How to associate a command with files that have no extension (Regedit)

Question

I have several processes that generate files with no extension at all and would like to add a custom context menu menu (i.e. be able to right click on them and select 'open in Notepad' or 'make .txt file' etc)

I know I can associate (add) a command (e.g. "OpenNotepad") for a particular filetype (extension), or all filetypes...

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\Shell\OpenNotepad]    ​      <--  All files/folders
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\txtfile\Shell\OpenNotepad]    ​<-- .txt files

But how can I do this for files that have no extension?...

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ ?? \Shell\OpenNotepad]      ​<--  Files with no extension?

Answer 1

To add shell menu entries for files with no extension, use this registry branch:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.\Shell]

Example:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.\Shell\OpenNotepad]

References:

• How to Associate a Program with Files that have No Extension

• windows 7 - Remove association with blank file extension? - Super User

Answer 2

Doing so for text editors other than NotePad is slightly different due to whitespaces in the path:

• CLI:
  1. Open an Admin terminal: +R → Open: powershell → Ctrl+Shift+OK

  2. # Associates no extension files with VS Code: (path must be double backslashed)
       # Quotes around %1 allow for files with whitespaces in names
       Reg Add 'HKCR\.\shell\open\command' /t REG_SZ /d '"C:\\Program Files\\VS Code\\Code.exe" "%1"'
     

     
     
• GUI:
  1. Save as No-Ext Association.reg:

     Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
     
     [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.]
     @=""
     
     [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.\shell]
     
     [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.\shell\open]
     
     [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.\shell\open\command]
     @="\"C:\\Program Files\\VS Code\\Code.exe\" \"%1\""
     

  2. Import into Registry via:
     • Opening No-Ext Association.reg from Explorer
     • Admin terminal:

       Reg Import ".\No-Ext Association.reg"