"Open With" List Does Not Work

I have always opened dbf files with Excel in XP

Now I'm using Vista. I right click the dbf file and go to "open with" list.
Excel is not there. If I click "Browse" and set Excel.exe as the program to
open the file, it doesn't work. I tried to change the registry editor but
also it doesn't work.

I can start Excel and then open the dbf file within Excel, but that's not
what I want. I wanto to double click the file name and open it with Excel,
which is not in the Open With List. Anyone knows what's the problem here??

Hi, PR.

As you have learned, Vista handles this differently from WinXP.

Click Control Panel | Default Programs. The top two options here are what
you need to use. They are not as intuitive as their titles make them seem,
so study them a bit before you make your choices. Oh, and if you have a lot
of apps installed, it will take several seconds to populate these pages, so
don't abort them too soon.

My "Associate a file..." list does not show the .dbf extension. I think
that is because no file on my computer uses that extension. Your list
probably will include that extension and you can click Change program... to
select Excel - but you will probably need to click the down arrow for Other
Programs, and still maybe have to Browse to find Excel.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX

Microsoft Windows MVP
(Running Windows Live Mail beta 2 in Vista Ultimate x64 SP1 beta v.275)





"PR" <> wrote in message
news:33D92089-6650-4213-B421-...
> I have always opened dbf files with Excel in XP
>
> Now I'm using Vista. I right click the dbf file and go to "open with"
> list.
> Excel is not there. If I click "Browse" and set Excel.exe as the program
> to
> open the file, it doesn't work. I tried to change the registry editor but
> also it doesn't work.
>
> I can start Excel and then open the dbf file within Excel, but that's not
> what I want. I wanto to double click the file name and open it with Excel,
> which is not in the Open With List. Anyone knows what's the problem here??
>
>

PR;486054 Wrote:
> I have always opened dbf files with Excel in XP
>
> Now I'm using Vista. I right click the dbf file and go to "open with"
> list.
> Excel is not there. If I click "Browse" and set Excel.exe as the
> program to
> open the file, it doesn't work. I tried to change the registry editor
> but
> also it doesn't work.
>
> I can start Excel and then open the dbf file within Excel, but that's
> not
> what I want. I wanto to double click the file name and open it with
> Excel,
> which is not in the Open With List. Anyone knows what's the problem
> here??

Hi PR,

Try using Method Two in this tutorial to change the .dbf file extension
to the Current Default as Excel.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/69...-programs.html

Shawn


--
brink

*There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask them.*
OM\")
*Please post feedback to help others.*

But that's precisely the problem! If I go to Control Panel | Default Programs
and try to use the first 2 options, excel is not there!! it's not on the
"other program" list. and if i browse to find excel, nothing happens...

"R. C. White" wrote:

> Hi, PR.
>
> As you have learned, Vista handles this differently from WinXP.
>
> Click Control Panel | Default Programs. The top two options here are what
> you need to use. They are not as intuitive as their titles make them seem,
> so study them a bit before you make your choices. Oh, and if you have a lot
> of apps installed, it will take several seconds to populate these pages, so
> don't abort them too soon.
>
> My "Associate a file..." list does not show the .dbf extension. I think
> that is because no file on my computer uses that extension. Your list
> probably will include that extension and you can click Change program... to
> select Excel - but you will probably need to click the down arrow for Other
> Programs, and still maybe have to Browse to find Excel.
>
> RC
> --
> R. C. White, CPA
> San Marcos, TX
>
> Microsoft Windows MVP
> (Running Windows Live Mail beta 2 in Vista Ultimate x64 SP1 beta v.275)
>
>
>
>
>
> "PR" <> wrote in message
> news:33D92089-6650-4213-B421-...
> > I have always opened dbf files with Excel in XP
> >
> > Now I'm using Vista. I right click the dbf file and go to "open with"
> > list.
> > Excel is not there. If I click "Browse" and set Excel.exe as the program
> > to
> > open the file, it doesn't work. I tried to change the registry editor but
> > also it doesn't work.
> >
> > I can start Excel and then open the dbf file within Excel, but that's not
> > what I want. I wanto to double click the file name and open it with Excel,
> > which is not in the Open With List. Anyone knows what's the problem here??
> >
> >
>

The problem is that Excel is never on any list for setting defaults, either
on "set your default programs" or in the list for "associate a file type" for
dbf files. And if browsing to find Excel nothing happens

"brink" wrote:

>
> PR;486054 Wrote:
> > I have always opened dbf files with Excel in XP
> >
> > Now I'm using Vista. I right click the dbf file and go to "open with"
> > list.
> > Excel is not there. If I click "Browse" and set Excel.exe as the
> > program to
> > open the file, it doesn't work. I tried to change the registry editor
> > but
> > also it doesn't work.
> >
> > I can start Excel and then open the dbf file within Excel, but that's
> > not
> > what I want. I wanto to double click the file name and open it with
> > Excel,
> > which is not in the Open With List. Anyone knows what's the problem
> > here??
>
> Hi PR,
>
> Try using Method Two in this tutorial to change the .dbf file extension
> to the Current Default as Excel.
>
> http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/69...-programs.html
>
> Shawn
>
>
> --
> brink
>
> *There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask them.*
> OM\")
> *Please post feedback to help others.*
>

Try to reinstall Excel.


"PR" <> wrote in message
news:CD170BC5-91A1-41AA-9814-...
> The problem is that Excel is never on any list for setting defaults,
> either
> on "set your default programs" or in the list for "associate a file type"
> for
> dbf files. And if browsing to find Excel nothing happens
>
> "brink" wrote:
>
>>
>> PR;486054 Wrote:
>> > I have always opened dbf files with Excel in XP
>> >
>> > Now I'm using Vista. I right click the dbf file and go to "open with"
>> > list.
>> > Excel is not there. If I click "Browse" and set Excel.exe as the
>> > program to
>> > open the file, it doesn't work. I tried to change the registry editor
>> > but
>> > also it doesn't work.
>> >
>> > I can start Excel and then open the dbf file within Excel, but that's
>> > not
>> > what I want. I wanto to double click the file name and open it with
>> > Excel,
>> > which is not in the Open With List. Anyone knows what's the problem
>> > here??
>>
>> Hi PR,
>>
>> Try using Method Two in this tutorial to change the .dbf file extension
>> to the Current Default as Excel.
>>
>> http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/69...-programs.html
>>
>> Shawn
>>
>>
>> --
>> brink
>>
>> *There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask them.*
>> OM\")
>> *Please post feedback to help others.*
>>

PR;493801 Wrote:
> The problem is that Excel is never on any list for setting defaults,
> either
> on "set your default programs" or in the list for "associate a file
> type" for
> dbf files. And if browsing to find Excel nothing happens
>
>

PR,

When you click "Browse", are you not able to navigate to Excel's
program folder to select the .EXE file?

I agree with Dave, and would try reinstalling Excel.

Shawn


--
brink

*There are no dumb questions, just the people that do not ask them.*
OM\")
*Please post feedback to help others.*

Hi PR

I'm afraid I don't have an answer, but I have the same problem - did
you find a solution? I wonder if it has something to do with me removing
a trial version of Office 2007 that was installed on my new PC and
installing Office 2003.
Thanks
John

John,

See if registering Excel.exe using the /regserver parameter helps.

- - -
/regserver Forces Excel to register itself and then quit. Use this
switch when you want Excel to rewrite all its
registry keys and reassociate itself with Excel files,
such as workbooks, charts, and others.
- - -

You need to do that from an elevated Command Prompt. To open an elevated Command Prompt, click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


"johnnycp" <> wrote in message news:...

Hi PR

I'm afraid I don't have an answer, but I have the same problem - did
you find a solution? I wonder if it has something to do with me removing
a trial version of Office 2007 that was installed on my new PC and
installing Office 2003.
Thanks
John

Thanks for the suggestion,

What exactly do I write in the Command Prompt. When I open it as
administrator , I can see:

C:\Users\Paulo>

So I tried to write C:\Users\Paulo>C:\Program
Files\OFFICE11\Excel.exe/regserver

And I got this: "The system cannot find the path specified" .....



"Ramesh, MS-MVP" wrote:

> John,
>
> See if registering Excel.exe using the /regserver parameter helps.
>
> - - -
> /regserver Forces Excel to register itself and then quit. Use this
> switch when you want Excel to rewrite all its
> registry keys and reassociate itself with Excel files,
> such as workbooks, charts, and others.
> - - -
>
> You need to do that from an elevated Command Prompt. To open an elevated Command Prompt, click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator.
>
> --
> Regards,
>
> Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
> Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com
>
>
> "johnnycp" <> wrote in message news:...
>
> Hi PR
>
> I'm afraid I don't have an answer, but I have the same problem - did
> you find a solution? I wonder if it has something to do with me removing
> a trial version of Office 2007 that was installed on my new PC and
> installing Office 2003.
> Thanks
> John
>