[pjayg]

I can't open any Excel documents unless I first open Excel. I get this error message: "Windows cannot find C:\my documents\(name of document).xls. You may have typed the name incorrectly in the Run dialog, or another program cannot find a system file. To search for a file, click the start button, then click search." I have checked file associations using winfile, and have tried renaming various documents, with no luck so far. My OS is Windows ME. Can you help? It is annoying and I'm frustrated that I can't figure it out! Thanks!!!

 

[NiteHawk]

Try this. On the Excel file you want to open right click on it while you hold down the shift key. This will give you a menu. Click on "Open With.." Now from the choices select Excel and put a check in the box in the corner that says "Always use this program..." and then click OK. That should set up an association for that type of file with Excel.

To test, close Excel and then double click on the file name and it should open in Excel.

 

[pjayg]

Sorry it took me so long to reply, but this didn't work. Also, holding down the shift key didn't seem to do anything more than a plain old right-click. Any other ideas?

 

[Couriant]

Where are you trying to open the files?

 

[pjayg]

From "my documents" or the like. Should I go to them from Explorer?

 

[NiteHawk]

Sorry it took me so long to reply, but this didn't work. Also, holding down the shift key didn't seem to do anything more than a plain old right-click. Any other ideas?

Holding down the shift key as you right click on a file should give you one more option in the standard right click menu. You should see "Open With..". Clicking on "Open With" should give you a window with all the registered programs. Now from the choices select Excel and put a check in the box in the corner that says "Always use this program..." and then click OK. That should set up an association for that type of file with Excel.