Unable to open MS Office files (i.e. docx, xlsx)

[rarva]

Sounds simple but I can't open .docx and .xlsx files via Total Commander.

I can open them via Windows 10 explorer though

Have recently uninstalled OpenOffice and Installed Office 365; which I suspect may be the problem...

[ghisler(Author)]

Are you running TC with higher user rights (as administrator)? Then the opening will fail when Office is already running (or was preloaded).

[rarva]

Nope - not running TC with as admin.

Also worth noting that following folders/files are presented when I attempt to open a .docx file...

\_rels\
\docProps\
\word\
\[Content_Types].xml

[Dalai]

Most likely you have some packer plugin installed that opens the files as archives. Which icons do these files have: The office document icon or an archive icon?

Regards
Dalai

[rarva]

Nope - never installed a plug-in on TC before

The icon next to .docx files is a blank icon (i.e the same icon which is presented for the config.sys file)

[Dalai]

So TC doesn't recognize the file type and shows the generic icon used for unknown/unassociated files.

Place the cursor on one of the files, now select Files > Associate With. Click on Edit type. What do you see?

Regards
Dalai

[rarva]

If I right-click and select "Open with..." then it gives me a dialogue box which let's me choose "Word 2016"

[Hacker]

rarva,
To quote Dalai:
Place the cursor on one of the files, now select Files > Associate With. Click on Edit type. What do you see?

Roman

[rarva]

Apologies, I confused "Open with..." and "Associate with..."

The problem has disappeared since I clicked on "Open with..."

[HolgerK]

Have recently uninstalled OpenOffice and Installed Office 365;

First installed Office 365, then removed OpenOffice?
Both programs are associated with the same file extensions, which may be removed by uninstalling OpenOffice.
A repair installation ( Program and Features->Office 356->Context menu-> Change: Repair) of Office 365 should restore the file association for Office 365.

Regards
Holger

[rarva]

Yep, first installed Office 365, then removed OpenOffice...

I have now repaired MS Office and everything is back to normal.

Still doesn't explain why TC has a problem with associations when Explorer doesn't?

[Hacker]

rarva,

Still doesn't explain why TC has a problem with associations when Explorer doesn't?

Explorer and TC use different way to handle associations. TC sticks to an established standard while Explorer changes with Windows versions. IIRC.

Roman

[greenhills]

Created an account to say that I had the exact same problem as described, and following the advice of Dalai, above, fixed it.

(1) In Total Commander, select the file (make it red by right clicking).
(2) From the Total Commander menu bar, select Files > Associate (Windows Overall).
(3) In box that appeared, all files ending with docx were not associated with anything.
(4) In the "Associate with" box, I typed "Word" and the list filtered to allow me to associate docx with Word.
(5) Clicked OK and the blank icons were replaced with word icons. Double clicking the file opened it in Word.

Thanks Dalai and Hacker!

[ghisler(Author)]

Microsoft is doing something strange with their MS Office associations. Either I missed something in the documentation, or they do something undocumented which I don't know about.