I was disappointed to find that after installing 7-Zip, you can't automatically decompress an archive by double-clicking on it. Also, the archived files maintain the generic unknown file format icons which is ugly.
It seems the only way to extract an archive by default is to right-click on the file and choose one of the many context-sensitive options 7-zip creates upon installation.
My Double-Click Hack
Here is what i did to get a double-click uncompress of *.zip files using 7-zip.
1. Open up Folder Options via Control Panel.
2. Click on the File Types tab and look for a ZIP entry in the Extensions column. If you see it, you can select it and edit it or delete it and start over. If it doesn't exist, click the New button and enter zip for the extension.
5. Click the Advanced button and set the icon path to the location of your zip.dll file. Then create a new action named open and the command:
"C:\Program Files\7-Zip\7zg.exe" x "%1"
See the screenshot below for details.
Using 7Zip FileManager
If you want to do the described in XP you have to use regedit. Try associating 7zg.exe with a zip-file (see below). Then start regedit and search for 7zg. Open "shell", "open" and "command". Edit the command and put in the wanted 'x'.
The above will automatically extract on double click. What I want is to open a file with the filemanager. Try right-clicking on a zip-file and "open with...". Now select 7-Zip\7zFMn.exe (7zFM.exe for pre 2000/NT).
Herman Suijs
H.Suijs@whitehorses.nl
works!!
I have to disagree with Herman. I was able to do this using the process above in XP and not edit the registry.
You rock Matt.