Cannot open PDF attachment in Windows Mail

G

Guest

Hi,
When I receive an email with a PDF attachement and try to open this from
within Windows mail, I get the following error: "This file does not have a
progam associated with it for performing this action. Create an association
in the Set Associations control panel". After downloading the attached file
to some folder, I can open it by clicking on it (so file association is OK,
right?)
Q: any advice to resolve this?
Some additional data:
-Checked file association for .pdf and found it to be correct: points to
Adobe Reader
-I have Adobe Reader 8.1 freshly (re)installed
-clicking a pdf file in windows explorer opens the pdf file normally
-I'm running Ultima with latest updates
-did mess around with Adobe Acrobat which I finally uninstalled after which
I noted this issue (but not 200% sure it was not there before...)
Any tips appreciated!
 
G

Gary VanderMolen

This is a known Windows Mail bug. You already know the only
workaround: save the attachment, then open the saved file outside
of Windows Mail.
 
G

Guest

Thanks for the update! So, the problem has been there all along!
Is there a KB-article on this or something else I can track awaiting a
solution? Perhaps Vista SP1? (I could not easily find something)
Wytze

Gary VanderMolen said:
This is a known Windows Mail bug. You already know the only
workaround: save the attachment, then open the saved file outside
of Windows Mail.

--
Gary VanderMolen [MS MVP-WLM]


Wytze said:
Hi,
When I receive an email with a PDF attachement and try to open this from
within Windows mail, I get the following error: "This file does not have a
progam associated with it for performing this action. Create an association
in the Set Associations control panel". After downloading the attached file
to some folder, I can open it by clicking on it (so file association is OK,
right?)
Q: any advice to resolve this?
Some additional data:
-Checked file association for .pdf and found it to be correct: points to
Adobe Reader
-I have Adobe Reader 8.1 freshly (re)installed
-clicking a pdf file in windows explorer opens the pdf file normally
-I'm running Ultima with latest updates
-did mess around with Adobe Acrobat which I finally uninstalled after which
I noted this issue (but not 200% sure it was not there before...)
Any tips appreciated!
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
R

Ramesh, MS-MVP

Click Start, "Default Programs"
Click "Associate a file type or protocol..."
Select .PDF from the list and click "Change program..."
Select "Adobe Reader 8.1" (do this even if it's already the default handler for PDFs)
Click OK

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Hi,
When I receive an email with a PDF attachement and try to open this from
within Windows mail, I get the following error: "This file does not have a
progam associated with it for performing this action. Create an association
in the Set Associations control panel". After downloading the attached file
to some folder, I can open it by clicking on it (so file association is OK,
right?)
Q: any advice to resolve this?
Some additional data:
-Checked file association for .pdf and found it to be correct: points to
Adobe Reader
-I have Adobe Reader 8.1 freshly (re)installed
-clicking a pdf file in windows explorer opens the pdf file normally
-I'm running Ultima with latest updates
-did mess around with Adobe Acrobat which I finally uninstalled after which
I noted this issue (but not 200% sure it was not there before...)
Any tips appreciated!
 
G

Guest

Dear Ramesh,

Followed your suggestions, als without postive results:
- verified that clicking a pdf file in windows explorer trigger Acrobat
reader (OK)
- checked in Acrobat reader that the current version is 8.1.0 (OK)
- opened default programs /associate ...
- select .pdf
- verified that current association is 'Acrobat Reader 8.0' (OK)
- using change program button to point to 'AcroRd32.exe' (OK)
- noted that name still appears as ''Acrobat Reader 8.0'
- closed windows
Unfortunately, still the problem exists unchanged.

Did I take a wrong turn?

Wytze
 
G

Gary VanderMolen

Ramesh, over the past 8 months we have had many people try what you
suggested, but it does not seem to work for .PDF attachments.

--
Gary VanderMolen [MS MVP-WLM]


Click Start, "Default Programs"
Click "Associate a file type or protocol..."
Select .PDF from the list and click "Change program..."
Select "Adobe Reader 8.1" (do this even if it's already the default handler for PDFs)
Click OK

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Hi,
When I receive an email with a PDF attachement and try to open this from
within Windows mail, I get the following error: "This file does not have a
progam associated with it for performing this action. Create an association
in the Set Associations control panel". After downloading the attached file
to some folder, I can open it by clicking on it (so file association is OK,
right?)
Q: any advice to resolve this?
Some additional data:
-Checked file association for .pdf and found it to be correct: points to
Adobe Reader
-I have Adobe Reader 8.1 freshly (re)installed
-clicking a pdf file in windows explorer opens the pdf file normally
-I'm running Ultima with latest updates
-did mess around with Adobe Acrobat which I finally uninstalled after which
I noted this issue (but not 200% sure it was not there before...)
Any tips appreciated!
 
R

Ramesh, MS-MVP

Hi Wytze,

Try this:

1. Download FileExtInfo.zip from here:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/fileextinfo.htm

2. Unzip the utility and extract the files to Desktop.
3. Double-click "FileExtInfo.exe" to run it.
4. Select ".PDF" from the list
5. Click "View file association report"
6. Copy the contents of the report and include it in your reply.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Dear Ramesh,

Followed your suggestions, als without postive results:
- verified that clicking a pdf file in windows explorer trigger Acrobat
reader (OK)
- checked in Acrobat reader that the current version is 8.1.0 (OK)
- opened default programs /associate ...
- select .pdf
- verified that current association is 'Acrobat Reader 8.0' (OK)
- using change program button to point to 'AcroRd32.exe' (OK)
- noted that name still appears as ''Acrobat Reader 8.0'
- closed windows
Unfortunately, still the problem exists unchanged.

Did I take a wrong turn?

Wytze
 
R

Ramesh, MS-MVP

Hopefully we can crack it this time, Gary :)

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Ramesh, over the past 8 months we have had many people try what you
suggested, but it does not seem to work for .PDF attachments.

--
Gary VanderMolen [MS MVP-WLM]


Click Start, "Default Programs"
Click "Associate a file type or protocol..."
Select .PDF from the list and click "Change program..."
Select "Adobe Reader 8.1" (do this even if it's already the default handler for PDFs)
Click OK

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Hi,
When I receive an email with a PDF attachement and try to open this from
within Windows mail, I get the following error: "This file does not have a
progam associated with it for performing this action. Create an association
in the Set Associations control panel". After downloading the attached file
to some folder, I can open it by clicking on it (so file association is OK,
right?)
Q: any advice to resolve this?
Some additional data:
-Checked file association for .pdf and found it to be correct: points to
Adobe Reader
-I have Adobe Reader 8.1 freshly (re)installed
-clicking a pdf file in windows explorer opens the pdf file normally
-I'm running Ultima with latest updates
-did mess around with Adobe Acrobat which I finally uninstalled after which
I noted this issue (but not 200% sure it was not there before...)
Any tips appreciated!
 
G

Guest

Hi Ramesh,

Downloaded the tool and ran it (albeit not from the desktop), here is the
result:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
File association information for [.PDF] file type
Generated by FileExtInfo v2.0 on 6-10-2007 9:42:15

FileExtInfo © 2005-2007 Ramesh Srinivasan.
Homepage: http://www.winhelponline.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.PDF]
@="pdf_auto_file"
"Content Type"="application/pdf"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.PDF\OpenWithList]
@=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.PDF\OpenWithList\AcroRd32.exe]
@=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.PDF\PersistentHandler]
@="{F6594A6D-D57F-4EFD-B2C3-DCD9779E382E}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.PDF\ShellEx]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.PDF\ShellEx\{8895b1c6-b41f-4c1c-a562-0d564250836f}]
@="{DC6EFB56-9CFA-464D-8880-44885D7DC193}"


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\pdf_auto_file]
@=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\pdf_auto_file\shell]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\pdf_auto_file\shell\Read]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\pdf_auto_file\shell\Read\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\Adobe\\Reader 8.0\\Reader\\AcroRd32.exe\" \"%1\""


[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.PDF]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.PDF\OpenWithList]
"a"="AcroRd32.exe"
"MRUList"="acb"
"b"="ieuser.exe"
"c"="WinMail.exe"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.PDF\OpenWithProgids]
"AcroExch.Document"=hex(0):
"pdf_auto_file"=hex(0):

Interested if this gives a clue!

Rgds, Wytze


Ramesh said:
Hi Wytze,

Try this:

1. Download FileExtInfo.zip from here:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/fileextinfo.htm

2. Unzip the utility and extract the files to Desktop.
3. Double-click "FileExtInfo.exe" to run it.
4. Select ".PDF" from the list
5. Click "View file association report"
6. Copy the contents of the report and include it in your reply.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Dear Ramesh,

Followed your suggestions, als without postive results:
- verified that clicking a pdf file in windows explorer trigger Acrobat
reader (OK)
- checked in Acrobat reader that the current version is 8.1.0 (OK)
- opened default programs /associate ...
- select .pdf
- verified that current association is 'Acrobat Reader 8.0' (OK)
- using change program button to point to 'AcroRd32.exe' (OK)
- noted that name still appears as ''Acrobat Reader 8.0'
- closed windows
Unfortunately, still the problem exists unchanged.

Did I take a wrong turn?

Wytze

Ramesh said:
Click Start, "Default Programs"
Click "Associate a file type or protocol..."
Select .PDF from the list and click "Change program..."
Select "Adobe Reader 8.1" (do this even if it's already the default handler for PDFs)
Click OK

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Hi,
When I receive an email with a PDF attachement and try to open this from
within Windows mail, I get the following error: "This file does not have a
progam associated with it for performing this action. Create an association
in the Set Associations control panel". After downloading the attached file
to some folder, I can open it by clicking on it (so file association is OK,
right?)
Q: any advice to resolve this?
Some additional data:
-Checked file association for .pdf and found it to be correct: points to
Adobe Reader
-I have Adobe Reader 8.1 freshly (re)installed
-clicking a pdf file in windows explorer opens the pdf file normally
-I'm running Ultima with latest updates
-did mess around with Adobe Acrobat which I finally uninstalled after which
I noted this issue (but not 200% sure it was not there before...)
Any tips appreciated!
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
R

Ramesh, MS-MVP

Wytze,

Open Registry Editor (regedit.exe) and navigate to the following key:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.PDF]

Double-click the (default) value set its data as:

"AcroExch.Document" (without quotes)

Close Regedit.exe

Restart Windows.

If the problem persists, post a fresh log.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Hi Ramesh,

Downloaded the tool and ran it (albeit not from the desktop), here is the
result:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
File association information for [.PDF] file type
Generated by FileExtInfo v2.0 on 6-10-2007 9:42:15

FileExtInfo © 2005-2007 Ramesh Srinivasan.
Homepage: http://www.winhelponline.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.PDF]
@="pdf_auto_file"
"Content Type"="application/pdf"
 
G

Guest

Hi Ramesh,

Using regedit I modified the key's default value as suggested below.

And... Presto! I can open a pdf document from within Windows Mail [again]!

Thanks for looking into the issue and providing a solution.

Lastly:
What did this changed kay value 'do'?
(I might learn something from it :))

Wytze.
 
R

Ramesh, MS-MVP

You're very welcome, Wytze.

AcroExch.Document is the default ProgID for .PDF, and it was somehow set as "pdf_auto_file" (which is incorrect)

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Hi Ramesh,

Using regedit I modified the key's default value as suggested below.

And... Presto! I can open a pdf document from within Windows Mail [again]!

Thanks for looking into the issue and providing a solution.

Lastly:
What did this changed kay value 'do'?
(I might learn something from it :))

Wytze.

Ramesh said:
Wytze,

Open Registry Editor (regedit.exe) and navigate to the following key:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.PDF]

Double-click the (default) value set its data as:

"AcroExch.Document" (without quotes)

Close Regedit.exe

Restart Windows.

If the problem persists, post a fresh log.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Hi Ramesh,

Downloaded the tool and ran it (albeit not from the desktop), here is the
result:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
File association information for [.PDF] file type
Generated by FileExtInfo v2.0 on 6-10-2007 9:42:15

FileExtInfo © 2005-2007 Ramesh Srinivasan.
Homepage: http://www.winhelponline.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.PDF]
@="pdf_auto_file"
"Content Type"="application/pdf"
Click to expand...
 
V

volatileacid

THE EASIEST FIX IS AS FOLLOWS:

Download and install FOXIT PDF reader. It's a small, fast and free PDF
reader. (you can uninstall it in a bit if you want...)

When it's installed. Go to Control Panel, and "default programs". Then
click on "Associate a file type or protocol with a specific program"

When the list of file types loads... scroll down for PDF, and double
click to edit the association. Now click on FOX IT as the recommended
program and click OK.

That's it! Problem solved. I don't know what causes this problem - is
Adobe to blame? Or is it Microsoft - either way, this fix is the
quickest way to get functionality back within windows mail to open
PDF's directly.

The great thing about this fix is that, you can go back to re-
associate PDF's with Adobe reader if you want, and it should now work.

Please let me know how you get on, else I'll probably think this post
of mine is in vain.

Cheers.
 
D

Dave

I use PDF Formats quite often within my MS Windows Vista Mail and your
recommendation of FOXIT PDF READER free download corrected my problem of not
being able to open PDF's in MS Mail. I really appreciate your advise.
 
H

Haydn Jones

What should this value be changed to?
Double-click the (default) value set its data as:


Close Regedit.exe
Blank?

AcroExch.Document is the default ProgID for .PDF,
and it was somehow set =
as "pdf_auto_file" (which is incorrect)
Click to expand...

I have a customer with the same problem, any MSKB about it? Her regedit has 'pdf_auto_file' as the entry. Have tried all sorts of things to fix this (like Wytze) but Ramesh's first post is missing something regarding the correct entry! (Have tried it blank incase that was it!)

Any help greatly appreciated!
 
H

Haydn Jones

Sorry, quoted parts of my message missing.

What should the registry entry mentioned be changed to?

Machine has Vista SP1 on it.
 
M

MikeJS

I followed the thread here and checked my Registry and it does have the
proper default association. I do have Reader installed and can open the
document if I save it off and then open it. So the registry fix will not do
anything for me. Other suggestions?
 

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