Cannot Associate to a File with No Extension

 Last reviewed: November 21, 1994
Article ID: Q60317
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows operating system versions 3.0, 3.0a, 3.1, 3.11
  • Microsoft Windows for Workgroups versions 3.1, 3.11

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Windows File Manager, you cannot associate an application with a file that has no extension (by choosing Associate from the File menu). This behavior is by design. The Associate command associates an extension to a particular program. If there is no extension, there can be no association.

MORE INFORMATION

A common use of the Associate command is to associate the WIN.INI file to Notepad (NOTEPAD.EXE). Use the following procedure to do this:

  1. In the File Manager, select WIN.INI.

  2. Choose Associate from the File menu.

  3. If you are running Windows 3.1, select Text File (notepad.exe) from the Associate With list box. If you are running Windows 3.0 or 3.0a, type "notepad.exe" (without the quotation marks) in the Associate dialog box. Choose the OK button.

The next time a file with the INI extension is executed, it will be loaded into Notepad.

KBCategory: kbusage kbtool
KBSubcategory: win30 win31 wfw wfwg
Additional reference words: 3.00 3.0 3.0a 3.00a 3.1 3.10 3.11
win30 win31 wfw wfwg

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Last reviewed: November 21, 1994
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