Open with... does not include Word

[Flip]

Hi NG,
With O2000 on XP-Home SP2 I tried openening a file with an unusual
extension.
Knowing the file, using Windows Explorer to get there I then press
Shift+RightClick to open the 'Open with...' dialogue. Ok, this method is not
necessary anymore, I 've done that too many times

The problem: Word is not in the list!
I renamed the file several times with different or no extension without
result.
Word only shows up (recommended) in the list if a file already has the .doc
(or .dot) extension.

From within Word there is no problem opening 'strange' files.
Reason: This is an old tric to quickly associate a filetype to a programme,
Word in this case.

Flip

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Are you looking for "Word" or "Microsoft Word"?

 

[Flip]

Hi Suzanne,
Yes, with W98 it was called Winword, with XP it is Microsoft Word for
Windows
Flip

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

So I take it you did find it?

 

[Flip]

Suzanne,
If the file has .doc you see a 'Microsoft Word for Windows' in the list
If the file has no or someother extension there is nothing about Word in the
list. In older Windows versions Word was listed as Winword.
Other Officeparts (Excel, Frontpage) are there.
Flip

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

I think I see now what your problem is. You are looking for Word on the Open
With context menu. You should instead be choosing Choose Program, which
opens a list of all the apps on your computer. You can then select Word and
check the box for "Always use this program to open these files."

 

[Flip]

The file cannot be opened because its extension is unknown. A doubleclick
does give me a choice to either look on the Internet for a program or to to
choose from a list. I choose the list, this must be the same list that you
mean: A box with several apps, ther also is the checkbox "Always use this
program to open these files."
Winword or "Microsoft Word for Windows" simply is not in this list.

There also is a button 'Browse' in this way I navigate to Programm
Files-Microsoft Office-WINWORD.EXE
This only brings me back to the Open With box which still shows the app list
without Word

sorry,
Flip

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

What OS are you using? What version of Word? In Windows 2000, I always get a
list of all installed programs, whether the file extension is known or not
(and in my case Word is listed as Microsoft Office Word). How else would you
be able to associate unknown file extensions with a program?

 

[Flip]

It's XP-Home SP2 with Office 2000 (Dutch)
I actually wanted to associate an unusual type with Word when I noticed this
was impossible.
It does work from another angle though: the file can be opened from within
Word.
By now I think the problem is not Word or Office related. There are other
apps not listed in the Open With... box that should be there.
I noticed some other odd behaviour from XP as well so this may well end up
in reinstalling XP.
Thanks Suzanne,
Flip

 

[Graham Mayor]

Unless you have a very good reason for doing so, it is not a good plan to
use non standard filename extensions in Windows. It tends to create
conflicts. Windows does, however, provide the option to associate any
extension with any application using Windows Explorer > tools > file types.
Even the right click box will give you the option to open with and add any
application not listed in the box.

Word on the other hand always recognizes its own file structure whatever you
call the file.

--
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Graham Mayor - Word MVP


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[Flip]

Hello Graham,
I hope it's Windows Explorer > Tools > Folderoptions > File types?
If not then I that would proof the OS damaged

We use an extension within the firm, all textfiles. But you are right, I do
plan to rename those (they are 'all over the place'). Also old WP documents
can be reassociated since WP is 'out'

So how do I add an application to the list? Since Word is not in my Open
With list I pressed Browse to go to Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\
and click WINWORD.EXE
This should add Winword to the list? Well, it doesn't.
Powerpoint also was not in the list, adding was no problem
I also added an internal application succesfully.
Sofar it's just Word that is refusing to enter the list, or, XP does not
allow Word in the list unless a Word-file is recognised?
That is not normal I believe.
Do you know what the folder \Windows\Prefetch is about? Could this cause
problems?

Windows Explorer is not working correct on this PC, therefore I think I must
go to a different NG or reinstall the OS.

Thanks for your support,
Flip

 

[Graham Mayor]

It would probably be worth re-registering Word -
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/AppErrors/ReRegisterWord.htm
but as you suspect you can assign any action to a file type using Windows
Explorer > tools > folder options > file types. If the program is not in the
list (it shoulds be after re-registering) just browse to winword.exe and
apply it.

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP


<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>

 

[Flip]

I didn't think of re-registering. Good idea.
Unfortunately we will never know if it helped. The disk is being formatted
while I am writing this.
Because of some other reasons (within our company netword) it will have W98.
Thanks anyway,
Flip

 

[Graham Mayor]

The company is in no rush to join the 21st century then?

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP


<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>

 

[Flip]

No rush here :-D

Well, off course it is company policy to not buy what we do not really need
(yet)
I sometimes remember those good old terminals, Qumes and Wyse's. Easy and
straight forward.
Actually we are slowly upgrading from w95 to w98 when hardware needs to be
replaced.
There are still a few P133's performing well enough, 10 years already. They
only consume a cpu-fan occasionally. I am kept off the streets all this time
by always turning 2 or 3 dying machines into one good one again.
If a PC finally really must be replaced, we are forced to buy PIV by now (we
don't buy secondhand). W95 gets dizzy on 800mhz+ so we had to modernize
to W98, O2000 along with it.
As you see I do get a lot of chance to 'play' with the newest stuff as well
as with the central application on Unix (hence the terminal nostalgy).

So don't worry, we'll catch up

Someday

Flip