I would really love to be able to open files read-only from my right mouse click menu.

You're talking XP, right?

You could write a DOS script that would do the opening, assuming you could pass the file name (of the highlighted file) to the script. Then you'd add the DOS script to the "open with" option (which I know is easily done).

You could write a DOS script that would do the opening, assuming you could pass the file name (of the highlighted file) to the script

Would that be app independent?

You know what? I miss switches. I mean, I assume and even know they're still out there, but last time I tried to research Eudora's startup switches it was so overly difficult...

Would that be app independent?

DOS can tell the underlying XP OS to open a particular file and XP then picks the correct app based on the usual file-type association. For example, I type an Excel file name on the DOS command line and Excel starts with the file I typed open.

Not sure if there's a "read only" switch for DOS.

Not sure if there's a "read only" switch for DOS.

Then I don't think I understand your suggestion.

Well, I was hoping there'd be one. Maybe I'll look when I'm sober.

ita, would having a DOS script that first changed the file to read-only, then opened it, then changed the file back to writeable work?

Of course, one disadvantage of this would be if the file is read-only in the first place, it will end up writeable.

Of course, the big question is still whether a DOS script can get the highlighted file name passed to it as a parameter when the script is called by the right-click/open-with functionality.

eta: Also, there is a switch to open a file read-only for editing....

The switching of the file's status wouldn't work, because I'm trying to solve a work problem where I need a gazillion files open to do what I'm doing, but I don't want to lock the editors out--I'm just using most of them for reference.

Don't sweat it, tommy. I appreciate your effort, but I was hoping to take advantage of work already done, in a...what was that app?...PowerTools or whatever sort of way.

Actually, this part:

whether a DOS script can get the highlighted file name passed to it as a parameter when the script is called by the right-click/open-with functionality.

I've been wondering for years - if I could do that I could save myself a bit of file maintenance work on one of our client's systems.

But really, the sucky thing is that Windows lacks a decent scripting language (.bat files don't count). Isn't there a new scripting facility in Vista?

(Reuters) - Apple Inc. said it launched iTunes Plus, a digital rights management-free music download service, for $1.29 per song.

The new service, offering higher audio quality music downloads, will operate alongside the existing iTunes, which offers music tracks at 99 cents per song, Apple said in a statement.

Separately, Apple said it will also offer educational materials from universities on its new iTunes U service

hmmm University classes....

ita-there is not a chance that most of these files you are opening are office files is there?

Cause if so, office has an option to open files read-only, and you could probably write a macro to make it a one-click choice.