Docx attachments in Webmail (Outlook)

[susan0101]

I recently rebuilt my desktop machine. Now when I access my exchange server
via webmail on this machine any .docx attachments that I save to open are
saved as a compressed file. .doc are fine, but docx are not. I have run all
updates for this computer.

I'm running Office 2007 and IE 8.

 

[Roady [MVP]]

What do you mean? They are saved a zip-files?
What happens when you double click them to open them?

Note that OWA is part of Exchange and not Outlook. The correct newsgroups
for OWA is exchange.clients
However, I think your issue has something to do with how you have docx-files
registered in Windows and not with OWA specifically. Simply saving a
docx-file from within Word 2007 probably gives you the same results.

Either way, you're off-topic for this newsgroup as Outlook is not involved.

 

[VanguardLH]

I recently rebuilt my desktop machine. Now when I access my exchange server
via webmail on this machine any .docx attachments that I save to open are
saved as a compressed file. .doc are fine, but docx are not. I have run all
updates for this computer.

I'm running Office 2007 and IE 8.

That's because .docx files ARE compressed files.

docx is yet another new Microsoft properietary document format that
showed up in their Word 2007 that isn't even compatible with prior
versions of Word. Don't save in .docx format. Save in the older .doc
Microsoft proprietary format that everyone can understand (which
includes Microsoft products before Office 2007). You have the choice of
saving in doc or docx format for your own files. Alternatively, and
when receiving docx files, install Microsoft's "Office Compatibility
Pack for 2007 Office Word, Excel, and PowerPoint File Formats". That
let YOU read .docx files (if you don't have Word 2007). You can't
guarantee that anyone else has that utility installed to read your .docx
files or that they even use Word to read a .docx file (since lots of
non-Microsoft products can read the older .doc format).

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word/HA100444731033.aspx?pid=CH100626291033
http://office.microsoft.com/search/redir.aspx?AssetID=DC101298101033&CTT=5&Origin=HA100444731033

..docx is an XML-formatted document that is then compressed (using the
..zip algorithm) into a smaller file. That is probably why it appears as
a .zip file by any application that looks inside the file (to determine
filetype by *content*) rather than rely on its filetype (the filename's
extension).

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word/HA100069351033.aspx
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word/HA100444731033.aspx?pid=CH100626291033
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word/HA102406831033.aspx?pid=CH101778931033

Don't use a document format that you or your recipients cannot decipher.
If you get a docx file for which you don't have Word 2007 to read it or
have the Compatibility Pack installed then complain to the sender to
resend the file in a usable file format.

 

[susan0101]

I was having issues, so I tested all steps on the same workstation.

I save word doc on my machine as a .docx. i can open here or elsewhere.
I attach in Outlook.
I open Webmail.
It forces me to right click it and save it - so I do. It only gives me the
choice of saving it as a compressed file. Which I do. BUt to uncompress - I
don't find my word docx again.

 

[Roady [MVP]]

Does this workstation have Work 2007 installed or the Office 2007
Compatibility pack? If not, then you cannot open docx-files on that
computer.

Otherwise, on that work station, create a new docx-file and Word and save
it. Now, browse to the location where you stored it. Does it show the
correct icon, file type description and does it open in Word after you
double click it?

BUt to uncompress - I
don't find my word docx again.

What do you mean by that? You can't find the location back where you saved
it or is doesn't allow you to uncompress the file you just saved?

 

[susan0101]

Yes - and as I said - I can save it here, look at it here - but if I attach
and THEN try to open from OWA - that's when it becomes a compressed file.

OWA forces me to save, then open. But when I save - it becomes a compressed
file.

 

[Justin Jayjohn]

I have the same issue. I have 2 machines both with Windows XP SP3. Both
have Office 2007 & the compatibility pack installed. Both are using the same
version of IE. One can open 07 attachments with no problems, the other wants
to save the file as a zip file. However, on both machines I can open the
attachments fine with Firefox. I cannot figure out what is going on.

 

[Justin Jayjohn]

I have the same issue. I have 2 machines both with Windows XP SP3. Both
have Office 2007 & the compatibility pack installed. Both are using the same
version of IE. One can open 07 attachments with no problems, the other wants
to save the file as a zip file. However, on both machines I can open the
attachments fine with Firefox. I cannot figure out what is going on.

 

[Justin Jayjohn]

I have the same issue. I have 2 machines both with Windows XP SP3. Both
have Office 2007 & the compatibility pack installed. Both are using the same
version of IE. One can open 07 attachments with no problems, the other wants
to save the file as a zip file. However, on both machines I can open the
attachments fine with Firefox. I cannot figure out what is going on.

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

I have the same issue. I have 2 machines both with Windows XP SP3. Both
have Office 2007 & the compatibility pack installed. Both are using the
same
version of IE. One can open 07 attachments with no problems, the other
wants
to save the file as a zip file. However, on both machines I can open the
attachments fine with Firefox. I cannot figure out what is going on.

If one of them is trying to create a zip file, then either the attachment was
sent to you as a zip file or you have some add-in on that PC that is making it
a zip file. Turn that add-in off, in that case.

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

I have the same issue.

No need to post multiple times.

 

[Justin Jayjohn]

I kept getting a message "page cannot be displayed" or service temporary
unavailable when trying to post. I did not realize my post was actually
submitted. The machines I am using for testing, have winzip installed. But
we have machines that do not have winzip installed having the same issue. We
see some machines working fine, others will not open the file. You have to
save the file. When windows or IE browser saves the file. It immediately
shows the file as a zip.

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

I kept getting a message "page cannot be displayed" or service temporary
unavailable when trying to post. I did not realize my post was actually
submitted.

Do yourself a favor and use a real newsreader instead of the crufty web
interface..
http://www.microsoft.com/communities/guide/nntpnews.mspx

Here's the link to this newsgroup:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.outlook.general

 

[Trekmaster]

Open the registry editor, change the iexplorer.exe MIME handling value from 1 to 0 and it will work.
HKeyLocalMachine\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet
Explorer\Main\FeatureControl\FEATURE_MIME_HANDLING\iexplore.exe
This works if you are running ie 8 on either vista, or xp.

 

[ivanzaher]

The problem is in Internet Explorer 8. There are a couple of workarounds. One is to rename file from zip to docx. Another one is to add the url of your OWA server to the Trused Sites list in IE 8.

Start IE 8, go to Tools, Internet Options and then click on Security tab. Next, click on the Trused sites icon and then on the button to the right labeled "Sites".

Add url of your OWA server as a trusted site by typing in the address of your OWA server. Also if your server does not use SSL then make sure to un-check Require server verification
After you enter the address of your OWA server, click Add, then click Close and then click OK to exit Internet Options
Now when you save Office 2007 attachements, they will be saved as office 2007 documents and not as ZIP files