Changes

== Explanation ==

== Explanation ==

The answer is that explorer treats the files in a web folder differently from local files.  A web folder is a directory on a web server that supports the webdav protocol.  One opens a web folder in Windows XP by using Network Places/Add a Network Place and giving a URL in the place where one would usually type the  \\servername\folder\path to a windows share.  Windows XP explorer displays file and folders in a web folder using icons that correspond to the filename extention, the same way as they would be displayed in a local folder.  However the context menu shows a reduced set of actions and double clicking produces a different result, most often nothing!

The answer is that explorer treats the files in a web folder differently from local files.  A web folder is a directory on a web server that supports the webdav protocol.  One opens a web folder in Windows XP by using Network Places/Add a Network Place and giving a URL in the place where one would usually type the  \\servername\folder\path to a windows share.  Windows XP explorer displays file and folders in a web folder using icons that correspond to the filename extention, the same way as they would be displayed in a local folder.  However the context menu shows a reduced set of actions and double clicking produces a different result, most often nothing! The reason for this is that most applications cannot handle a URL the way they would accept the pathname to a local file or one on a mounted network share.  Unless an application is able to open files whose pathname begins with http: or https:, the action items associated with that application are suppressed when the icon is displayed in a web folder window of explorer.

The reason for this

 

So how does the system (explorer) determine whether or not an application is able to open files based on a URL?  Inside the registry is a table of registered applications found under the key \HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft \Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\.  Any application that is able to open a type of file that is registered with explorer should be in that list.  If the application is able to open a URL should have a special entry under its key name "useURL".  The type of the entry is "string" and its value is "1".  Of course, this should only be present for applications that actually are able to open files over http or https protocols.  Adding this key for firefox made the Open actions for many of the files in my web folder suddenly accessible with a double-click action.

== Resolution ==

== Resolution ==