File Converter not showing in context menu because Shell extension was disabled

[phrechu]

Description

After installing File Converter, its shell extension may be disabled by default, requiring manual intervention using tools like ShellExView to enable it. This behavior prevents the extension from functioning properly until enabled.

Steps To Reproduce

1. Install File Converter.
2. Right-click a file and observe that the File Converter options may not appear in the context menu.
3. Use ShellExView to inspect the status of the File Converter shell extension, which may appear as disabled.

Expected Behavior

The File Converter shell extension should be enabled automatically during installation, making its options immediately available in the context menu.

Observed Behavior

The shell extension is disabled in some cases, requiring manual enabling via ShellExView to function properly.

Additional Notes for Developer

1. Background Information:
   I used an older version of File Converter years ago, and one day, the context menu options stopped appearing. Updating the app didn’t resolve the issue, so I stopped using it.
   Recently, I discovered that the issue was due to the shell extension being disabled and resolved it by manually enabling it via ShellExView. After this intervention, the app has worked consistently across installations.
2. Testing Observations:
   On Windows 11 Pro (23H2), I noticed this issue and had to enable the shell extension manually for it to work.
   However, on Windows 10, the app works fine after installation without requiring manual intervention.
   I cannot confirm if the issue is reproducible on other Windows 11 systems or if something specific on my machine (e.g., Windows Defender, third-party anti-malware, or other software) caused the extension to be disabled initially.

Environment

OS: Windows 11 Pro 23H2
File Converter : Version 2.0.2
ShellExView: Used to enable the extension.

[fbrinker]

I've upgraded from 1.2.3 to 2.0.2 and thought I had a similar issue. But after a reboot the context menu showed up again. No need for ShellExView. But it could be a good idea to offer a reboot after the installation, like the Nextcloud client does after doing some changes to context menus :)

[phrechu]

In my case, the only solution that worked was to enable the extension through ShellExView. I tried to reproduce the issue to get a better understanding of what caused it to be disabled. Unfortunately, it didn't led to anything. It might have been some program I used in the past that disabled it automatically.