Configuration of Office 2007 - Overrides all Previous Formats

[sheldonengland]

Hi everybody!

We recently upgraded our Office software from 97 to 2007. Not because
the old version doesn't work but because we needed the new version to
read incoming documents that are saved in a special format
(.docx, .xlsx). Office 2007 doesn't provide any features we need or
use and generally we prefer using 97 because it is faster and less
cluttered.

Anyway, some of our stations still have 97 AND 2007. The problem is
that, when we try to open any files through Windows Explorer or as e-
mail attachments (by double clicking) the file tries to open in 2007,
then it wants to run a configuration utility that take over a minute,
then it opens in 2007. The only way we can open it in the desired
program (Word 97) is to run Word 97 and 'open' the document through
the menu. If it is an attachment, we must save the attached file and
then the document through the menu.

This is a PITA.

How can I set Office to open 2007-only files in 2007 Word while
opening any other files would open in the more functional Word 97?

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.


- Sheldon

 

[docasion]

I don't think you need Office 2007 at all in your situation. I think
you can install the Office 2007 compatibility pack, then double click
an Office 2007 document and it will open a dialogue offering to save
it in the older format.

Reference...

http://www.oooninja.com/2008/02/office-compatibility-pack-review.html

However you can define the docx files to open with 2007 by going to my
document, tools, folder options, file types. Select doc and point it
to Word97.

Best Luck.

 

[Mike.Tennor]

This should only have to be done one time. From Windows Explorer, right click
on a file you want to open. From the popup menu, left click on Open With ...
and then left click on Choose Program... Select which program you want to use
to open the file. Make certain to click the check box that says, "Always use
the selected program ..." The next time you try to click on the file to open
it, the correct program will open it. So, you can do this once for a .DOC
file and once for a .DOCX file.

Mike

 

[sheldonengland]

Good suggestions. Thank you very much for your replies. I appreciate
it.