Open With my program doesn't work

Question

I have Java program which runs on PCs and saves files with a special extension. When I double click on a saved file, I would like it to open with my program. This worked before when my program was stored on the C drive. But now I store it more appropriately in the Program Files folder, and it does not work anymore.
If I try to say Open With and browse to my program, it does not show up in the list, so I cannot choose it. Or if I go to Default Programs in the Start menu, click on Associate a file type or protocol with a specific program, select my extension, click on Change program, and browse to my program, again it does not show up in the list, so I still cannot choose it.
I am using Windows Vista, and I am able to make associations with other programs, but not with my program.
How can I make it work? Thanks for your time!

Answer 1

Sorry to bother you with this. Yes, this was a Windows problem, not a Java problem.
The solution was to use the Registry Editor. Just for the record, let me post my solution:
For being able to open files with my extension, I had to create a registry in
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts,
including the subkey of the program name in the subfolder OpenWithList
and the subkey of the program id in the subfolder OpenWithProgIds.
And for the program id I had to create another registry entry in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT,
including the subfolders Shell, Open, and Command, where I placed the
subkey of the directory of my program.
I did all this with my installation program Inno Setup (www.jrsoftware.org). Here is
the code I created with Inno Setup for recognizing my ".ac" extension:
[Registry]
Root: HKCU; Subkey: "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.ac"; Flags: uninsdeletekeyifempty
Root: HKCU; Subkey: "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.ac\OpenWithList"; Flags: uninsdeletekeyifempty
Root: HKCU; Subkey: "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.ac\OpenWithList"; ValueType: string; ValueName: "a"; ValueData: "Ananya.exe"; Flags: uninsdeletekey
Root: HKCU; Subkey: "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.ac\OpenWithProgIds"; Flags: uninsdeletekeyifempty
Root: HKCU; Subkey: "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.ac\OpenWithProgIds"; ValueType: binary; ValueName: "AnanyaCurves"; Flags: uninsdeletekey
Root: HKCR; Subkey: "AnanyaCurves"; Flags: uninsdeletekey
Root: HKCR; Subkey: "AnanyaCurves"; ValueType: string; ValueData: "AnanyaCurves"; Flags: uninsdeletekey
Root: HKCR; Subkey: "AnanyaCurves\Shell"; Flags: uninsdeletekey
Root: HKCR; Subkey: "AnanyaCurves\Shell"; ValueType: string; Flags: uninsdeletekey
Root: HKCR; Subkey: "AnanyaCurves\Shell\Open"; Flags: uninsdeletekey
Root: HKCR; Subkey: "AnanyaCurves\Shell\Open"; ValueType: string; Flags: uninsdeletekey
Root: HKCR; Subkey: "AnanyaCurves\Shell\Open\Command"; Flags: uninsdeletekey
Root: HKCR; Subkey: "AnanyaCurves\Shell\Open\Command"; ValueType: string; ValueData: """C:\Program Files\AnanyaCurves\Ananya.exe""""%1"""; Flags: uninsdeletekey
Now my program even shows up in the Recommended Programs!
And, by the way, this only worked if I put my extension key in
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts.
It did not work if I tried to put my extension key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT.