you installed SmartAssociation in.

Send this form along with your registration fee to:

John C. Rahn

PO Box 741

Belton, SC   29627

Your Name:

Your Mailing Address:

Phone Number:

Where can we contact you via the Internet  for E-MAIL?

Do you want to be placed on our E-MAIL mailing list?

Where can we contact you on AOL, MSN, or Compuserve to send upgrades?

Disk Size: 3.5" (  )    5.25 (  )

Disk Format: (        )   High density unless otherwise specified.

If you used the Compuserve SWREG system, what user ID# did you use?

Number Of Copies:  _____      x  $10 each  = $ ________

Total: $_______

Comments:


Right Click Menu In Explorer

Contents

By right clicking  files in the Windows '95 , you can send ANY file to SmartAssociation.  This is very useful for those files types that will not associate, should not associate, and when you want to create a new multi-association.  To make it possible for you to add SmartAssociation to your right click menu, follow these steps, which you only need to perform one time:

1.	Click on your Start Button.

2.	Click on Run.

3.	Type in "explorer" and click on the OK button.

4.	Find the SmartAss.exe file.

5.	Right click on SmartAss.exe

6.	When the right click menu comes up, click once on COPY.

7.	Locate your Windows '95 SendTo directory, found in C:\WINDOWS\SENDTO on most computers.

8.	Make sure that your sendto directory is marked in the left pane of the Explorer window, then right click in the right pane of the Explorer window.

9.	When your right click menu comes up, click on paste shortcut.

Windows '95 is now ready to send files directly to SmartAssociation when you right click on them.  You can now click on any file, then click Send To, then SmartAss.exe and SmartAssociation will come up just as if the file had been associated with SmartAssociation in the first place.  Note that you can safely change the name of the smartass.exe shortcut in your \sendto directory if you wish.


Saving Settings

Contents

Click on the [image] button to save your settings immediately.  You should first resize and position the SmartAssociation windows the way you want them before clicking this button, as SmartAssociation will start up up the way you last left it after clicking the [image] button.  Clicking this button will do the following:

•	Save your current SmartAssociation windows sizes on the screen.

•	Save your current SmartAssociation windows position on the screen.

•	Will not save your Exit SmartAssociation Upon Use setting.


Side Effects

Contents

SmartAssociation 1.0 is fully compatiable with Windows 3.x and Windows '95.  Major efforts went in to assuring this compatiability.  Unfortunately, a few trade offs had to be made to assure maximum stability between the two versions of Windows.  We call the undesirable portions of these trade offs side effects, and address them here so that they are not thought to be bugs.  If you do find something undesireable in SmartAssociation that is not listed here that appears to be a bug, please contact JohnCRahn@msn.com.

Windows '95:

•	Launched applications do not always become the active window when Exit SmartAssociation Upon Use is checked.  You sometimes will have to make one extra click on the

launched application.

•	Documents menus do not always display the name of recently used multi-associated documents.

•	Multi-Associated files will use the SmartAssociation icon instead of the icon of an application that would launch it.  You can still change the icon to whatever you want on the Start Menu and on the Desktop.

Windows 3.x

•	Some file types just plain out will not associate with SmartAssociation.  This is usually true when the file extention was already registered in the Registration Database on your computer and in your Win.ini file by another application.  The only cure for this is to open up both files and remove the information yourself.  Please do not do this unless you know EXACTLY what you are doing.

Both Windows '95 and Windows 3.x side effects

•	This is not really SmartAssociation's problem, but some programs will complain if they find out that their file types are not any longer registered on your system.  Some applications are cool about it, like Winzip for example.  Winzip will complain the first time you start it if you associate .ZIP files with SmartAssociation then go load up a ZIP file.  However, you can tell it to quit bugging you and it will, and without any obvious problems.  Unfortunately, other programs, whose names I will not mention, absolutely refuse to run at all if they don't own absolute rights to a particular file type.  In this case, the best thing I can suggest it to let it own that file type, and don't forget that you can register SmartAssociation to get a copy that allows you to temporarily re-assign a file association so that you may run these programs while continuing to use SmartAssociation with the file types and other applications.


SmartAssocation Anatomy 101

Contents

Below is a list of what the buttons pictured above do when you are running SmartAssociation.

•	1. This is a quick help area of SmartAssociation.  If you hold your mouse pointer over a button or other object in SmartAssociation, it will show you a brief description of what that object does.

•	2. The Command Line Box

•	3. These are the Option Launch Buttons which display the multiple associated applications and allow you one click access to your files by opening them with your application.

•	4. The Exit SmartAssociation Upon Use box lets you pick whether or not you want to completely exit SmartAssociation after launching a program.

•	5. This is the Launcher

•	6. These buttons are how you achieve  Navigation Through The Multi Associations

•	7. Click this button when Creating New Associations

•	8. Use this button for Opening Any File Into The Command Line Box.

•	9. The Wipe The Window button will clear the command line box.

•	10. The x,y button is for Saving Settings.

•	11. Click on the question mark button to get to this Windows Help file.

•	12. Click on the Door button to completely exit SmartAssociation.


Wildcards

Contents

Wildcards (?, *, etc) are not fully supported at this time.  Please use them with a great deal of care if at all.


Wipe The Window

Contents

Click on the [image] button to clear all contents of the  Command Line Box . The Option Launch Buttons will also clear in most cases.


DOS Programs

Contents

Any DOS program that can receive command line input can also be used with SmartAssociation.  For example, you could type  "format.com /?" in the Command Line Box and get the help information for the MSDOS program called Format.

See Also:

Right Click Menu In Explorer

Wildcards