Overriding ArcGIS 9.3.1 File Handling

There is a neat little tool that has been added with the release of ArcGIS 9.3.1. This is a ArcGIS 9.3.1 File Handler. The tool allows you to set the default behaviour so that a particular application is always launched when you click on one of the ArcGIS file formats.

In addition to being able to add layers into a map or globe using drag and drop from ArcCatalog or Windows Explorer, or using the Add Data dialog, you can also launch layer files (LYR files) and layer packages (LPK files) by double-clicking them in Windows Explorer, Outlook emails, etc or by clicking on them in web pages. When you launch a layer, it will be sent to one of three applications: ArcMap, ArcGlobe. or ArcGIS Explorer. By default, the layer will be sent to the application that is currently running. So if ArcMap is running, it will be sent to ArcMap, and so on. If no application is running when you launch a layer, ArcMap will start automatically and the layer will be added into it.

The ArcGIS 9.3.1 File Hander can be found in your Program Files\Common Files\ArcGIS\bin folder. Starting the utility presents you with a very simple UI to work with.

From this UI you are able to select the the default application for LYR’s (Layers) and LPK’s (Layer Packages). You can also set the default behaviour for MXD’s, PMF’s, NMF’s, SXD’s and 3DD’s. As mentioned above, if one of the relevant applications is running, the file will be sent to this first else then follow what’s set in the ArcGIS 9.3.1 File Handler.

This is a nice tool to control how you handle you ArcGIS 9.3.1 files.