Windows has an engrossing love/hate relationship with file extensions. It can’t live without them, but it’d sure like to keep them out of sight. Windows needs file extensions so that it knows the actions it can take with a particular file. But Microsoft seems to feel that extensions look ugly, so it makes Windows hide them for as long as possible. This improves the cosmetic look of long filenames and a few other things, but it also has some undesirable consequences. So by default, Win hides file extensions for registered file types, relying on icons in their various Form thumbnails, tiles, and icons to identify the file type & the extension. In Details view, the Type column in the Explorer Win & dialog boxes displays the file type. & because majority every file type is registered either by Win itself or by the program you install that creates that type of file, all file extensions remain hidden until you change the settings. If you’re comfortable with icons, this is more or less okay. But if not, you can display majority file extensions as follows:

1. Choose Organize Folder & Search Options to display the Folder Options dialog box.

2. Click the View tab to display the View page.

3. Clear the Hide File Extensions for Known File Types check box.

4. Click the OK button to close the dialog box.

As you can see in the list, the LNK file type is used for shortcuts. So if you make Win display the extension for LNK files, you’ll see a .lnk extension popping up for shortcuts on your Desktop, for shortcuts on your Start menu, & for shortcuts in Explorer Win. The .lnk extensions on the Desktop are entirely harmless, but the extensions on the Start menu are ugly & make it a little more awkward to use. For one thing, the four extra characters - the period & LNK - make each of the cascading menus wider than it would otherwise be. & apart from the visual distraction, it’s conceptually a little distracting to realize that many of the items on the Start menu are plain old shortcuts. It’s not quite like pulling aside the wizard’s curtain, but it gives a feeling that the Start menu is held together by virtual string & sealing wax.

Similarly, the URL file type is for Internet shortcuts & URLs. So if you make Win display the .url extension, it appears on all Internet shortcuts, including those on your Favorites menus. This too looks ugly, & you can see why Microsoft doesn’t want these extensions displayed.

The problem with not displaying extensions is that some file types can be used to deliver viruses. All the scripting file types - VBE & VBS files, JSE & JS files, WSF files, even SCF files - can perform a wide variety of actions on your Laptop without consulting you.

No savvy user will run a script that arrives unsolicited: It could be just about anything, & the chances of it doing anything pleasant are small. But, because Win hides these extensions, a script file can easily masquerade as another file type. For example, said a malefactor creates a script file & names it Latest Britney Clip.mp3.vbs. Because the .vbs extension is hidden, this file shows up as Latest Britney Clip.mp3. If the user double-clicks it, thinking that doing so will start the file playing in their default MP3 player for example, Win Media Player, the script executes instead. The icon for the script will be wrong, but people often miss this, particularly in Details view in Explorer or when opening an attachment from e-mail. Any antivirus program worth using will catch such scripts, but many people forget to check every file they receive, especially if a file seems to have appealing contents.

Win Vista doesn’t let you display these always-hidden extensions, so keep using your antivirus program, & check the source of any files you receive that appear suspicious.

Changing the File Type Linked to an Extension

As mentioned earlier, some programs grab file types without asking, either during their setup routines or each time you run them. Other programs ask for permission before grabbing. Either way, you’ll sometimes need to change file types so that they’re associated with the program you want rather than with the greediest program around. To change the file type linked to a particular extension, follow these steps:

1. Right-click a file with that extension, & then choose Properties from the context menu. Win displays the Properties dialog box for the file. The General page displays information including the type of file the Type of File readout & the program associated with it the Opens With readout.

2. Click the Change button. Win displays the Open With dialog box.

3. In the Programs list box, select the program with which to open the file:

• Win breaks down the programs it offers into two categories: Recommended Programs & Other Programs.

• If neither category lists the program you want to use, click the Browse button. Win displays a second Open With dialog box. This dialog box is an Open dialog box in disguise. Navigate to & select the program, & then click the Open button. Win closes the second Open With dialog box & returns you to the first Open With dialog box.

4. Click the OK button. Win closes the first Open With dialog box & links the extension to the file type you selected.

5. Click the OK button. Win closes the Properties dialog box for the file.

Changing the Program Associated with a File Type

If you find that one program grabs another program’s file types, you may need to change the program associated with a file type. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Choose Start Default Programs to open a Default Programs window.

2. Click the Associate a File Type or Protocol with a Specific Program link to open the Set Associations window.

3. In the list box, select the file type you want to change. By default, this list is sorted alphabetically by file extension name, but you can sort by the Description column or the Current Default column by clicking the appropriate column heading.

4. Click the Change Program button to display the Open With dialog box.

5. If the program you want to use appears in the Recommended Programs list or the Other Programs list, select it. Otherwise, click the Browse button to display a second Open With dialog box, which is a standard Win Open dialog box given a new name. Navigate to the folder that contains the program you want, select the program, & then click the Open button. Win returns you to the first Open With dialog box, in which it selects the program you chose.

6. Click the OK button to close the Open With dialog box & apply your choice.