Question How to create a shell menu entry for creating a file without an extension?

[The Electro Machine]

I very often make notes in my folders- just a simple single file without content: its FILENAME parameter serves as a note [an info / warning / explanation / instruction / whatever]. I find this modus operandi very efficient and also extremely simple- thus time saving

Unfortunately: every time I loose some time by repeating the mundane task of removing an extension of such file. Because the steps are:
1] I click right mouse button so that the shell menu would show up
2] I navigate to "New" in the menu
3] I navigate further to the section with file formats
4] I choose a format
5] I write my note
6] I accept it
7] I have to remove the file extension; one way or another

That last point is a total drag- and at the same time it is vital, because only then I get a nice looking file with a distinctive blank white icon provided by the OS. This icon stands out so much that there is no way I would not spot it out why glancing through my files. And that also works in various Search windows

And as I was able to clean my shell menu with various REG files and pieces of software settings then maybe another registry hack could do this? Does anyone has an idea how to tweakthe shell menu to be able to have just right click, go to New and select a creation of an extension-less file?


I suppose that under the

Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*

there should be created a new key named

ShellNew

Because the >>*<< apllies in Registry "to all", as I understand it. Or rather it should be done in

Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\

as that first one applies to files that are right-clicked? But then what?



Or maybe there should be a key >> << [a one "without" a name] in the Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ - thus making a

Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ \ShellNew\

entry? Because that single pause would somehow tell Windows to not make and extension?

 

[USAFRet]

What "application" is being used to create these notes?

Windows uses the extension as a first indicator of what to use to open this next time.
You can easily cause File Explorer to simply not display extension.

I'm a bit confused as to why the need for a file of <whatever> to not have an extension.

 

[The Electro Machine]

file without extension = file with a default white/ blank icon
file without extension = THIS MUST BE SOME IMPORTANT MESSAGE THAT I WROTE TO MYSELF
file without a white/ blank icon = THIS MUST BE SOME IMPORTANT MESSAGE THAT I WROTE TO MYSELF

Since I can remember [Windows 95?] this can be achieved manually - be removing extension by hand. I do not want to remove it - I need it to not exist in a first place

Hiding extension would be a workaround - because I could use whatever file-format that I do not normally use for such purpose. But this is out of the question because my modus operandi requires me seeing extensions

 

[USAFRet]

And what application are you using to create these notes?
The application used applies its own relevant extension.

If I create an save a file in Notepad, it gets a .txt
If I create an image in Paintshop Pro, it gets an extension applicable to whatever image format I saved it in. .jpg/psp/png/whatever.

If you're using Notepad for these, if you enclose the filename in " " it saves with NO extension.

1. Open Notepad
2. Write your note
3. Save
4. When you give it a filename.... "MyImportantNote"
5. Saves with no extension.

ex:

 

[The Electro Machine]

And what application are you using to create these notes?
[...]

Whichever?

This is completely irrelevant. Because whichever I will create - that I will strip of extension

If you're using Notepad for these, if you enclose the filename in " " it saves with NO extension.

1. Open Notepad

[...]

If this is suppose to be a workaround then it is even longer that the one arleady presented by me



I need some registry hack or some software that will put CREATE-EXTENSIONLESS-FILE entry in my "New" in my Shell Menu

 

[USAFRet]

What application is not "irrelevant".

Do you want ALL newly created files to be extensionless?
Or only some?

That "workaround" even longer? It is a whole 2 extra keystrokes in saving the file. " and "


Just trying to get a handle on what you're actually trying to do.
The application used absolutely makes a difference.

 

[The Electro Machine]

I need to have in my Shell Menu in my sub-menu entitled >>New<< a new entry. This entry will create a new file that will have no extension. So with only two clicks I will be transported to a window in which I will write FILENAME - and that name of file will be my note

In how many different ways can I explain the same thing?

 

[The Electro Machine]

Maye instead of registry hack this could be done with an usage of a BAT of PS1 script?

But in the end I would need to have a convenient way to execute them - preferably by choosing them from shell menu

 

[USAFRet]

And I'm just asking what application should be invoked by this "NEW".

A basic textfile via Notepad?
Or something else?

 

[The Electro Machine]

No application?

If you create a file named "Sample File" and after the dot put something like "UHSDUFHDSUHFSDFDJSF" - which software is it associated this with then, this UHSDUFHDSUHFSDFDJSF file format? With no software. The user can later on associate such "Sample File.UHSDUFHDSUHFSDFDJSF" with any application - but that of course will not make it work in it. But that is not the point

The point is that it is possible in Windows to create files for non-existing applications; and that it is possible to remove extension completely from exiting files

And I need to take advantage of those possibilities and create a time saving combo out of them

 

[USAFRet]

No application?

If you create a file named "Sample File" and after the dot put something like "UHSDUFHDSUHFSDFDJSF" - which software is it associated this with then, this UHSDUFHDSUHFSDFDJSF file format? With no software. The user can later on associate such "Sample File.UHSDUFHDSUHFSDFDJSF" with any application - but that of course will not make it work in it. But that is not the point

The point is that it is possible in Windows to create files for non-existing applications; and that it is possible to remove extension completely from exiting files

And I need to take advantage of those possibilities and create a time saving combo out of them

Going back a step or two...how is this file 'created'? With or without an extension.

Windows itself is just the operating system. It has little or no functionality to create a file.

So presumably you'd use Notepad?
Notepad++
PDF something....

Or are you writing this text info directly from the commandline and then saving it, hopefully with no extension?
(which would involve invoking cmd or powershell)

WHAT you're using has direct impact on HOW you do it.

 

[The Electro Machine]

[...]
"Sample File.UHSDUFHDSUHFSDFDJSF"
[...]

[...]
how is this file 'created'? With or without an extension.

Windows itself is just the operating system. It has little or no functionality to create a file
[...]

Thus I need a way to do it

But you are mistaken


If I choose from >>New<< a >>Text Document<<, then it is the Windows Explorer [thus directly the operating system] or a file-manager like FreeCommander creating [indirectly] a file with this TXT extension- and not the Notepad, Notepad2, Notepad++, WordPad, Libre Writer or whatever Notepad-like or word processing software than is present on my system. The file will not be opened until I say so. And it is the operating system that sends the file to the right software

 

[USAFRet]

So, if I may...

Like this?

The "information"...the note'...is actually the file name?

 

[USAFRet]

"New" - "Text Document" open Notepad. Unless that association has been changed.
"New" - "Bitmap Image" opens some image editing thing.

Save, and that application saves a file, blank or otherwise, with its default extension. Unless it is told to do otherwise. " "

 

[The Electro Machine]

I see now that Windows Explorer is somewhat better in this particular regard- because the user can delete the extension before acceptance of the name. So this equals less overall clicks. But this user does not use Windows Explorer. This user uses now this BAT script

@echo off
set /p FileName=""
echo.>"%~1\%FileName%"

And on top of that in FreeCommander a toolbar icon for that BAT file with a Parameter set for it to e.g.

%ActivDir%

And this combo works beautifully. But I still would rather

1] Have the ability to run this script anywhere without the help of FreeCommander

2] Have the ability to press Esc to close the evoked CMD window waiting for the name

3] Change the icon of those extension-less files from default to a one chosen by me



Alternatively to most from above / this topic:

Is it possible to hide a chosen extension and just only that one extension? Somehow cheat operating system into showing all files with their extensions [in detailed view mode] - with the exception of that one file format [for which nothing after dot would be displayed and also no dot would be displayed despite their factual existence]?