Problem with "Open With..." assignments to file types (Excel)

[jsteph]

Hi all,
In Win7 64 Ent., I have Excel 2003 and Excel 2007 running. I want to open .xlsx files with 2007, but .xls files I would like to open with 2003 but Microsoft won't let me (!!!).

It shows the Exl 2007 icon as the 'Recommended' program.

However, I really want to associate .xls files with Excel 2003. Choosing "Browse", and going into the x86 progfiles, finding office 11, and choosing Excel.exe, Microsoft does *not* add the Excel 2003 icon to the 'other programs' area nor does it allow me to in any way set the other version of excel to be the default for it's native files--forcing the default to be the non-native 2007 program.

Aside from registry hacks, is there a way to do this seemingly simple thing?
Thanks,
--Jim

 

[linney]

When you talk about using "Browse" are you doing this through the Default Programs/ "Associate a file type or protocol with a program", or via the "Open with" procedure"?


Microsoft do not recommend running multiple versions of Office programs.

Information about using 2007 Office suites and programs on a computer that is running another version of Office

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928091/#appliesto

I suppose one workaround not involving the Registry would be to start Excel 2003 and use the file/ "open" steps to get your Excel file opened in 2003.

You might like to post your question in the Office Forum too.


You could also look to the MS Office forum for expert help.

http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/FlyoutOverview.mspx

http://www.tek-tips.com/threadminder.cfm?pid=68

 

[jsteph]

linney,
The Default Programs and the Open With both bring me to the exact same dialog, which is the one that shows "Recommended Program" and "Other Programs", with a Browse button under the latter.

That browse button allows me to navigate all the way to the excel.exe in the Office11 folder, but choosing that does absolutely nothing--it should add Excel (with the 2003 icon) to the "Other Programs" list and then allow me to choose it.

What appears to be happening--and this is speculation--is that Microsoft is saying "There's already an Excel.exe in the Recommended program, so screw you. You don't get to choose another one, because you're a peasant and you couldn't possibly know more than the great and powerful Microsoft'.

Part of it may be that I didn't toe the line and do exactly as Microsoft dictated when I installed 2007 and 2003--I may have installed 2007 first and when I realized that 2007 is not fully backwards compatible with 2003 .xls files (mostly with OLE stuff, they seriously broke some some 2003 code), I then installed 2003.

I think my next step will be an attempt at hacking the .xls regkey...failing that I'll have to uninstall and reinstall in the correct order, bowing my head with praying hands like a Cambodian under Pol Pot, dreaming of the day when that guy with the sledghammer comes running down the aisle once again...
--Jim