Thanks Ed.
You seem to eleborate in a manner that makes one learn (more than extensive explanation).

Good teaching ! < s >

Peter

>>Possibly this was in here before :
>>
>>For each extention (EXE, WAV, DBF, PPT, etc.) there will be an Icon, which we also can define ourselves.
>>How can I retrieve that from within VFP ? I suppose it needs to read the registry.
>>
>
>Yes, both the file association and the COM Server have a registry key DefaultIcon under each Shell and Server. You'll be digging around in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT - the File association detail is HKCR\.File extension while the COM Server is HKCR\Server Name. It's actually reasonably well documented.
>
>>For each application (VFP, Excel, Outlook, IE, MyApp etc.) there will be an Icon, which we also can define ourselves.
>>How can I retrieve that from within VFP ?
>>
>>
>>Please note that both of the above are not the same.
>
>That's why there are separate registry hives under HKCR for the server and the file extension.
>
>>Also note that I don't want to define them from within VFP; I only want to pick them up.
>
>Fine, you'll be using the FFC _registry class.
>
>>As for the applications, the API-call needs to be fed with the version of the application. Hence, Word6 has another Icon than Word8. Because my app will be putting the Icons on some Form, there has to be some differentiation between the user pointing to the physical location of e.g. Word6 versus Word8, and another API retrieving the version of that (EXE) file. Possibly, this API can retrieve the Icon from the app from this point already (hence here the registry is not needed).
>
>There is - if there is no DefaultIcon registry key for the association, then the file association inherits it's icon from the file extension server (DLL or EXE); the separation is ProgID-version-specific.
>
>>
>>Obviously all has to be transparent opposed to the Win-OS.
>>
>
>It is, which is why ShellExecute() works...
>
>>Can it be done ?
>>Thanks for any help !