annoying issue of "How do you want to open..."

Tech Challenged said:

"The system is unable to find the registry key or value"

Ok, good

Please provide more information on why you have programs that run in the background looking for ems files
Do you have a program, app, or application (same things) that you normally open these types of files?

Thanks,

I'm not sure if that's the trigger either ... just collecting information.

When you say it gets ems'd into a folder ... what does ems stand for Estimate Manage System?
and those estimating systems are programs?

Please let me know the names of those programs (if you have the website that would be helpful too - if not, don't sweat it) so I can do some background research. There could be any number of things that the programs do and a few blind questions at a time will take a long time. I understand the concept but I have no idea of the exact process that you're using.

To get rid of the pop-up I'll try to figure out what filetype is causing it. Then assign a program to open it. The filetype .ems is not assigned to any program so that's a good start.

Thanks - somethings to read

Tech Challenged said:

Sorry, I should have stated that when this window pops up, it does not tell me what program needs an app assigned to it.

I think you mean: it does not tell me what file type needs an app assigned to it.

That's exactly what we would like to know... so yet again, please tell us what happens if you DO select one of those programs and actually put your mouse pointer over it and click it.

So what exactly do you see when that popup occurs and you click (e.g.) Microsoft Word? and if nothing useful, try another.. it should tell you sthg about what is triggering the popup.

Also try following this procedure:
Clean Boot - Perform in Windows 10 to Troubleshoot Software Conflicts - Windows 10 Forums

This will help you identify the trigger for this. You wil disable running programs, hopefully get no popups, and progressively enable them until you do. Thus you find out the cause.

The plot thickens - could you post a screenshot of the error? Often the program trying to open the file shows the filename in the title bar ... or you can look in recent files to get the filename.

If the .ems file is the culprit - try this (info from the mitchell site - your config might differ, but you know your system better than I do)

According to Mitchell, the export folder is: C:\CIECA\MITCHELL\EXPORT
and from what I could gather from your description, you use Mitchell Estimating (aka UltraMate)

If you use a different package from Mitchell (RepairCenter Shop Management?) then the following is wrong and can be ignored.

What I'd like to try is to copy a .ems file from teh export folder to another folder - or you can just create a text file with the extension .ems.

Next, right click the test .ems file and select open with
You'll have to select another program on this PC
Navigate to the Mitchel install folder (Programs files or Program Files(x86) \Mitchell ???) and select UltraMate application.
Also slect always use this application to open this type of file

All I'm trying to do at this point is associate .ems files with the Mitchell program. This in itself might not be the cause of the how do you want to open issue.

Lots of guessing bc I don't know where Mitchell gets installed, I'm not even certain I have the correct program.

Post screenshots of the process from the Open with instruction and up until the .ems filetype is assigned to Mitchell.

Your previous post says that the file cannot be found - that indicates to me that it is part of your process of moving files when entering and estimate or when ordering parts.

This is a unique program, so please bear with me as I try to troubleshoot it with you and other members.

Hi, thanks, that message is interesting:
C:\ Program Can not find this file. Please verify the correct path and file name are given

What it suggests to me is that a program is trying to open a file whose path contains spaces, but the string specifying the path and filename is not enclosed in ""

E.g.
C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\license.txt
rather than
"C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\license.txt"

The first, passed as a parameter, would produce
C:\ Program
as per your error msg.

The clean boot approach should still help you identify the program being launched which does this, if the above is not a sufficient clue.