Control Panel Association

[DoubleJ]

I installed a program that took over association for the control panel applets (*.cpl) and have since unassociated them the the offending program. My question is: Are the *.cpl files usually associated to something that allows them to be directly run and, if so, what and how do I get that association back? Thanks.

[mtgriffith]

In the folder options choose the file types tab. Scroll down to cpl and highlight it. Click on advanced. Highlight Open with Control Panel. Click edit.

This is how my computer is set up. I assume this is the default setting.

Action:

Open with Control Panel

Application used to perform action:

rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL %1,%*

[DoubleJ]

Thanks. I forgot about that in the folder options. When I got there the old association was still there, but not as the default. However, how are the icon associations worked out? If i recall correctly, they each used their own icon. Now all of mile look the same. Can you see how the icons are assigned? Thanks.

[mtgriffith]

I think you are going to have to edit the registry to fix that.

Which program did you install that has a .cpl file extension?

[DoubleJ]

Resorator, It's a resource editor. I got the association back, that it the big thing. The icon thing is just a little annoyance. The actual control panel lookc fine, its just the individual cpl files that don't seem to display their internal icon. If you have any ideas, they would be appreciated.

[Oogle]

I don't think control panel files have their own internal icons. They only have the basic "gears" icon from "shell32.dll"

But if you want to try anyways, type in "%1" instead of an actual file (e.g. "shell32.dll") when you go to change your icon. If you get errors about the %1 not being found, just ignore it and try to make sure that "%1" is saved instead.

BTW, if you do this %1 thing with bitmaps (*.bmp), the icons for each bitmap will show a preview.

[GazmanAus]

This could be tricky and rather longwinded.

Bitmaps, icons displayed for and in control panel item dialogs are generally available in the responsible .cpl file, found in the windowssystem or winntsystem32 directories. Some icon changing can be done in the registry (read on), but most can't (some are 16-bit files):

"Accesibility options", #110 in access.cpl (32)

"Add new hardware", #602 in sysdm.cpl (16)

"Automatic updates" icon: wuaucpl.cpl (32)

"Date and time" icon: datetime.cpl (32)

"Display properties" is #40 in desk.cpl (32)

"Fonts" icon is #400 in main.cpl (32)

"Gaming options" is icon #102 in joy.cpl (32)

"Internet options" icon is #4487 in inetcpl.cpl (32)

"Keyboard" icon is #200 in main.cpl (32)

"Modems" icon: modem.cpl (16)

"Mouse" icon is #100 in main.cpl (32)

"Network" icon: netcpl.cpl (16)

"ODBC data sources: ODBCCP32.CPL (32)

"Passwords" icon: passwords.cpl (32)

"Power options" is #202 in powercfg.cpl (32)

"Printers" icon is icon #300 in main.cpl (32)

"Regional settins" icon: intl.cpl (32)

"Software" icon: appwiz.cpl (32)

"Sounds and multimedia" icon: mmsys.cpl (32)

"System" : icon: sysdm.cpl (16)

"Users" icon is #1323 in inetcpl.cpl (32)

Within Me/2k (and probably XP though I haven't confirmed this), some items are moved/copied (from My computer and elsewhere) to the control panel, and can be changed through the registry. Check for an underlying "DefaultIcon" key at the appropiate clsid at HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTCLSID:

Scanners and camera's: {E211B736-43FD-11D1-9EFB-0000F8757FCD}

Folder options: {6DFD7C5C-2451-11d3-A299-00C04F8EF6AF}

Dial-Up Networking: {992CFFA0-F557-101A-88EC-00DD010CCC48}

Scheduled tasks: {D6277990-4C6A-11CF-8D87-00AA0060F5BF}

Taskbar and startmenu: {0DF44EAA-FF21-4412-828E-260A8728E7F1}

Failing all this, you could replace all system files to their original state by clicking START-RUN and typing in 'sfc /scannow' (notice the space between the c and the / ). This is an all or nothing option though as it will replace all altered system files (like a hacked uxtheme.dll) with the original file version. Also you will be prompted for your XP CD during this operation.

Wow! Good luck.

:)