I am using Microsoft Dynamics AX as a Remote App, the file association used with the Dynamics client is .axc.
I haveadded a folder as an icon in TS Web Accesswhich contains numerous .axc file for access to different AX environments.

The problem I have is that these AXC files do not show any association with a program when the folder is opened through TS Web Access. If I create the file association then it works fine. Yet when someone else logs in the file assocation is gone again for them. It's almost like its individual to profiles, but I didn't think this was supposed to be the case with file extensions?

When I log onto the server locally the file assocation is correct. Is there something in the registry that wipes this association for new users? Once the file association is made for a user, it stays. Problem is we restrict the programs users can run using GP andthey are unable to run the 'Open With...' wizard,rightly so.

I havechecked the file extension into the registry in HKCR\.axcand everything seems in order.

Any suggestions?

Try to use .msi package instead of TS Web Access, this will allow you to make associations.

Unfortunately that isn't an option. We need to use TS Web Access.

Bump anyone?

Hi,

By default when you make a File Type Association using the graphical interface in Windows Server 2008 it is created as a Per User association which is stored in the user's HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Classes registry key. If there are any duplicates these Per User associations override global file type associations, which are stored in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes.

HKCR is a combination of the Per User and Global Class entries. For example, if there is an associaton for .axc in the current user's Classes hive (stored as UsrClass.dat file aka HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes) it will appear under HKCR even though it does not exist under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes.

What you need to do is manually create a global file assocation on your server under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes for the .axc extension that points to Dynamics. The easiest way to do this is to make a Per-User association using the GUI, use regedit to Export the registry keys that are created under HKCU\Classes to separate files,perform a Search and Replace to change it from HKEY_CURRENT_USER to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, and finally import the file back into the registry.

Normally you will havemultiple keys for each association to export, for example something like this:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Classes\.axc
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Classes\axc_auto_file

which you change to...

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\.axc
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\axc_auto_file

And then you Import the settings back in. When doing stuff like this I usually combine the settings into one .reg file and save it for future use.

Does that make sense? If not let me know and I will list out the step-by-step instructions. The whole process should only take a minute or two (much less than reading my explanation).

Thanks.

-TP

• Proposed as answer by TP []MVP, Moderator Friday, September 04, 2009 11:30 AM
• Unproposed as answer by Peter Egerton Friday, September 04, 2009 2:37 PM

Hi TP,

Thanks for the good suggestion but I did this already. I would have thought this should work but unfortunately doesn't. Quite frustrating.

Anything else?

Have you tried putting any other types of files in the folder? I just tried this with .txt and .pdf files, and they kept their file associations for me. If only .axc files are unassociated, then it maybe there is something different about how Dynamix AX's file associations are registered that is causing this to fail. If all file types are losing their associations, then maybe there's something strange about the way your folder is published, or your environment, that is causing problems getting the file associations from the registry.

• Marked as answer by Wilson Jia Tuesday, September 08, 2009 1:43 AM
• Unmarked as answer by Peter Egerton Tuesday, September 08, 2009 3:09 PM

Hi,

Perhaps I am misunderstanding your question and/or your configuration. I tested the solution I provided and it worked fine on my server. I will list out the steps I performed below so that you can compare it to your environment:

1. Published a remote app for explorer.exe that points to a test folder. In this folder I created two .axc files using copy con that contained test text.

2. Logged on as an administrator, I created a Global file assocation for .axc that points to Notepad using the technique I described above (registry export, search and replace, registry import).

3.Using anormal user account (that was not already logged on) Iran the remote app and then double-clicked one of the .axc files--it opened in notepad as expected. Logged off the serverafter this test.

4. Again as an administrator, I manually removed the .axc association from the registry.

5. Using a normal user account (that was not already logged on) I ran the remote app and then double-clicked one of the .axc files--I was presented with the "Windows cannot open this file..." dialog as expected.

Keep in mind that if you make a new file association by editing the registry (like I suggested), the change will not be picked up by instances of the shell (explorer.exe) that are currently running. That is one of the reasons I used a separate user that was not logged on to test the effects.

Thanks.

-TP

Hi TP,

From what you have said, we seem to have done the same steps. At least I know that it should and does work elsewhere. To me this now suggests that I have something in group policy that may be effecting the association process, i.e. a normal user is restricted in some way from reading the association or making a new association. I'll look into this.

Thanks for taking the time to go through the steps though, it has been useful.

Pete

You might also check the value of 'NoFileAssociate'

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc775436(WS.10).aspx

 

You can solve this problem by pointing the terminal services (RDSS) file path for dynamics AX to the 'bin' directory then moving all your versions of the axc file in the 'bin' directory as well.  After files are in place, edit the file path to the ax32 exe executable replacing it with the name of youconfigfile.axc. it look like this. c:\program files (x86)\microsoftdynamicsax\50\client\bin\youconfigfile.axc

Terminal services/RDSS will execute the axc file allowing you to call the application or different versions of the App based on the config file in any user profile.

 

Adding this for completeness, I had a similar problem.

I used the following commands in dos prompt:

assoc .axc=axc_file

ftype axc_file="c:\program files\applicationdir\applciation.exe" "%1"

Hope this helps someone