Question "open with..." not working

[thebeyonder]

I was using VLC (portable) to watch video files. just double click on the file, and it opens with VLC because it's associated with VLC. no problem.

but then I moved the VLC folder to a different location on C:\. problem.

the .mp4 files are no longer associated with VLC. when I right click and "open with..." VLC is no longer in that list. I can browse to the new location and select it, but when you press "okay" it goes back to the list without accepting VLC as the selection.

if I open Control Panel, then Default Programs, "associate a file type or protocol with a program", .mp4 is found on the list but "change program" goes right back to the same "open with..." dialog that doesn't work.

I have another tool from NirSoft called FileTypesMan. it has .mp4 on the list, and you are supposed to right click and hit "edit selected file type" and that gives you lots of different stuff to change about the filetype, but the selection of what to open it with is a fixed list, which has VLC in the old location and cannot be changed.

so how do I get .mp4 to open with VLC? how do I make "open with..." take VLC when browsed to?

 

[fralexandr]

The easiest way is probably to reinstall vlc. Keep your current preferences. Tell it to install where you want it to, and associate it with the file types. Otherwise you might have to edit some registry settings.

 

[thebeyonder]

it was not installed, it's portable.

tried the "set up associations" in Preferences and restart. that didn't work.