Change icon of associated file type.

[tinman_72]

Hi guys,

TLDR: How can I change the icon of a particular filetype to something different than the associated program's icon?

I am not sure if this topic fits in this forum but I don't know where else to turn. I work in an environment where files are stored on a network and many people within the plant have access to open and/or edit them. The issue is that when you open a particular filetype (*.cam), it is locked. Other people can still open it but nobody can save while two people have it open. My solution was to write an AutoIt script that renames the file and appends "DO NOT OPEN" to the beginning of the filename and launches the appropriate program. Once the program closes the file is again renamed back to the original filename.

Because the company's antivirus flags pretty much any .exe compiled from AutoIt, I have to keep the script in uncompiled form. So I have edited Windows registry to open ".cam" files with AutoIt and my script as a parameter. This works as intended.

The only downside is that now ".cam" files are associated with AutoIt and Explorer shows the AutoIt icon instead of the cam software's icon. I seem to recall back in XP days you could change the icon of any associated file to whatever you wanted. (Or is my memory faulty?) I cannot seem to do this in Windows 10. Does anyone have any insight?

Thank you,

Derek 

Edited January 25 by tinman_72
Edited for clarity.