windowswindows-explorer
What do I need to do to add an item to the right click menu for files with certain file extensions, along with sub menus?
An example would be adding items to run Python files (.py, .pyw, .pyc) with a specific version of Python, so the menu for a .py files would look like say:
Open
7-Zip >
...7zip stuff
Run >
Python 2.5
Python 2.6
Python 3.1
Edit >
IDLE 2.5
IDLE 2.6
IDLE 3.1
various other items
I've written a lengthy explanation of how to clean up a messy context menu, using either the registry editor:
If you want to clean things up the truly geeky way, you can open up regedit.exe through the start menu search or run box, and then browse down to one of the following keys…
Most of the menu items that used for all files and folders can be found by looking at one of these keys:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AllFileSystemObjects\ShellExItems that are specific to folders can usually be found in one of these keys instead:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers
You can read more at: How to Clean Up Your Messy Windows Context Menu
Or use some freeware NirSoft tools like ShellMenuView or ShellExView.
A similar problem was treated in the following thread : HgTortoise in Vista 64-bit not showing the context menu.
There, the accepted answer was a way to run 32-bit windows explorer on Vista 64-bit using the command:
%Systemroot%\SysWOW64\explorer.exe /separate
A later update to the thread said:
Update: TortoiseHg 0.8 (released 2009-07-01) now includes both 32 and 64 bit shell extensions in the installer, and also works with Windows 7. The workaround described below is no longer necessary.
So it seems that your problem is that some products simply install only one version of the extension, either 32 and 64 bits. This is normal, since 32-bit shell extensions cannot be loaded into a 64-bit Windows Explorer, and vice-versa.
A solution would then be, for each such product, to find the missing shell extension 32/64-bits version and to install it in its proper environment.
Best Answer
FileMenu Tools can help you create extra items in the context menu of Windows Explorer, including sub-menus. You can add the extra items only for some extensions or type of elements (files, drives, folders, ...).