Inno Setup: Extending Windows default apps list

Question

How is it possible to have listed my application on the Windows default apps list?

I have a special Java based video player application with an installer created by Inno Setup. I want my application to be listed on the selectable video players list on Windows 10 (I also don't know how to do it with older Windows versions).

Answer 1

For generic information, see:

• Registering an Application for Use with Default Programs on Microsoft Docs.
• How do I add my application in the Default Programs list of Windows Vista/7? on Stack Overflow

In Inno Setup, you implement this using [Registry] section :

[Registry]
; Create the application capability key
; (The location of the key does not matter)
Root: HKLM; Subkey: "Software\My Company"; Flags: uninsdeletekeyifempty
Root: HKLM; Subkey: "Software\My Company\My Program"; Flags: uninsdeletekeyifempty
Root: HKLM; Subkey: "Software\My Company\My Program\Capability"; \
    ValueType: string; ValueName: "ApplicationDescription"; \
    ValueData: "This is My Program that does stuff"; Flags: uninsdeletevalue
Root: HKLM; Subkey: "Software\My Company\My Program\Capability"; \
    ValueType: string; ValueName: "ApplicationName"; ValueData: "My Program"; \
    Flags: uninsdeletevalue
; List of extensions the application supports
Root: HKLM; Subkey: "Software\My Company\My Program\Capability\FileAssociations"; \
    ValueType: string; ValueName: ".jpg"; ValueData: "MyProgram.JPEG"; \
    Flags: uninsdeletevalue

; Add the capability key to list of registered applications
Root: HKLM; Subkey: "Software\RegisteredApplications"; \
    ValueType: string; ValueName: "My Program"; \
    ValueData: "Software\My Company\My Program\Capability"; \
    Flags: uninsdeletevalue

; For each extension that the application supports
Root: HKCR; Subkey: "MyProgram.JPEG"; Flags: uninsdeletekeyifempty
Root: HKCR; Subkey: "MyProgram.JPEG"; \
    ValueType: string; ValueName: ""; ValueData: "MyProgram JPEG"; \
    Flags: uninsdeletevalue
Root: HKCR; Subkey: "MyProgram.JPEG\DefaultIcon"; Flags: uninsdeletekeyifempty
Root: HKCR; Subkey: "MyProgram.JPEG\DefaultIcon"; \
    ValueType: string; ValueName: ""; ValueData: "{app}\MyProg.exe,1"; \
    Flags: uninsdeletevalue
Root: HKCR; Subkey: "MyProgram.JPEG\Shell"; Flags: uninsdeletekeyifempty
Root: HKCR; Subkey: "MyProgram.JPEG\Shell\open"; Flags: uninsdeletekeyifempty
Root: HKCR; Subkey: "MyProgram.JPEG\Shell\open\Command"; Flags: uninsdeletekeyifempty
Root: HKCR; Subkey: "MyProgram.JPEG\Shell\open\Command"; \
    ValueType: string; ValueName: ""; ValueData: """{app}\MyProg.exe"" ""%1"""; \
    Flags: uninsdeletevalue

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In Inno Setup 6, you should modify the core as follows to support non-administrative install mode :

1. Replace HKLM in the first block with HKA ;
2. Replace HKCR with HKA and add the Software\\Classes\\ prefix to the Subkey in the second block.

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