Microsoft KB Archive/87176

= Associating .EXE, .COM, or .BAT Files with MS-DOS Shell =

Article ID: 87176

Article Last Modified on 11/26/2003

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft MS-DOS 4.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft MS-DOS 4.01 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft MS-DOS 5.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft MS-DOS 5.0a
 * Microsoft MS-DOS 6.0 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q87176



SUMMARY
If you are creating batch programs, you might find it useful to associate the .BAT extension with a text editor (for example, MS-DOS Editor). So when you double-click on a .BAT file in an MS-DOS Shell file list, Editor will run and load that batch file.

However, if you associate a program with an .EXE, .COM, or .BAT extension, you will be unable to run program files that have the associated extension by double-clicking on the file in Shell's file list or by selecting the file and choosing Open from the File menu.

To run a program file that has an associated extension, create a program item to start the program file. If you are using MS-DOS version 5.0 or 6.0, you can also use the Run command from the File menu.



MS-DOS 4.x
MS-DOS 4.x Shell allows you to associate the .BAT extension with a program. You cannot associate .COM or .EXE extensions.

If you associate a program with a .BAT extension, you will be unable to run a batch file by double-clicking on it in the file list or by selecting the file and choosing Open from the File menu. To run a program file with a .BAT extension, create a program item for the program.

MS-DOS 5.0, 5.0a, and 6.0
MS-DOS 5.0 or 6.0 Shell allows you to associate a .EXE, .COM, or .BAT extension with a program.

If you associate a program with an .EXE, .COM, or .BAT extension, you will be unable to run program files that have the associated extension by double-clicking on the file in the file list or by selecting the file and choosing Open from the File menu. To run a program file that has an associated extension, use the Run option from the File menu or create a program item for the program.

