Wordpad default file type

After my last WinXP repair, something happened to Wordpad. When I click to
Open a document, the default file type to open has always been .rtf - now
it's .doc and I hate it. I use Wordpad and .rtf on purpose and don't like
having to make the change in the pull-down menu every time I go to another
document.

Note: It saves files in .rtf by default - fortunately, that has not changed.
But I want the Open command window to also default to .rtf. Does anyone know
how I can do this?

Thanks

pava wrote:

> After my last WinXP repair, something happened to Wordpad. When I click to
> Open a document, the default file type to open has always been .rtf - now
> it's .doc and I hate it. I use Wordpad and .rtf on purpose and don't like
> having to make the change in the pull-down menu every time I go to another
> document.
>
> Note: It saves files in .rtf by default - fortunately, that has not changed.
> But I want the Open command window to also default to .rtf. Does anyone know
> how I can do this?
>
> Thanks

Right click one of the files you want to open in Wordpad and choose
'Open with'
Click Choose Program
IF Wordpad is not listed than click the Browse button and point to
Wordpad.exe, located at Program Files\Windows NT\Accessories\wordpad.exe
If it is listed, just click on Wordpad.
Put a check in the box next to " Always use the selceted program to open
this kind of file "
Click Apply, OK.

MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============

Nice try, MowGreen, but this is NOT the problem. Maybe I'm not explaining
this well.

If I double-click an .rtf file from WinExplorer, Wordpad is the default
program that opens to display the file - I fixed that a long time ago. But
I'm not in Windows Explorer, where right-click options work as you suggest.

No, I've already opened Wordpad. I click File / Open or usually Ctl-O. At
that point, the new window pops up, allowing me to navigate through my
folders and files, to choose the file I want to open.

Here's the problem: the window shows only .doc files, because the "Files of
type:" combo box near the bottom of the window defaults to .doc, not to .rtf
as it had always done for the past 15 years, until I did a WinXP
repair/reinstall. It's this default I need changed.

When Wordpad is open, the default file type stays changed if I go back to
open a different document. But when the program is closed and reopened, I'm
back to having to change the default .doc back to .rtf - it's very time
consuming and more than a little annoying, because something that has worked
well for years has broken down, and so far no one has had the answer to the
real question I'm asking (I've posted other places, too, with no luck - they
answer just as you have).

Why would a WinXP reinstall make this change happen? What can I do to change
it back? It's this kind of thing that gives Microsoft a bad reputation as the
local bully. I don't want .doc, I don't want MSWord (usually), I want my .rtf
and Wordpad, and now it's harder to get.

Any new ideas? Thanks


"MowGreen [MVP]" wrote:

> pava wrote:
>
> > After my last WinXP repair, something happened to Wordpad. When I click to
> > Open a document, the default file type to open has always been .rtf - now
> > it's .doc and I hate it. I use Wordpad and .rtf on purpose and don't like
> > having to make the change in the pull-down menu every time I go to another
> > document.
> >
> > Note: It saves files in .rtf by default - fortunately, that has not changed.
> > But I want the Open command window to also default to .rtf. Does anyone know
> > how I can do this?
> >
> > Thanks
>
> Right click one of the files you want to open in Wordpad and choose
> 'Open with'
> Click Choose Program
> IF Wordpad is not listed than click the Browse button and point to
> Wordpad.exe, located at Program Files\Windows NT\Accessories\wordpad.exe
> If it is listed, just click on Wordpad.
> Put a check in the box next to " Always use the selceted program to open
> this kind of file "
> Click Apply, OK.
>
> MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
> ===============
> *-343-* FDNY
> Never Forgotten
> ===============
>

If you right click an .rtf file, then click Choose Program, you can then
Browse to Wordpad and make that the Default viewer for such files.
That *should* set .rtf files as the Default in the 'combo box'.
Wordpad defaults to .rtf on my systems although the Folder Options >
File Types in the Control Panel shows them opening with Word Viewer.

MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============



pava wrote:

> Nice try, MowGreen, but this is NOT the problem. Maybe I'm not explaining
> this well.
>
> If I double-click an .rtf file from WinExplorer, Wordpad is the default
> program that opens to display the file - I fixed that a long time ago. But
> I'm not in Windows Explorer, where right-click options work as you suggest.
>
> No, I've already opened Wordpad. I click File / Open or usually Ctl-O. At
> that point, the new window pops up, allowing me to navigate through my
> folders and files, to choose the file I want to open.
>
> Here's the problem: the window shows only .doc files, because the "Files of
> type:" combo box near the bottom of the window defaults to .doc, not to .rtf
> as it had always done for the past 15 years, until I did a WinXP
> repair/reinstall. It's this default I need changed.
>
> When Wordpad is open, the default file type stays changed if I go back to
> open a different document. But when the program is closed and reopened, I'm
> back to having to change the default .doc back to .rtf - it's very time
> consuming and more than a little annoying, because something that has worked
> well for years has broken down, and so far no one has had the answer to the
> real question I'm asking (I've posted other places, too, with no luck - they
> answer just as you have).
>
> Why would a WinXP reinstall make this change happen? What can I do to change
> it back? It's this kind of thing that gives Microsoft a bad reputation as the
> local bully. I don't want .doc, I don't want MSWord (usually), I want my .rtf
> and Wordpad, and now it's harder to get.
>
> Any new ideas? Thanks
>
>
> "MowGreen [MVP]" wrote:
>
>
>>pava wrote:
>>
>>
>>>After my last WinXP repair, something happened to Wordpad. When I click to
>>>Open a document, the default file type to open has always been .rtf - now
>>>it's .doc and I hate it. I use Wordpad and .rtf on purpose and don't like
>>>having to make the change in the pull-down menu every time I go to another
>>>document.
>>>
>>>Note: It saves files in .rtf by default - fortunately, that has not changed.
>>>But I want the Open command window to also default to .rtf. Does anyone know
>>>how I can do this?
>>>
>>>Thanks
>>
>>Right click one of the files you want to open in Wordpad and choose
>>'Open with'
>>Click Choose Program
>>IF Wordpad is not listed than click the Browse button and point to
>>Wordpad.exe, located at Program Files\Windows NT\Accessories\wordpad.exe
>>If it is listed, just click on Wordpad.
>>Put a check in the box next to " Always use the selceted program to open
>>this kind of file "
>>Click Apply, OK.
>>
>>MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
>>===============
>> *-343-* FDNY
>>Never Forgotten
>>===============
>>

Sorry to say it didn't work, Mow, even after a full reboot. I followed your
instructions to the letter.

So maybe my question needs to change: How do I reinstall Wordpad? Maybe that
will restore its former default choices.

Thanks X 3


"MowGreen [MVP]" wrote:

> If you right click an .rtf file, then click Choose Program, you can then
> Browse to Wordpad and make that the Default viewer for such files.
> That *should* set .rtf files as the Default in the 'combo box'.
> Wordpad defaults to .rtf on my systems although the Folder Options >
> File Types in the Control Panel shows them opening with Word Viewer.
>
> MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
> ===============
> *-343-* FDNY
> Never Forgotten
> ===============
>
>
>
> pava wrote:
>
> > Nice try, MowGreen, but this is NOT the problem. Maybe I'm not explaining
> > this well.
> >
> > If I double-click an .rtf file from WinExplorer, Wordpad is the default
> > program that opens to display the file - I fixed that a long time ago. But
> > I'm not in Windows Explorer, where right-click options work as you suggest.
> >
> > No, I've already opened Wordpad. I click File / Open or usually Ctl-O. At
> > that point, the new window pops up, allowing me to navigate through my
> > folders and files, to choose the file I want to open.
> >
> > Here's the problem: the window shows only .doc files, because the "Files of
> > type:" combo box near the bottom of the window defaults to .doc, not to .rtf
> > as it had always done for the past 15 years, until I did a WinXP
> > repair/reinstall. It's this default I need changed.
> >
> > When Wordpad is open, the default file type stays changed if I go back to
> > open a different document. But when the program is closed and reopened, I'm
> > back to having to change the default .doc back to .rtf - it's very time
> > consuming and more than a little annoying, because something that has worked
> > well for years has broken down, and so far no one has had the answer to the
> > real question I'm asking (I've posted other places, too, with no luck - they
> > answer just as you have).
> >
> > Why would a WinXP reinstall make this change happen? What can I do to change
> > it back? It's this kind of thing that gives Microsoft a bad reputation as the
> > local bully. I don't want .doc, I don't want MSWord (usually), I want my .rtf
> > and Wordpad, and now it's harder to get.
> >
> > Any new ideas? Thanks
> >
> >
> > "MowGreen [MVP]" wrote:
> >
> >
> >>pava wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>>After my last WinXP repair, something happened to Wordpad. When I click to
> >>>Open a document, the default file type to open has always been .rtf - now
> >>>it's .doc and I hate it. I use Wordpad and .rtf on purpose and don't like
> >>>having to make the change in the pull-down menu every time I go to another
> >>>document.
> >>>
> >>>Note: It saves files in .rtf by default - fortunately, that has not changed.
> >>>But I want the Open command window to also default to .rtf. Does anyone know
> >>>how I can do this?
> >>>
> >>>Thanks
> >>
> >>Right click one of the files you want to open in Wordpad and choose
> >>'Open with'
> >>Click Choose Program
> >>IF Wordpad is not listed than click the Browse button and point to
> >>Wordpad.exe, located at Program Files\Windows NT\Accessories\wordpad.exe
> >>If it is listed, just click on Wordpad.
> >>Put a check in the box next to " Always use the selceted program to open
> >>this kind of file "
> >>Click Apply, OK.
> >>
> >>MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
> >>===============
> >> *-343-* FDNY
> >>Never Forgotten
> >>===============
> >>
>

(cross-post added to XP Perf & Maint)
"pava" <> wrote in message
news:F3BCDB67-5AA1-4633-83F7-...

> until I did a WinXP repair/reinstall.


That's your problem then. You probably need to redo whatever
customization that you had before, e.g. for this case it might have
been installing Office Word or the free Word Viewer to take over
the .doc extension and give it a different filetype.

<cmd_output OS="XPsp3">
E:\>assoc .doc
..doc=Wordview.Document.8

E:\>ftype Wordview.Document.8
Wordview.Document.8="F:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11 \WORDVIEW.EXE" /n /dde
</cmd_output>


> Nice try, MowGreen, but this is NOT the problem. Maybe I'm not explaining
> this well.


In fact, this really has nothing to do with WU so you may get more
informed help in a newsgroup which specializes in maintenance
for your OS. Cross-posting for convenience.


Good luck

Robert Aldwinckle
---


>
> If I double-click an .rtf file from WinExplorer, Wordpad is the default
> program that opens to display the file - I fixed that a long time ago. But
> I'm not in Windows Explorer, where right-click options work as you suggest.
>
> No, I've already opened Wordpad. I click File / Open or usually Ctl-O. At
> that point, the new window pops up, allowing me to navigate through my
> folders and files, to choose the file I want to open.
>
> Here's the problem: the window shows only .doc files, because the "Files of
> type:" combo box near the bottom of the window defaults to .doc, not to .rtf
> as it had always done for the past 15 years, until I did a WinXP
> repair/reinstall. It's this default I need changed.
>
> When Wordpad is open, the default file type stays changed if I go back to
> open a different document. But when the program is closed and reopened, I'm
> back to having to change the default .doc back to .rtf - it's very time
> consuming and more than a little annoying, because something that has worked
> well for years has broken down, and so far no one has had the answer to the
> real question I'm asking (I've posted other places, too, with no luck - they
> answer just as you have).
>
> Why would a WinXP reinstall make this change happen? What can I do to change
> it back? It's this kind of thing that gives Microsoft a bad reputation as the
> local bully. I don't want .doc, I don't want MSWord (usually), I want my .rtf
> and Wordpad, and now it's harder to get.
>
> Any new ideas? Thanks
>
>
> "MowGreen [MVP]" wrote:
>
>> pava wrote:
>>
>> > After my last WinXP repair, something happened to Wordpad. When I click to
>> > Open a document, the default file type to open has always been .rtf - now
>> > it's .doc and I hate it. I use Wordpad and .rtf on purpose and don't like
>> > having to make the change in the pull-down menu every time I go to another
>> > document.
>> >
>> > Note: It saves files in .rtf by default - fortunately, that has not changed.
>> > But I want the Open command window to also default to .rtf. Does anyone know
>> > how I can do this?
>> >
>> > Thanks
>>
>> Right click one of the files you want to open in Wordpad and choose
>> 'Open with'
>> Click Choose Program
>> IF Wordpad is not listed than click the Browse button and point to
>> Wordpad.exe, located at Program Files\Windows NT\Accessories\wordpad.exe
>> If it is listed, just click on Wordpad.
>> Put a check in the box next to " Always use the selceted program to open
>> this kind of file "
>> Click Apply, OK.
>>
>> MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
>> ===============
>> *-343-* FDNY
>> Never Forgotten
>> ===============
>>

Thank you, Robert. I posted a WinUp question right before and didn't think
about this topic being out of place. And you're right, perhaps having my PC
help person backtrack the XP repair/reinstall is my only recourse.

"Robert Aldwinckle" wrote:

> (cross-post added to XP Perf & Maint)
> "pava" <> wrote in message
> news:F3BCDB67-5AA1-4633-83F7-...
>
> > until I did a WinXP repair/reinstall.
>
>
> That's your problem then. You probably need to redo whatever
> customization that you had before, e.g. for this case it might have
> been installing Office Word or the free Word Viewer to take over
> the .doc extension and give it a different filetype.
>
> <cmd_output OS="XPsp3">
> E:\>assoc .doc
> ..doc=Wordview.Document.8
>
> E:\>ftype Wordview.Document.8
> Wordview.Document.8="F:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11 \WORDVIEW.EXE" /n /dde
> </cmd_output>
>
>
> > Nice try, MowGreen, but this is NOT the problem. Maybe I'm not explaining
> > this well.
>
>
> In fact, this really has nothing to do with WU so you may get more
> informed help in a newsgroup which specializes in maintenance
> for your OS. Cross-posting for convenience.
>
>
> Good luck
>
> Robert Aldwinckle
> ---
>
>
> >
> > If I double-click an .rtf file from WinExplorer, Wordpad is the default
> > program that opens to display the file - I fixed that a long time ago. But
> > I'm not in Windows Explorer, where right-click options work as you suggest.
> >
> > No, I've already opened Wordpad. I click File / Open or usually Ctl-O. At
> > that point, the new window pops up, allowing me to navigate through my
> > folders and files, to choose the file I want to open.
> >
> > Here's the problem: the window shows only .doc files, because the "Files of
> > type:" combo box near the bottom of the window defaults to .doc, not to .rtf
> > as it had always done for the past 15 years, until I did a WinXP
> > repair/reinstall. It's this default I need changed.
> >
> > When Wordpad is open, the default file type stays changed if I go back to
> > open a different document. But when the program is closed and reopened, I'm
> > back to having to change the default .doc back to .rtf - it's very time
> > consuming and more than a little annoying, because something that has worked
> > well for years has broken down, and so far no one has had the answer to the
> > real question I'm asking (I've posted other places, too, with no luck - they
> > answer just as you have).
> >
> > Why would a WinXP reinstall make this change happen? What can I do to change
> > it back? It's this kind of thing that gives Microsoft a bad reputation as the
> > local bully. I don't want .doc, I don't want MSWord (usually), I want my .rtf
> > and Wordpad, and now it's harder to get.
> >
> > Any new ideas? Thanks
> >
> >
> > "MowGreen [MVP]" wrote:
> >
> >> pava wrote:
> >>
> >> > After my last WinXP repair, something happened to Wordpad. When I click to
> >> > Open a document, the default file type to open has always been .rtf - now
> >> > it's .doc and I hate it. I use Wordpad and .rtf on purpose and don't like
> >> > having to make the change in the pull-down menu every time I go to another
> >> > document.
> >> >
> >> > Note: It saves files in .rtf by default - fortunately, that has not changed.
> >> > But I want the Open command window to also default to .rtf. Does anyone know
> >> > how I can do this?
> >> >
> >> > Thanks
> >>
> >> Right click one of the files you want to open in Wordpad and choose
> >> 'Open with'
> >> Click Choose Program
> >> IF Wordpad is not listed than click the Browse button and point to
> >> Wordpad.exe, located at Program Files\Windows NT\Accessories\wordpad.exe
> >> If it is listed, just click on Wordpad.
> >> Put a check in the box next to " Always use the selceted program to open
> >> this kind of file "
> >> Click Apply, OK.
> >>
> >> MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
> >> ===============
> >> *-343-* FDNY
> >> Never Forgotten
> >> ===============
> >>
>
>
>

May or may not help, but this is something I saved years ago :

Wordpad (.wri) and Word (.doc) files:
(Later versions of Works open Wordpad in Word)
(When you receive "Cannot open word 6 files")
For some reason WinXP doesn't recognise WordPad (.wri)
files that were raised in Win 9x.
Workaround :
1. Open them with Word.
2. "Save as" Rich text file (and alter to look like "File
Name.wri.rtf").
3. Right click on the saved file and rename by deleting the .rtf.
4. The file - File Name.wri - will then open in WordPad
(providing you have file associations set for .wri to use Wordpad)

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=883090
Problem can be with WinXP SP2 :
To enable RTF converters in Windows XP SP2, you must modify
the registry. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then press ENTER.
2. Locate and then click one of the following registry subkeys:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Applets\Wordpad
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Applets\Wordpad
3. Click Edit, click New, click DWORD Value, type:
EnableLegacyConverters, and then press ENTER.
4. Right-click EnableLegacyConverters, click Modify, and then
change the Value data to 1.
5. Click OK, and then quit Registry Editor.


"pava" <> wrote in message
news:0628ABB5-4847-483F-9AB3-...
> Thank you, Robert. I posted a WinUp question right before and didn't
> think
> about this topic being out of place. And you're right, perhaps having my
> PC
> help person backtrack the XP repair/reinstall is my only recourse.
>
> "Robert Aldwinckle" wrote:
>
>> (cross-post added to XP Perf & Maint)
>> "pava" <> wrote in message
>> news:F3BCDB67-5AA1-4633-83F7-...
>>
>> > until I did a WinXP repair/reinstall.
>>
>>
>> That's your problem then. You probably need to redo whatever
>> customization that you had before, e.g. for this case it might have
>> been installing Office Word or the free Word Viewer to take over
>> the .doc extension and give it a different filetype.
>>
>> <cmd_output OS="XPsp3">
>> E:\>assoc .doc
>> ..doc=Wordview.Document.8
>>
>> E:\>ftype Wordview.Document.8
>> Wordview.Document.8="F:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11 \WORDVIEW.EXE" /n
>> /dde
>> </cmd_output>
>>
>>
>> > Nice try, MowGreen, but this is NOT the problem. Maybe I'm not
>> > explaining
>> > this well.
>>
>>
>> In fact, this really has nothing to do with WU so you may get more
>> informed help in a newsgroup which specializes in maintenance
>> for your OS. Cross-posting for convenience.
>>
>>
>> Good luck
>>
>> Robert Aldwinckle
>> ---
>>
>>
>> >
>> > If I double-click an .rtf file from WinExplorer, Wordpad is the
>> > default
>> > program that opens to display the file - I fixed that a long time
>> > ago. But
>> > I'm not in Windows Explorer, where right-click options work as you
>> > suggest.
>> >
>> > No, I've already opened Wordpad. I click File / Open or usually
>> > Ctl-O. At
>> > that point, the new window pops up, allowing me to navigate through
>> > my
>> > folders and files, to choose the file I want to open.
>> >
>> > Here's the problem: the window shows only .doc files, because the
>> > "Files of
>> > type:" combo box near the bottom of the window defaults to .doc, not
>> > to .rtf
>> > as it had always done for the past 15 years, until I did a WinXP
>> > repair/reinstall. It's this default I need changed.
>> >
>> > When Wordpad is open, the default file type stays changed if I go
>> > back to
>> > open a different document. But when the program is closed and
>> > reopened, I'm
>> > back to having to change the default .doc back to .rtf - it's very
>> > time
>> > consuming and more than a little annoying, because something that has
>> > worked
>> > well for years has broken down, and so far no one has had the answer
>> > to the
>> > real question I'm asking (I've posted other places, too, with no
>> > luck - they
>> > answer just as you have).
>> >
>> > Why would a WinXP reinstall make this change happen? What can I do to
>> > change
>> > it back? It's this kind of thing that gives Microsoft a bad
>> > reputation as the
>> > local bully. I don't want .doc, I don't want MSWord (usually), I want
>> > my .rtf
>> > and Wordpad, and now it's harder to get.
>> >
>> > Any new ideas? Thanks
>> >
>> >
>> > "MowGreen [MVP]" wrote:
>> >
>> >> pava wrote:
>> >>
>> >> > After my last WinXP repair, something happened to Wordpad. When I
>> >> > click to
>> >> > Open a document, the default file type to open has always been
>> >> > .rtf - now
>> >> > it's .doc and I hate it. I use Wordpad and .rtf on purpose and
>> >> > don't like
>> >> > having to make the change in the pull-down menu every time I go to
>> >> > another
>> >> > document.
>> >> >
>> >> > Note: It saves files in .rtf by default - fortunately, that has
>> >> > not changed.
>> >> > But I want the Open command window to also default to .rtf. Does
>> >> > anyone know
>> >> > how I can do this?
>> >> >
>> >> > Thanks
>> >>
>> >> Right click one of the files you want to open in Wordpad and choose
>> >> 'Open with'
>> >> Click Choose Program
>> >> IF Wordpad is not listed than click the Browse button and point to
>> >> Wordpad.exe, located at Program Files\Windows
>> >> NT\Accessories\wordpad.exe
>> >> If it is listed, just click on Wordpad.
>> >> Put a check in the box next to " Always use the selceted program to
>> >> open
>> >> this kind of file "
>> >> Click Apply, OK.
>> >>
>> >> MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
>> >> ===============
>> >> *-343-* FDNY
>> >> Never Forgotten
>> >> ===============
>> >>
>>
>>
>>

Try this:

1. Open "Folder Options" from inside "Explorer".
2. Scroll down to "RTF".
3. Highlight "RTF" then click the "Advanced" button.
4. Highlight "Open" then click the "Edit..." button.
5. Replace the string under "Application used to
perform action:" with this:
"C:\Program Files\Windows NT\Accessories\wordpad.exe" "%1"
(replace C if your drive letter is different)
6. Under "Use DDE" replace whatever is under "Application:"
with "wordpad".
7. Click OK, OK, Apply and/or OK.
8. You may need to Log Off off Restart.
9. Test.


ju.c


"pava" <> wrote in message
news:8F7B614B-99ED-4904-977F-...
> After my last WinXP repair, something happened to Wordpad. When I click to
> Open a document, the default file type to open has always been .rtf - now
> it's .doc and I hate it. I use Wordpad and .rtf on purpose and don't like
> having to make the change in the pull-down menu every time I go to another
> document.
>
> Note: It saves files in .rtf by default - fortunately, that has not changed.
> But I want the Open command window to also default to .rtf. Does anyone know
> how I can do this?
>
> Thanks

pava wrote:

> Sorry to say it didn't work, Mow, even after a full reboot. I followed your
> instructions to the letter.

Check the following registry key

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Applets\Wordpad\Options

Look for the value DefaultFormat. Make a note of the current value (just in
case) then try changing it to 5. Let us know whether it works or not.

Harry.

--
Boycott Beijing 2008 http://www.rsf.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=174