Browse JAR, WAR and EAR files in Explorer

Found this really neat method if getting the Windows Zip Explorer Compressed (zipped) Folders extension to read JAR, WAR and EAR files in Windows Explorer.


Instructions
Open notepad and paste the below Registry Entries into a text file named ear-jar-war.reg, save it on your desktop and then run it. This will associate the three types with the the Zip shell extension: Compressed (zipped) Folders
If any of the extensions are associated with something else, Compressed (zipped) Folders will now appear in the recommended programs for these file types so you can associate them manually.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.jar]
"Content Type"="application/x-zip-compressed"
"PerceivedType"="compressed"
@="CompressedFolder"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.jar\CompressedFolder]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.jar\CompressedFolder\ShellNew]
"Data"=hex:50,4b,05,06,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.jar\OpenWithProgids]
"CompressedFolder"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.jar\PersistentHandler]
@="{098f2470-bae0-11cd-b579-08002b30bfeb}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.war]
"Content Type"="application/x-zip-compressed"
"PerceivedType"="compressed"
@="CompressedFolder"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.war\CompressedFolder]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.war\CompressedFolder\ShellNew]
"Data"=hex:50,4b,05,06,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.war\OpenWithProgids]
"CompressedFolder"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.war\PersistentHandler]
@="{098f2470-bae0-11cd-b579-08002b30bfeb}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.ear]
"Content Type"="application/x-zip-compressed"
"PerceivedType"="compressed"
@="CompressedFolder"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.ear\CompressedFolder]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.ear\CompressedFolder\ShellNew]
"Data"=hex:50,4b,05,06,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.ear\OpenWithProgids]
"CompressedFolder"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.ear\PersistentHandler]
@="{098f2470-bae0-11cd-b579-08002b30bfeb}"

Oh and of course back up your registry before running. As you can see from above it only adds some keys to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, tested in XP, but at your own risk and all that ;)

How to find, share and back up JDeveloper code templates

JDeveloper code templates are stored in the JDevHome folder in an XML file called java.tpl. This is one file worth backing up if you have a lot of custom code templates.

The file is in [Drive:]\JDevHome[Version]\system\oracle.jdeveloper.[version] eg.

C:\JDev\IDE\JDevHome10.1.3.3_1\system\oracle.jdeveloper.10.1.3.41.57

Free software I wouldn't be without

Here are some tool-utilities-programs I wouldn't be without. All free and very useful:
PuTTY : SSH Client : Link
UnxUtils: grep, cut and ls your way around Windows : Link
CutePDF : Convert ANY document to PDF : Link
Foxit: Lightweight fast PDF reader: Link
XML Notepad : Free XML tool from Microsoft : Link
Collabnet Subversion : Powerful source control : Link
TortoiseSVN : Explorer extension and GUI for Subversion: Link