WScript.Shell Run gives "No application is associated with the specified file for this operation." when opening images.

Question

I am facing an issue while trying to open an image file from a Silverlight app in Windows 10 using WScript.Shell.

The code is as follows.

        try
        {
            dynamic shell = AutomationFactory.CreateObject("WScript.Shell");
            shell.Run(@"C:\temp\X.jpg");
        }
        catch (Exception ex)
        {
            MessageBox.Show(ex.StackTrace);
        }

This piece of code works perfectly fine when the default application is set to 'Photos' / 'Internet Explorer' in Windows 10 'Default Apps' settings.

However, when the default app is set to 'Paint', I get an exception "No application is associated with the specified file for this operation. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80070483)"

Please note that when I try to double click on the same image in Windows explorer, it opens up in Paint application without errors.

Why does this happen? Please help.

Answer 1

Problem

• windows script host not running desired application for known file type

Solution

• expressly specify the desired application and run using WScript.Shell Object

Example

• in the example below, we reference both the program and the file we want to run with strRunLine

  <?xml version="1.0"?>
  <package>
  <job id="default">
      <script language="jscript">
      <![CDATA[
          // save to demo_runpaint.wsf
          var WshShell        =   new ActiveXObject("Wscript.Shell");
          var strRunLine      =   "";
  
          strRunLine  = "mspaint.exe C:/path/to/capture.png";
          WshShell.Run( strRunLine );
      ]]>
      </script>
  </job>
  </package>
  

Pitfalls

• the desired program must be in your system PATH or else you must specify the full path to the application expressly.