2004 and 2008

[Ken_Hosking]

Version: 2004
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

Although I dislike Excel 2008 intensely, I would like to have both 2004, which I use constantly, and 2008 installed together. This is because I occasionally receive .xlsx format files which I cannot open in 2004. My problem is that I would like 2004 to be the default application so that if I click on an Excel file, 2004 will open it, not 2008. I have not been able to see a way to make 2004 be the preferred program, and my current, but not particularly satisfactory, work-around is for my PA, who uses Excel only infrequently, to have 2008 installed on her machine in order to open .xlsx files. Is it possible to make 2004 the default application?

 

[CyberTaz]

Hi Ken;

Can't be done, AFAIK, but your workaround is a little extreme

If 2004 is already launched dbl-clking an .xls file will open it in that
version. Also, you can use the Control/Right-Click, select Open With & pick
the version you want to use to open any given file.

Additionally, if the Excel 2004 icon is in your Dock you can drag the file
to it & it will open in that version. And then there's always the option to
launch the program then use File> Open to open the file.

But the remaining question: Have you installed the Converters for 2004 which
enable it to open the OXML files?

<http://www.microsoft.com/mac/downloads.mspx?pid=&fid=6B9238E1-CF69-48C4-BF2
D-C4A8ACEEE520#viewer>

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[Ken_Hosking]

Hi Bob

Many thanks - this has solved the problem for me. I found an xlsx file that someone had e-mailed to me and it opened in XL2004 after I had installed the converter. As this is the only reason that I needed XL2008, my particular problem is solved.
Regards,

Ken