wails/docs/src/content/docs/guides/file-associations.mdx

---
title: File Associations
sidebar:
  order: 20
---

import { Steps } from "@astrojs/starlight/components";
import {Badge} from '@astrojs/starlight/components';

Relevant Platforms: <Badge text="Windows" variant="note" /> <Badge text="macOS" variant="success" />
<br/>

File associations allow your application to handle specific file types when
users open them. This is particularly useful for text editors, image viewers, or
any application that works with specific file formats. This guide explains how
to implement file associations in your Wails v3 application.

## Overview

File association support in Wails v3 is currently available for:

- Windows (NSIS installer packages)
- macOS (application bundles)

## Configuration

File associations are configured in the `config.yml` file located in your
project's `build` directory.

### Basic Configuration

To set up file associations:

1. Open `build/config.yml`
2. Add your file associations under the `fileAssociations` section
3. Run `wails3 update build-assets` to update the build assets
4. Set the `FileAssociations` field in the application options
5. Package your application using `wails3 package`

Here's an example configuration:

```yaml
fileAssociations:
  - ext: myapp
    name: MyApp Document
    description: MyApp Document File
    iconName: myappFileIcon
    role: Editor
  - ext: custom
    name: Custom Format
    description: Custom File Format
    iconName: customFileIcon
    role: Editor
```

### Configuration Properties

| Property    | Description                                                      | Platform |
|-------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|----------|
| ext         | File extension without the leading period (e.g., `txt`)          | All      |
| name        | Display name for the file type                                   | All      |
| description | Description shown in file properties                             | Windows  |
| iconName    | Name of the icon file (without extension) in the build folder    | All      |
| role        | Application's role for this file type (e.g., `Editor`, `Viewer`) | macOS    |
| mimeType    | MIME type for the file (e.g., `image/jpeg`)                      | macOS    |

## Listening for File Open Events

To handle file open events in your application, you can listen for the
`events.Common.ApplicationOpenedWithFile` event:

```go
func main() {
    app := application.New(application.Options{
        Name: "MyApp",
        FileAssociations: []string{".txt", ".md"}, // Specify supported extensions
    })

  // Listen for files being used to open the application
  app.OnApplicationEvent(events.Common.ApplicationOpenedWithFile, func(event *application.ApplicationEvent) {
    associatedFile := event.Context().Filename()
    application.InfoDialog().SetMessage("Application opened with file: " + associatedFile).Show()
  })

  // Create your window and run the app...
}

```

## Step-by-Step Tutorial

Let's walk through setting up file associations for a simple text editor:

<Steps>

1. ### Create Icons

    - Create icons for your file type (recommended sizes: 16x16, 32x32, 48x48,
      256x256)
    - Save the icons in your project's `build` folder
    - Name them according to your `iconName` configuration (e.g.,
      `textFileIcon.png`)

    :::tip
    You can use `wails3 generate icons` to generate the required icons for you.
    Run `wails3 generate icons --help` for more information.
    :::

    - For macOS add copy statement like `cp build/darwin/documenticon.icns {{.BIN_DIR}}/{{.APP_NAME}}.app/Contents/Resources` in the `create:app:bundle:` task.

2. ### Configure File Associations

    Edit the `build/config.yml` file to add your file associations:

    ```yaml
    # build/config.yml
    fileAssociations:
      - ext: txt
        name: Text Document
        description: Plain Text Document
        iconName: textFileIcon
        role: Editor
    ```

3. ### Update Build Assets

    Run the following command to update the build assets:

    ```bash
    wails3 update build-assets
    ```

4. ### Set File Associations in the Application Options

    In your `main.go` file, set the `FileAssociations` field in the application
    options:

    ```go
    app := application.New(application.Options{
      Name: "MyApp",
      FileAssociations: []string{".txt", ".md"}, // Specify supported extensions
    })
    ```

    :::tip[Why are file extensions required in both the application config and config.yml?]

    On Windows, when a file is opened with a file association, the application is
    launched with the filename as the first argument to the application. The
    application has no way of knowing if the first argument is a file or a command
    line argument, so it uses the `FileAssociations` field in the application
    options to determine if the first argument is an associated file or not.

    :::

5. ### Package Your Application

    Package your application using the following command:

    ```bash
    wails3 package
    ```

    The packaged application will be created in the `bin` directory. You can then
    install and test the application.

    ## Additional Notes

    - Icons should be provided in PNG format in the build folder
    - Testing file associations requires installing the packaged application

</Steps>