double-clicking an excel file does not open it in 2003

[Dennis Gudde]

I have a brand new Dell Precision 360 Workstation that
came with Office 2003 pre-installed. I also installed
Visio 2003 Standard which gave me an option for Office
updates which I also completed. With Word 2003, I can
open a document two ways, double-click the file or open
Word and then do File, Open. But in Excel 2003 I can only
open Excel then do File, Open. If Excel is closed and I
double-click an Excel File, neither Excel nor the file
opens. I already checked Folder Options, File Types, it
correctly points to the Excel executable and has Open as
the default action.

 

[Frank Kabel]

Hi
try the following:
goto 'Tools-Options-General " and uncheck "Ignore other Applications"
Exit Excel and try again

If this doesn't work try to re-register Excel

1. Close Excel first and
2. On the Windows Taskbar
2.1 Start>Run "excel.exe /unregserver"(no quotes)>OK.
2.2 Start>Run "excel.exe /regserver"(no quotes)>OK.

 

[Guest]

Thank you for the suggestions. I tried them both and am
still getting the same result. I wonder if reinstalling
office might fix it. Thanks.

 

[Frank Kabel]

Hi
if both suggestions didn#t work i think you're down to re-installing
Office/Excel

 

[Gord Dibben]

In addition to Frank's "ignore other" and "regserver" suggestions, which you
say did not work............

Go to Start>Settings>Folder>Options>File Types. Scroll down to MS Excel
Worksheet. Then if running Win98 OS Edit> select "Open" and Edit.

If using WinXP OS you would scroll down to .XLS then "Advanced">Open>Edit.

In Command line the path should be similar to this....

"C:\PROGRAM FILES\MICROSOFT OFFICE\OFFICE\EXCEL.EXE" /e (delete the <sp>/e if
you want Book1 to open.

You must have the double quotes.

Below have "use DDE" checked and this in the DDE message box....[open("%1")]

Application should read "Excel"(no quotes)

Gord Dibben Excel MVP