Help! Docx opened as zip files!

[pdario]

Hello!

Please help: I don't know why, but today TC thinks that docx files are zip files and opens them in the content pane instead of launching Word.
I tried from File Expolorer and docx files are treated as usual.

What could have happened? What should I fix?

Thank you!

[pdario]

I think this could have something to do with installed plugins, but I didn't change anything recently

[Sir_SiLvA]

It is because docx-files ARE zip files containing all the data. (docx are containers just like epub are)


What happens if you try to open it from explorer? did u make sure Word the is the default handler for docx-files?

[ghisler(Author)]

Total Commander does this when there is no association for an extension, and the file is a (renamed) zip file.

Please run my registry info tool from here:
https://www.totalcommander.ch/win/tools/registryinfo.zip

Then input the affected extension (e.g. .docx) and post the results.

[pdario]

2Sir_SiLvA as I wrote, File Explorer continues to treat DOCX files as usual, it seems to be only TC to have changed behavior.

2ghisler(Author) here the results for DOCX: https://pastebin.com/Py6FsLu7

(the results are too big to be pasted here)

[ghisler(Author)]

Thanks. My tool could not find any valid association. There is neither a pointer from
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.docx]
to something like
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Word.Document.12]
nor from
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.docx]
(no userchoice entry).
There is a list of possible handlers under
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.docx\OpenWithList]
and
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.docx\OpenWithProgids]
but nothing the user has chosen.

Honestly, I have no idea what to do with this mess.

[Horst.Epp]

The poster did not said what application should open Docx files.
And does the Explorer open such files ?

[Wilhelm M.]

I tried from File Expolorer and docx files are treated as usual.

Whatever "as usual" means...

[nsp]

Does your docx are still shown with word icon ?
Did you try with a fresh Total Commander install ?
You can from a running TC use :

Code: Select all

%commander_EXE% /i=%TEMP%\empty.ini

If on the newest TC it works as expected, you have a configuration issue !
If it does not work, just try to add a TC special association for docx
Usually you can find winword.exe as a sample this is winword for office 16 "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\WINWORD.EXE"
You will have to do the same for xlsx, pptx, ....

[hi5]

Perhaps the easiest solution would be to create an internal association ( see https://www.ghisler.ch/wiki/index.php/Internal_File_Associations_Tutorial ) and point it too "winword.exe" rather than try to "fix it"

(edit: corrected to winword.exe)

[Hacker]

Files - Associate with... - winword.exe.

HTH
Roman

[ghisler(Author)]

The problem is that others may have the same troubles if Microsoft's installer adds these incomplete registry keys. How should I recognize this as a valid association?

[Sir_SiLvA]

@pdario:
What happens if you do the following?:
- Start Total Commander
- change to a folder with at least one docx-file
- type cmd + enter into the command line of TC
(new windows opens)
- type the filename of the docx-file + extension (ie mydocument.docx) and press enter

write here what happens?

[petermad]

How about associating .docx wia the context menu:

1. Right-click on a .docx file.
2. Click on" Open with...".
3. If you don't see Microsoft Word in the list of "Other options" - click on "More apps".
4. Click on Microsoft Word.
5. Click on "Always use this app to open .docx files".
6. If you don't see Windows Word in the list of "More apps", then click on "Look for another app on this PC" and go to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\WINWORD.EXE
7. Click OK.

[pdario]

I'm really sorry, but I missed all these replies, as I didn't receive any email notification. I'll try to answer them all here:

TC continues to mis-handle DOCX files, while File Explorer behaves as expected: correct icon and Word starts when double clicking them.
I didn't try a fresh TC install.

Code: Select all

%commander_EXE% /i=%TEMP%\empty.ini

has same result. I tried both 32 and 64bit.

PPTX and XLSX are handled correctly.

I tried this

What happens if you do the following?:
- Start Total Commander
- change to a folder with at least one docx-file
- type cmd + enter into the command line of TC
(new windows opens)
- type the filename of the docx-file + extension (ie mydocument.docx) and press enter

and Word starts as expected.

Before adding a custom association and re-associate docx with windows, is there anything you want me to test?

I