xlsx attachment opened as zip file?

[Bernd]

Hi there,

When opening a xlsx file, TB doens't seem to understand what it is
doing. Thinks its a zip file... See picture.

http://bvbeek.free.fr/test/xlsx_winzip.jpg

Does anybody know how to avoid this ?

Cheers,

B.

[Terry R.]

On 11/23/2009 1:56 PM On a whim, Bernd pounded out on the keyboard

Save it to disk.

Terry R.
--
Anti-spam measures are included in my email address.
Delete NOSPAM from the email address after clicking Reply.

[Beauregard T. Shagnasty]

Bernd wrote:

What happens with the file if you choose:
( ) Save to disk [pick your Desktop]
from that dialog, then click it there?

This sounds more like a Windows file association problem than a
Thunderbird problem. Hopefully, a Windows user will be along to tell you
how to go into Explorer and set that up. It's been too long since I've
used Windows...

--
-bts
-Friends don't let friends drive Windows

[clay]

It's because .docx and .xlsx *are* zip files...
Microsoft's way of packaging the doc along with xml and whatever other
silliness they include.

[Bernd]

On 23/11/2009 23:52, clay had the good idea to say :

I understand. Thanks. So is there any way around this? Can I set up TB
to look at the extension rather than at the content of the file ?

I know this is kind of surrendering to the M$ view of the world... but I
guess I still want to use these Excel files.

Cheers,

B.

[Bernd]

On 23/11/2009 23:28, Terry R. had the good idea to say :

> On 11/23/2009 1:56 PM On a whim, Bernd pounded out on the keyboard
>
>> Hi there,
>>
>> When opening a xlsx file, TB doens't seem to understand what it is
>> doing. Thinks its a zip file... See picture.
>>
>> http://bvbeek.free.fr/test/xlsx_winzip.jpg
>>
>> Does anybody know how to avoid this ?
>>
>> Cheers,
>>
>> B.
>
> Save it to disk.
>
>
> Terry R.

Thanks Terry, yes I can save to disk. But I would like to be able to
open the file directly. This may not have been clearly stated in my
original post.

B.

[clay]

Assuming you have Office 200whatever that opens these .xlsx
Can you pull down the 'Open With' and select/browse to the excel.exe?

Tools>Options>Attachments... View and edit actions and remove anything
you might have already associated with it.

[Beauregard T. Shagnasty]

clay wrote:

> Bernd wrote:
>> clay had the good idea to say :
>>> Bernd wrote:
>>>> When opening a xlsx file, TB doens't seem to understand what it is
>>>> doing. Thinks its a zip file... See picture.
>>>>
>>>> http://bvbeek.free.fr/test/xlsx_winzip.jpg
>>>>
>>>> Does anybody know how to avoid this ?
>>>

>>> It's because .docx and .xlsx *are* zip files...
>>> Microsoft's way of packaging the doc along with xml and whatever
>>> other silliness they include.
>>
>> I understand. Thanks. So is there any way around this? Can I set up
>> TB to look at the extension rather than at the content of the file ?
>>
>> I know this is kind of surrendering to the M$ view of the world...
>> but I guess I still want to use these Excel files.
>

> Assuming you have Office 200whatever that opens these .xlsx Can you
> pull down the 'Open With' and select/browse to the excel.exe?
>
> Tools>Options>Attachments... View and edit actions and remove
> anything you might have already associated with it.

..which is detailed at:
http://filext.com/file-extension/xlsx
See the "open with" graphic about mid-way down the page.

[david foster]

You most likely need the MS Office Compatibility Pack.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=941b3470-3ae9-4aee-8f43-c6bb74cd1466&displaylang=en

Unless you're using the latest Office programs, Windows won't be able to
open a .xlsx or docx or pptx (?) file and is probably just doing the
best it can.

I use Office 2000 with the compatibility pack and don't have any trouble
at all. Before the compatibility pack, I would get the "Windows doesn't
know how to open this file type" message. The pack "converts" the file
to the older Office version.

Of course, the creator of the file -could- have saved it in the .xls
format and saved you and most other recipients the trouble of having to
go out and do something special, but oh well :(

David

--
David Foster, CNE
Nashville - The Music City

[Terry R.]

On 11/24/2009 2:15 PM On a whim, david foster pounded out on the keyboard

I set any workstation install of MSO2007 to default to using doc & xls
instead of the newer formats. All too often I hear people asking why
they can't open a file, or even more of an issue, MSO2003 w/2007
compatibility pack doesn't display the documents properly.

[Bernd]

On 24/11/2009 00:41, clay had the good idea to say :

Yep, the "open with" worked. I had to browse for the excel executable.
But now it is proposed by default.

(Options / Attachment doens't allow to create any associations...)

Thanks a lot !

B.

[Bernd]

On 24/11/2009 02:14, Beauregard T. Shagnasty had the good idea to say :

Thanks for the link, but TB apparently doesn't propose a list of
installed applications. You have to browse for the file manually. B.

[Bernd]

On 25/11/2009 02:27, Terry R. had the good idea to say :

David, Terrry,

I do have Office 2007. But it's true I had to suggest to several people
to install the compatibility pack. At my job, Excel and Word files are
saved by default to 2003 file types but PowerPoint is set by default to
pptx... go figure. I guess the reasoning is that presentations should be
sent out to clients in pdf anyway, so we might as well take advantage of
the new file format (much smaller size, less corruption...)

B.