Should file associations be created by default on Windows?

[sorin_ristache]

Hello,

We want to get your opinions on the topic of associating the .xml file type with the oXygen application on Windows in the oXygen installer. Currently in the Windows installer of oXygen the file associations are enabled by default (the checkboxes are checked by default in the Select File Associations panel). This association opens an .xml file with oXygen automatically on double clicking the file in Windows Explorer which is exactly what the association should do. But due to the way file associations work in Windows an XML file cannot be opened in the Internet Explorer browser any more as an XML file, that is instead of opening and parsing the XML file (and halting the parse on a parse error) and displaying it in colors the file open operation is delegated to the application associated with that file type, which is oXygen in our case. This can be annoying for some users.


Thank you for your input,
Sorin

[amix]

I disable oXygen as default-editor for all types it suggests during installation for the following reasons:

oXygen takes its time to load, due to the size of the application and nature of Java.

I have replaced Notepad with Notepad2, which gives syntax-hilite for XML and let's me assosciate filetypes for XML. It's very quick. I also find it interesting to load XML with IE, due to the way it gets displayed therein.

Also I have the Microsoft XML Notepad installed, which loads pretty quick. These I can chose from the context-menu.

I use oXygen for serious (major) XML work, but not for the quickies.

However, I guess it is okay to offer the choice during installation and have oXygen checked as default. The user still can uncheck.

There is also a problem on Windows with the filetype icons. If there is a default-application set for a filetype then this gets buried deep down somewhere in the registry as it seems. You can find that by using the "restore defaults" in the filetypes editor of the Windows folder-preferences. I use my own icons for many filetypes but as soon I try to reset to the default-application the icons get restored from that as well. But this is a completley different topic... just wanted to mention it, since it fits into the topic.

[afriedman]

I am running IE 7, under XP and have oXygen set as my windows file type program for XML files. I can still open xml files with IE successfully via right click--> open with --> Internet Explorer