How To Add File Filters to Visual C++ Version 2.0

• Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Edition, version 2.0

SUMMARY

Adding file filters is an all or nothing process; the process overrides all of the default file filters intrinsic to Visual C++. This article gives you a step-by-step way to add file filters to the Microsoft Visual C++ development environment.

NOTE: This functionality was unsupported in Visual C++ 2.0 and was removed from Visual C++ 4.0.

WARNING: This process involves modifying the system registry, a process usually done by applications, not people. Errors in editing the registry may result in undefined behavior. The use of the registry to override the default file filters in Visual C++ may be revised in future versions of Visual C++.

MORE INFORMATION

Step-by-Step Method to Add File Filters to Visual C++

1. Start REGEDT32.EXE (located in the \SYSTEM32 subdirectory of the Windows NT directory).

2. From the HKEY_CURRENT_USER tree:

       - Double-click Software.
       - Double-click Microsoft.
       - Double-click Visual C++ 2.0
       - Double-click File Filters, which should be empty if this is the first
         anyone has added file filters for Visual C++.
   

3. From the Edit menu, choose Add Value to bring up the Add Value dialog box.

4. In the Value Name field, type "CommonOpen" (without the quotation marks). This is the Name field for the first entry in the File Filter Entry List (see below). Click the OK button. Note that all entries are of type REG_SZ. Now you have a String Editor dialog box.

5. Type "Common Files (*.mak;*.c;*.cpp;*.cxx;*.h;*.rc)" (without the quotation marks) in the String Editor dialog box. This is the Data field for the first entry in the File Filter Entry List. Click the OK button.

6. Repeat steps 3 through 5 for the remainder of the entry list.

File Filter Entry List for Default File Filters for Visual C++

Key Name:        Software\Microsoft\Visual C++ 2.0\File Filters

Name:            CommonOpen
Data:            Common Files (*.mak;*.c;*.cpp;*.cxx;*.h;*.rc)

Name:            CommonProject
Data:            Common Files (*.c;*.cpp;*.cxx;*.rc;*.def;*.odl)

Name:            Filter1
Data:            7,Source Files (*.c;*.cpp;*.cxx)

Name:            Filter2
Data:            7,Header Files (*.h;*.hpp;*.hxx)

Name:            Filter3
Data:            7,Resource Files (*.rc)

Name:            Filter4
Data:            1,Image Files (*.bmp;*.dib;*.ico;*.cur)

Name:            Filter5
Data:            5,Projects (*.mak)

Name:            Filter6
Data:            1,Browse Info Files (*.bsc)

Name:            Filter7
Data:            1,Executable Files (*.exe;*.dll;*.drv)

Name:            Filter8
Data:            7,Definition Files (*.def)

Name:            Filter9
Data:            2,Object Description Files (*.odl)

Name:            Filter10
Data:            2,Library Files (*.lib)

Name:            Filter11
Data:            2,Object Files (*.obj)

• 1 means use this File Filter in a File Open list.
• 2 means use this File Filter in a Project Files list.
• 4 means use this File Filter in a Find in Files list (reserved, but not used yet).

NOTE: If the Visual C++ version 2.0 registry is corrupted, it may be deleted. The next time you run Visual C++, you will be warned that the registry does not exist and a new, default registry will be built.