How to associate .slx file with Simulink - simulink

Question

I would like to be able to double-click a .slx file and have it open up in Simulink. If MATLAB is already open, I would prefer that it not open a second instance of MATLAB.
Challenges include:
unable to find .exe to associate .slx file with
Google search did not reveal solution to this challenge
Actionable suggestions or examples are appreciated
Associating .slx with matlab.exe looks like this:
My peers with OSX show .slx associated with this icon:
Starting the Simulink Software

Answer 1

Had the same problem. Here is the solution, it worked fine for my R2018b.
Run this file in Matlab and it will produce .reg file that will fix the problem (run it of course). Than restart yor PC.
Here is the code of the file if you can't (or don't want to) sign in to download it:
function associateFiles(action, userExtList, fileStr)
% Defualt input
if (nargin < 1 || isempty(action))
action = 'add';
end
if (nargin < 2)
userExtList = {};
end
if (nargin < 3)
fileStr = '';
end
if (~iscell(userExtList))
if (isempty(userExtList))
userExtList = {};
else
userExtList = {userExtList};
end
end
% Sanity check
if (~ischar(action) || (~strcmpi(action, 'add') && ...
~strcmpi(action, 'delete') && ~strcmpi(action, 'deleteadd')))
error('The action to perform must be ''add'', ''delete'' or ''deleteadd''!')
end
if (~isempty(userExtList) && ~min(cellfun(#ischar, userExtList)))
error('The file extension list must be a string or a cell array of strings!')
end
if (~ischar(fileStr))
error('The file to write to must be a string!')
end
% Get the currently running MATLAB version
verStr = regexp(version, '(\d*?\.\d*?\.\d*?)\.', 'tokens');
verStr = verStr{1}{1};
verNum = str2double(regexprep(verStr, '(\d*?\.\d*)[\x0000-\xffff]*', '$1'));
verHex = sprintf('%04x', str2double(regexprep(verStr, ...
'(\d*?)\.[\x0000-\xffff]*', '$1')), str2double(regexprep(verStr, ...
'\d*?\.(\d*?)\.[\x0000-\xffff]*', '$1')));
% Get 32/64-bit
arch = computer;
switch arch
case 'PCWIN'
binFolder = 'win32';
case 'PCWIN64'
binFolder = 'win64';
end
binPath = fullfile(matlabroot, 'bin', binFolder);
% Known MATLAB files with possible DDE actions
fileExtCell = {...
'fig' , 'MATLAB Figure' , '-62' , ...
{'Open', 'uiopen(''%1'',1)'} , [] ; ...
'm' , 'MATLAB Code' , '-58' , ...
{'Open', 'uiopen(''%1'',1)'} , {'Run', 'run(''%1'')'} ; ...
'mat' , 'MATLAB Data' , '-59' , ...
{'Load', 'load(''%1'')' } , {'Open', 'uiimport(''%1'')'}; ...
'mdl' , 'Simulink Model' , '-61' , ...
{'Load', 'uiopen(''%1'',1)'} , [] ; ...
'mdlp' , 'Simulink Protected Model' , '-72' , ...
[] , [] ; ...
'mexw32', 'MATLAB MEX' , '-63' , ...
[] , [] ; ...
'mexw64', 'MATLAB MEX' , '-63' , ...
[] , [] ; ...
'mn' , 'MuPAD Notebook' , '-66' , ...
{'Open', 'mupad(''%1'')'} , [] ; ...
'mu' , 'MuPAD Code' , '-67' , ...
{'Open', 'uiopen(''%1'',1)'} , [] ; ...
'muphlp', 'MuPAD Help' , '-68' , ...
{'Open', 'doc(symengine, ''%1'')'} , [] ; ...
'p' , 'MATLAB P-code' , '-60' , ...
[] , [] ; ...
'slx' , 'Simulink Model (SLX format)', '-73' , ...
{'Open', 'uiopen(''%1'',1)'} , [] ; ...
'ssc' , 'Simscape Model' , '-65' , ...
{'Open', 'uiopen(''%1'',1)'} , [] ; ...
'xvc' , 'MuPAD Graphics' , '-69' , ...
{'Open', 'mupad(''%1'')'} , [] ; ...
'xvz' , 'MuPAD Graphics' , '-70' , ...
{'Open', 'mupad(''%1'')'} , [] ; ...
'mlapp' , 'MATLAB Application' , [] , [], [] ; ...
'mltbx' , 'MATLAB Toolbox' , [] , [], [] ; ...
'mldatx' , 'Simulink Scenario' , [] , [], [] ; ...
'req' , 'Simulink Requirements Link' , [] , [], [] ; ...
'sldd' , 'Simulink Dictionary' , [] , [], [] ; ...
'slddc' , 'Simulink Dictionary' , [] , [], [] ; ...
'mlappinstall', 'MATLAB Application' , [] , [], [] ; ...
'mlpkginstall', 'MATLAB Support Package' , [] , [], [] ; ...
'slxp' , 'Simulink Protected Model Package', [] , [], [] ; ...
'sltx' , 'Simulink Template' , [] , [], [] ; ...
'mlprj' , 'MATLAB Project' , [] , [], []};
% Possibly trim list
if (~isempty(userExtList))
fileExtCell = fileExtCell(ismember(fileExtCell(:, 1), ...
regexprep(userExtList, '\.', '')), :);
end
% Make registry file
if (~isempty(fileStr))
% Possibly add file extension
[~, ~, tmp] = fileparts(fileStr);
if (isempty(tmp))
fileStr = [fileStr, '.reg'];
end
fid = fopen(fileStr, 'w');
else
fid = fopen('MatlabFileAssocFix.reg', 'w');
end
if (fid == -1)
error('Failed to create registry file')
end
% Write intial lines
fprintf(fid, '%s\r\n\r\n', 'Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00');
fprintf(fid, '%s\r\n\r\n', ';FIXES MATLAB FILE ASSOCIATIONS');
% REMOVE OLD KEYS
explorerKey = ['HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\', ...
'CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts'];
% Iterate over file extensions
for fileExtNo = 1 : size(fileExtCell, 1)
rmKeys = {};
fileExt = fileExtCell{fileExtNo, 1};
% File extension keys
[status, result] = dos(['reg query HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT /f .', fileExt, ...
' /k /e']);
if (~status)
keys = regexp(result, '(HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT[\x0000-\xffff]*?)\n', 'tokens');
rmKeys = [rmKeys, keys{:}];
end
% Old style keys without version numbers
if (~strcmpi(fileExt, 'mexw64'))
% Uses single DDE key for mex files
if (strcmpi(fileExt, 'mexw32'))
fileExtTmp = 'mex';
else
fileExtTmp = fileExt;
end
[status, result] = dos(['reg query HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT /f ', ...
fileExtTmp, 'file /k /e']);
if (~status)
keys = regexp(result, '(HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT[\x0000-\xffff]*?)\n', ...
'tokens');
rmKeys = [rmKeys, keys{:}];
end
end
% New style keys with version number
if (strcmpi(action, 'add'))
% Only remove keys related to this version
[status, result] = dos(['reg query HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT /f MATLAB.', ...
fileExt, '.', verStr ' /k']);
else
% Remove keys related to ALL version
[status, result] = dos(['reg query HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT /f MATLAB.', ...
fileExt, '. /k']);
end
if (~status)
keys = regexp(result, '(HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT[\x0000-\xffff]*?)\n', 'tokens');
rmKeys = [rmKeys, keys{:}];
end
% Explorer keys
[status, result] = dos(['reg query ', explorerKey, ' /f .', fileExt, ...
' /k /e']);
if (~status)
keys = regexp(result, '(HKEY_CURRENT_USER[\x0000-\xffff]*?)\n', 'tokens');
rmKeys = [rmKeys, keys{:}];
end
% Write to file
if (~isempty(rmKeys))
fprintf(fid, '%s\r\n\r\n', [';REMOVES ', upper(fileExt), ...
' FILE ASSOCIATIONS']);
for keyNo = 1 : length(rmKeys)
key = rmKeys{keyNo};
fprintf(fid, '%s\r\n\r\n', ['[-', key, ']']);
end
end
end
% ADD KEYS
if (~strcmpi(action, 'delete'))
% Get text Persistent Handler
[status, result] = dos(...
'reg query HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.txt\PersistentHandler /ve');
if (~status)
PersistentHandler = regexp(result, '\{[\x0000-\xffff]*?\}', 'match');
PersistentHandler = PersistentHandler{1};
else
PersistentHandler = '';
end
% DDE call
ddeCall = 'ShellVerbs.Matlab';
if (verNum > 8)
% Changed from R2013a
ddeCall = [ddeCall, '.', verStr];
end
% Default icon
defIcon = 'm';
if (~exist(fullfile(binPath, 'm.ico'), 'file'))
defIcon = '';
end
% Path to MATLAB binary directory with \\
binPathStr = regexprep(binPath, '\\', '\\\\');
% Write Shell Open key
key = ['[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\MATLAB.exe\shell\open', ...
'\command]%r', '#="\"', binPathStr, '\\MATLAB.exe\" \"%1\""%r%r'];
fprintf(fid, '%s\r\n\r\n', ';ADD SHELL OPEN');
lines = regexp(key, '([\x0000-\xffff]*?)%r', 'tokens');
for lineNo = 1 : length(lines)
fprintf(fid, '%s\r\n', lines{lineNo}{1});
end
% Iterate over file types
for fileExtNo = 1 : size(fileExtCell, 1)
fileExt = fileExtCell{fileExtNo, 1};
% File extension keys
key = ['[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.', fileExt, ']%r#="MATLAB.', fileExt, '.', ...
verStr, '"%r'];
if (strcmpi(fileExt, 'm') && ~isempty(PersistentHandler))
% Add some values
key = [key, '"Content Type"="text/plain"%r', ...
'"PerceivedType"="Text"%r'];
end
key = [key, '%r'];
key = [key, '[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.', fileExt, ...
'\OpenWithProgids]%r"MATLAB.', fileExt, '.', verStr, '"=""%r%r'];
if (strcmpi(fileExt, 'm') && ~isempty(PersistentHandler))
key = [key, '[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.', fileExt, ...
'\PersistentHandler]%r#="', PersistentHandler, '"%r%r'];
end
key = [key, '[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.', fileExt, ...
'\Versions\MATLAB.', fileExt, '.' verStr, ']%r"FileVersionMS"=dword:', ...
verHex, '%r"FileVersionLS"=dword:00000000%r%r'];
% DDE keys
ddeData = fileExtCell(ismember(fileExtCell(:, 1), fileExt), :);
key = [key, '[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MATLAB.', fileExt, '.' verStr, ...
']%r#="', ddeData{2}, '"%r'];
if (~isempty(ddeData{3}))
key = [key, '"FriendlyTypeName"="#', binPathStr, '\\matlab.exe', ...
',', ddeData{3}, '"%r'];
end
key = [key, '%r'];
% Icon
icon = fileExt;
if (~exist(fullfile(binPath, [icon, '.ico']), 'file'))
icon = defIcon;
end
if (~isempty(icon))
key = [key, '[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MATLAB.', fileExt, '.' verStr, ...
'\DefaultIcon]%r#="', binPathStr, '\\', icon, '.ico,0"%r%r'];
end
% Shell actions
for shellActionNo = 4:5
ddePar = ddeData{shellActionNo};
if (~isempty(ddePar))
key = [key, '[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MATLAB.', fileExt, '.' verStr, ...
'\Shell\', ddePar{1}, ']%r#="', ddePar{1}, '"%r%r'];
key = [key, '[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MATLAB.', fileExt, '.' verStr, ...
'\Shell\', ddePar{1}, '\command]%r#="\"', binPathStr, ...
'\\matlab.exe\""%r%r'];
key = [key, '[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MATLAB.', fileExt, '.' verStr, ...
'\Shell\', ddePar{1}, '\ddeexec]%r#="', ddePar{2}, '"%r%r'];
key = [key, '[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MATLAB.', fileExt, '.' verStr, ...
'\Shell\', ddePar{1},'\ddeexec\application]%r#="', ...
ddeCall, '"%r%r'];
key = [key, '[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MATLAB.', fileExt, '.' verStr, ...
'\Shell\', ddePar{1},'\ddeexec\topic]%r#="system"%r%r'];
end
end
% Explorer keys
key = [key, '[', explorerKey, '\.', fileExt, '\OpenWithProgids]%r'];
if (strcmpi(fileExt, 'm'))
key = [key, '"m_auto_file"=hex(0):%r'];
end
key = [key, '"MATLAB.', fileExt, '.', verStr, '"=hex(0):%r%r'];
if (~isempty(ddeData{4}))
% Add key
key = [key, '[', explorerKey, '\.', fileExt, ...
'\OpenWithList]%r"a"="MATLAB.exe"%r"MRUList"="a"%r%r'];
else
key = [key, '[', explorerKey, '\.', fileExt, '\OpenWithList]%r%r'];
end
% Write to file
fprintf(fid, '%s\r\n\r\n', [';ADD ', upper(fileExt), ...
' FILE ASSOCIATIONS']);
lines = regexp(key, '([\x0000-\xffff]*?)%r', 'tokens');
for lineNo = 1 : length(lines)
fprintf(fid, '%s\r\n', lines{lineNo}{1});
end
end
end
% Cloese file
fclose(fid);