Opening file from Windows Explorer in Photoshop 7

PJ
Posted By
Peter_Jon_White
Jan 27, 2004
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581
Replies
12
Status
Closed
When I double click a file name in Explorer, it opens Photoshop 7, but then the file itself doesn’t open. I’ve followed the instructions about deleting the line in the registry but that doesn’t work. Now, I can’t even see Photoshop listed after selecting it in the File Types list within Folder Options in Windows 2000. What to do?

Didn’t file associations become automated with Windows version 3? You’d think Adobe would have this figured out by now.

Peter White

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DP
Daryl_Pritchard
Jan 27, 2004
Peter,

This is more of a Windows annoyance I think, and not the fault of Adobe. Basically, the same event could happen with other applications. However, it may be that the extended time PS takes to fully initializa is somehow a factor, but that’s merely a guess on my part.

Try right-clicking the file you’re trying to open, and choose "Open With" and then "Choose Program" whether PS7 is listed in the menu or not. Then, in the dialog that folllows, scroll through the list and locate Photoshop 7.0. If not listed, browse for it via the "Other…" button. Once PS7 is selected, check the box to "Always Use This Program to Open These Files". That will in turn open Photoshop, so close it and then try again to open the file by simply double-clicking it. Hopefully that will resolve your problem.

Regards,

Dary
PJ
Peter_Jon_White
Jan 27, 2004
I’ve done that. It doesn’t work. This has never happened with any other program I have ever used. I find it hard to imagine how it could be a Windows problem. I use dozens of different programs. Only Photoshop 7 does this.
L
larry
Jan 27, 2004
How about dragging and dropping the file from Windows Explorer onto a shortcut to start Photoshop from the desktop?

Larry Berman
PJ
Peter_Jon_White
Jan 27, 2004
Yes. That works. But that is not how I want to open files. I want to open files for Photoshop the same way I open them for all of the other programs I use. I don’t want to have to clear my desktop to expose an icon.
JM
John_Mensinger
Jan 27, 2004
I know this doesn’t solve your "problem," but many of the regulars here will tell you the only correct way to open an image in Photoshop is to launch Photoshop and choose File > Open. I happen to agree.
L
larry
Jan 27, 2004
That’s not true. There is no one correct way to open an image in Photoshop. Everyone has their own way.

For example, I drag and drop thumbnails from ACDSee on my second monitor onto a shortcut to Photoshop on the desktop. And for Peter who doesn’t want to clear his desktop to access the shortcut, put a one click shortcut to Photoshop on the quick launch toolbar and drag and drop the image there to open it within Photoshop. Then there’s file associations that open images in Photoshop when they are double clicked on. Personally, I don’t use Photoshop to edit my images. That’s edit in selecting the ones to work on. I use ACDSee. Then after I’ve chosen the image to work on, I just drop it onto a Photoshop shortcut and it opens the image within the program.

Larry Berman
PJ
Peter_Jon_White
Jan 27, 2004
I get lots of images in via email. I want to be able to double click the attached jpgs and get to work.

At any rate, I uninstalled Photoshop, (for the third time) and reinstalled it, and now it works. Who knows why.

Thanks,
DP
Daryl_Pritchard
Jan 27, 2004
Peter,

I’m glad you got things working, and I stand corrected, as this does sound more like a Photoshop annoyance from your described observations. I certainly agree that if Photoshop is associated with any file type, then double-clicking the file should launch Photoshop and find the file open in the workspace ready for editing.

Personally, as I often simply want to view an image and not edit it, I rarely associate any image format with Photoshop apart from PSD. Something I’ve long found extremely convenient but still a tick or two slower than simply clicking (or double-clicking) on a file, is to use the Send To option of the right-key menu: If you change your Tools > Folder Options > View settings to enable the display of hidden files and folders, the Send To folder can be easily located by right-clicking on the Start button and selecting Explore. The Send To folder should be just above the Start Menu folder. With the Send To folder open, I drag copies of the shortcuts for all frequently used applications into the folder. From then on, for any given file(s) that I want to view, edit, etc., I simply select it and "Send To…Photoshop, Internet Explorer, Word, etc." Use of "Open With" is is similar, but I’m not sure how to expand the options there as I do with the Send To menu.

Regards,

Daryl
PJ
Peter_Jon_White
Jan 28, 2004
That won’t work for file attachments, at least not in Outlook Express. There is no "Send To" option when right clicking on an attachment.

But that’s fine, as I am happy to have Photoshop opened when viewing a jpeg. There’s always something I want to do with it.

Thanks,
DP
Daryl_Pritchard
Jan 28, 2004
Peter,

Funny you’d mention that…just as I was returning to my desk here at work, I was thinking about how you’d said you receive many JPEGs via e-mail, and that left me to wonder if perhaps you were opening them directly from your e-mail messages into Photoshop. While I’d have expected that should work with proper handling of file assocations, I wasn’t sure. And now you’ve answered that also.

In any case, it’s good to hear things are back in order.

Daryl
KC
kc_cherkasky
Jan 28, 2004
Peter,
I recently developed the same problem and decided to check the forum before going through the hassle of uninstalling and reinstalling Photoshop 7. Did you by any chance recently reinstall Windows 2000? I did and only after that did this problem occur.
RK
Ronald_Keller
Jan 28, 2004
Peter,

I don’t know if it’s a Photoshop or a Windows problem but in my self-made programs (Visual Basic) I found out that there are several applications that won’t recognize the filename when it contains spaces. (I had to work-around this behavior by putting the filename between double quotes when it had spaces)

Ronald

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