How to add start external program from menu?

[lank]

I'm embarrassed to ask this since I've done it once and can't remember how I did it or find any instructions....

I would like to add an icon on my toolbar that will open an external program. In this case Faststone Image Viewer. Ideally it would open in the folder I"m browsing in xplorer2.

[FrizzleFry]

first create a user command (from customize menu)... something like...

>"C:\Program Files\FastStone\program.exe" $A

the $A token will send all selected files to the program, you could also use $F to send only the focused file
if you do not want to send any files just leave off the token ($A)

then right click the toolbar you want to add the icon to and customize
find the user command you created in the (loooong) list and add it to the toolbar

[Kilmatead]

Huh, "Lank, Joined: Fri 12-Oct-2007"... 2007, eh? That's only... <counts fingers and toes>... a decade? (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

To add to Frizzle's instructions, you may also use $P to pass the current folder x2 is browsing, instead of any specific file therein, though whether Faststone will accept just a default path directly, I can't say.

Edit: A quick install/test reveals that using:

> "C:\Program Files (x86)\FastStone Image Viewer\FSViewer.exe" "$P"

...does indeed open Faststone to x2's currently browsed folder without having to first target any single file or folder within it. Leaving off the $P would just open the viewer to its last location, which wouldn't be very helpful.

[lank]

Thank you. I knew it was something simple.

They say memory is the first thing to go as one gets older. I can't remember what the second is.....

Until recently (like when I had to go to Windows 10) I never needed to think about external programs. Once W10 decided their "Photos" app was the default and it sucks I use different apps for different reasons and now adding to the toolbar is a great "new" feature. (Yes I know you can change default apps in Windows 10 and I have done so for photos but I need more options at times).

[FrizzleFry]

One of my main annoyances with Windows 10 is that is seems to reset the file associations from time to time and it will present the open with dialog even though I have already chosen default programs.

[QT-Pro]

One of my main annoyances with Windows 10 is that is seems to reset the file associations from time to time and it will present the open with dialog even though I have already chosen default programs.

Same thing happens to me. Dell tech support suggested I had corrupted Windows somehow and should do a clean reinstall. Eff that! I can't tell you how pleased I am to discover that it is yet another Windows bug and not something stupid I may have done.

[nikos]

many "major" win10 upgrades reset all sorts of things, including the explorer replacement mode in xplorer2. They also reset power options and other subtle settings you have to keep an eye open for. Very daft

[FrizzleFry]

I assumed that it was Windows Update that did the resetting but I had not really looked into it.

UAC, which I switch to not shade the screen, does not get reset anymore so I guess MS is working on this but the default programs got reset recently. It seems that this last time it remembered my default programs rather than reset to the default MS apps but I still had to click on the always use this program checkbox in the open with dialog.