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Excel and Word 16 - Using Ctrl O to Open Files Query

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Jun 5, 2002
417
AU
Hi,
In Excel 16 (at least) I would like to include "*.csv" in the All Excel Files option when opening files.
Files I have downloaded as csv's from the internet just don't get displayed and there seems no obvious way to amend this. Maybe I should put it on the Microsoft Excel mod requests - wherever that is!

I have a similar but reverse situation in Word 16. Using Ctrl O you now get PDF files included as Word files, which I would prefer to exclude, but there seems no way of doing this other than having a macro to open my files with the specific extensions I would prefer. Using Word I always export documents as PDF files, when they are to be emailed to anyone so the PDF files are always in the same folder as the docx files.

Any thoughts from any of the smart mind out there greatly appreciated.
 
Both excel and word have "All excel/word files (...)" default type for file open dialog. The list contains native excel/word formats and spreadsheet/text documents the application can handle. "Pdf" format, after opening it and due to its popularity, was added to list of formats handled by word, due to a lot of common tasks of DTP programmes and contemporary word processors.
"Csv", even if excel opens it by default, is one of text formats, moreover the "c" depends on local list separator setting. It stores only active worksheet's grid data, no formulas or charts. This may be the reason of grouping it in text formats.
NB, due to using local settings, sometimes it is more secure to rename "csv" to "txt" and use customised text import settings.

combo
 
Hi combo,

Thanks!
Good info, so looks like I will have to have separate macros or replace the File Open command with my own work to get what I want.
In Excel I can't get all the files I want to be displayed together, and in Word there are often too many files displayed, many of which I don't want to see.

A little frustrating!
 
Peter, IMNSHO, it is a bad idea to open .csv files directly with Excel, since Excel automatically changes the data in your .csv text file. Some, and probably most of the changes that Excel makes won't make a difference and are, in reality, welcome changes. But other changes are unwelcome and irreversible, although still recoverable from the original .csv text file, if handled properly.

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