Associating Programs with File Extensions

Using Solar Eclipse Preferences, you can set which programs the system uses to open and display documents or images that are attached to Eclipse records. For example, you can set a particular image viewer to display all .gif or .jpg files. The settings are specific to your user, and override the Windows-level file extensions settings for documents with the same extensions for documents that you open directly from within Solar Eclipse. The Windows-level settings still apply for documents you open outside of Solar Eclipse.

If you do not define a program to display a specific file extension, the system uses the Windows-level settings to determine which program to use to open the file. For information about associating a file extension with a program in Windows, see the Windows online help.

ClosedTo associate a program with a file extension in your Solar Preferences:

  1. From the File menu, select Preferences, and click the Helper Programs tab.

The table displays the file extensions and the programs used to open attachments with those extensions.

  1. Do either of the following:

To...

Do this...

Open a file type with the default program set at the operating system level.

If you set a file type to DEFAULT and the operating system does not have a setting defined for that file type, then the user is prompted to select which program to use when they try to open a file of that type.

  1. In the Extension field, enter the file extension, such as .jpg or .pdf.

  2. In the Program to Open field, enter DEFAULT.

 

Assign a program to open documents with a specific file extension.

 

  1. In the Extension field, enter the file extension, such as .jpg or .pdf.

  2. In the Program to Open field, click the Folder icon to browse to and select the .exe file of the program you want to use to display files with the extension.

For example, to open PDF documents in Adobe Reader, enter .pdf in the Extension field, and select the AcroRd32.exe file in the Program to Open field.

Remove references to the Internal Viewer

If you were using the Alternate Viewer to view your documents and images, starting in Release 8.6.5, the Alternate Viewer is no longer available. File extensions set to use the Alternate Viewer display with Internal Viewer in the Program to Open field.

If the file extension is associated to the Internal Viewer, and Eterm is installed, the system displays the document or image in the Eterm Image Viewer.

Select the line that displays Internal Viewer in the Program to Open field and press Alt Del.

Remap the file extensions to new programs if necessary.

If you are unsure which program to assign to a file type, use the DEFAULT option described above.

  1. Click OK to save your changes.

ClosedTo associate a program with a file extension when you open an attachment:

  1. Display an Eclipse record that has a file attached. This record displays an ClosedImage icon.

  1. Press Shift-F8 or click the Image Icon to display the file Attachments window, which lists the documents attached to the record.

  2. Double-click an item to open the attachment.

The Choose File Association window displays.

  1. Click the Folder icon to browse to and select the .exe file associated with the program you want to use to open the attachment.

  2. To use the .exe file you selected to open all attachments with the same file extension within Solar, select the Always use the selected program to open this kind of file check box.

  3. Click OK to save your changes and open the attachment.

 

See Also:

Setup Requirements for Document Imaging