File association

How do I change the file association when checked off in error.

Example: I have excel files .xls that when I try to open in a shortcut mode, I get the file download program flickering trying to either open or download something. I must have associated the .xls extension with file download. How do I change it back to .xls association so that when I click on a saved document that is in a folder other than Excel itself, it will open. Right now, in order to open an xls. document, I have to open Excel and then point it to the file.

Thanks,
SyBorg

 

go to control panel and then select folder options. you should be able to change associations there.

 

Or Shift + right click on any XLS file, select "Open With"
and then select Excel from the list.
Also checkmark "always open files of this type with this program"

If Excel opens but comes up with an error, then (as Jtoast says) you will need to go to: Folder Options -> File Types and make the association there.
But for us to give the exact instructions, we need to know what your Windows OS is and what version of MS Office is installed.

 

Thanks for your suggestion. However I believe it was incorrect. I can not open an excel document unless I do it from excel itself. I want to be able to do this from a document stored somewhere else. This is where I am having a problem with program association during the opening process. can you please advise.

 

when you click on an icon, windows checks its list of extensions and decides what program to use to open that file......if for example, .xls gets accidentally associated with winzip, then clicking on a .xls file will open winzip.

the two ways to change these associations are mentioned above.

if this is not what you are asking then I am confused and not understanding your question.

 

That's what The Egg was saying. If you open windows explorer and highlight an excel file, hold the shift key down and right click on it, you should get a choice to "open with" and this is where you'll choose Excel. By doing this you will be re-associating excel files with the excel program.

Another way of doing this if you have Win98 is to go to Start> settings>folder options> under the view tab make sure show hidden files is checked> then on the file type tab scroll down until you see XLS (or other excel extension you are trying to open)> highlight it and click on properties> highlight open> click on edit> then change the program it opens with to Microsoft excel .
(I'm typing this from memory since I now have WinME but this is the long procedure) That's why The Egg asked what Operating system you are using. The procedure varies from one to the other.

I hope this helps you.

 

It has been my experience with Win98 that "open with..." and folder options are not always sucessful in setting a file association. Instead I use Winfile:

1) Go to Start > run..., and enter winfile

2) To select the file to be associated, navigate to it by first selecting the drive, then in the left pane select the folder(s) in which the file is stored.

3) Find the file in the right pane. Note that the MS-DOS name will be displayed so ensure what it is for the file. If you are not sure, right click the file, then properties. The MS-DOS name will be displayed there.

4) Select the target file then go to the top of the window and click File > Associate...

5) In the Associate window, confirm the file extension, eg. xls.

6) In "associate with:" line, select the program you wish to open the file type by highlighting it in the list below, or by "browse..."

7) Once the file and program are selected, click ok.

 

That's got it!
Thanks,
SyBorg