Set Python script as default for opening file type

Question

I am trying to set my Python script as default program to open a file (e.g. open every .txt file with my program when I double click on it). I already tried this:

from sys import argv

# write the arguments to a file for debugging purposes
with open("output.txt", "w+") as f:
    f.write(repr(argv))

I converted the script into a .exe with pyinstaller, otherwise Windows won't let me use it to open files.

In the command prompt, it works: typing main.exe some args indeed yields an output.txt file, with inside it ["C:\...\main.exe", "some", "args"].

I was hoping that by opening a .txt file with this script (in File Explorer > right click on file > open with > more apps > check "always use this app" and selecting the executable), it would be the same as running main.exe C:\...\that_file_that_i_just_clicked.txt in the command prompt, from which I could then use the file path to open it in my program. However, this does not happen. In fact, main.exe never even gets executed (because it doesn't even create a new output.txt).

How can I link a pyinstaller-generated executable to always open a filetype, and how do I then know the path of the opened file in Python?

The "open" action for the autogenerated progid should include the "%1" file path, but it won't include the extra %* command-line arguments, if you need that. Your test script relies on the working directory, and offhand I'm not sure what that will be for a PyInstaller executable. It should be the directory of the target file, but try writing "output.txt" in a fully-qualified location that's hard coded in the script, and include the value of os.getcwd(). — Eryk Sun
– Eryk Sun, Commented Jun 18, 2020 at 19:41
@ErykSun Converting everything to absolute file path seems to have fixed it. The opened file path now appears in output.txt. Thanks! (How do I mark your answer as "correct"?) — Artie Vandelay
– Artie Vandelay, Commented Jun 19, 2020 at 10:06

Artie Vandelay · Accepted Answer · 2020-06-20 12:35:30Z

1

The thing that I was doing wrong, was creating output.txt using a relative file path. Since the script was converted into an .exe (which basically wraps the interpreter and the script into a single file), the relative file path stopped working.

Using an absolute file path fixed my issue (as pointed out by Eryk Sun).

answered Jun 20, 2020 at 12:35

Artie Vandelay

4762 silver badges12 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Set Python script as default for opening file type

1 Answer 1

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related