Folder Fodder

Reader Eric King, who contacted me via e-mail, describes an alternative way to create multiple folders. Right-click in the folder in which you want the new folders to appear and type W, F. Repeat the steps, and Windows will name the folders in numbered order, so there's no need to name each folder as you make it (see FIGURE 3). Sure, you'll likely want to rename them eventually, but this is a quick way to get started.

Clean Up 'Open With'

How do I remove programs from the list that appears when I select the Open With, Choose Program option in my right-click menu?

Dave Beauregard, Wareham, Massachusetts

First, let's note that Windows makes it easy to add a program to those listed in the Open With submenu of your context (right-click) menu: All you need to do is right-click the document, select Open With, Choose Program, pick the program from the list, and click OK. Your choice will be on the Open With submenu the next time you right-click that file type.

Removing an item from the list of Open With programs requires editing the Windows Registry; as in the first tip, start by backing up your Registry, following the same "Step-By-Step" instructions.

Once the backup is complete, choose Start, Run, type regedit, and press <Enter> to open the Registry Editor. Navigate in the left pane down to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts.

If necessary, click the + (plus sign) next to the FileExts key to expand the branches beneath it. Next, click the + beside the key representing the file extension for the menu you want to edit. Select the OpenWithList key under the extension key.

In the pane on the right side, select the icon that corresponds to the menu item you would like to remove from your context menu. (Note that you won't see the menu item by name, but rather the name of the file that the menu item launches.) Right-click it, choose Delete (or just press the <Delete> key on your keyboard), and click Yes (or press <Enter>) to confirm (see FIGURE 4).

The next time you right-click a file and choose the Open With shortcut, only the program options you decided to have there will be presented to you. If only it were this easy to throttle back all of Windows' runaway menus!