File associations in Vista

[#1]

I have been trying  to fix a problem at work, and before the PC meets a sticky end I thought I will try all the knowledgeable types here.  We use a wiki based intranet to access information and certain files. On one Vista PC if the wiki is opened in IE7 and I click on a link to a DOC, IE7 insists on opening it itself. The user wants the file to open in Word, which is installed. I have checked the file associations in Control Panel - Default Programs, and DOC files are set to open in Word. IE7 is only set to open html and similar web formats.
Anyone know how to persuade IE7 on Vista to do as it is told and open a DOC with Word?

[#2]

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[LN];162059

The forum software screws up the link so you will need to copy and paste

[#3]

Thanks, but that applies to everything but Vista! Vista does not have a File Types tab in Folder Options. File associations seem to be set in Control Panel - Default Programs instead, but there is no equivalent to the "Browse in same window" checkbox. The registry hack didn't work as it wouldn't let me enter a value of 8 in the suggested new key. Presumably that is another thing that is different with Vista.

[#4]

But what does this show (ignore the highlighting as that is just where the cursor was)

[#5]

Err, they are just DOC files, not a DOCMHTML, but I'll have a look. He has just gone and shut his computer down and left the building, so I'll have to check tomorrow.
The more I see of Vista the more I hate it

[#6]

Don't like NT 6 myself much either.
I'll stick with NT 5.1 for as long as I can

[#7]

Sorry, Oldjim, I know you said to ignore the highlighted entry! Still, your screenshot is the same as on this PC - all DOC files are set to open with Word. Somehow IE7 is hijacking it.

[#8]

OK, I have fixed it in a roundabout way, by installing good old Firefox, and adding a user.js as per <a href="http://kb.mozillazine.org/Links_to_local_pages_don%27t_work#Firefox_1.5.2C_SeaMonkey_1.0_and_newer">these instructions</a>, replacing http://www.example.com with http://<our server name>. (This allows Firefox to open linked files from the named URL in an outside application.) Clicking the link in Firefox now opens the file in Word.
Round of applause for open source software.

[#9]

I know it's not exactly what your looking for, but If you click the link to the .doc, and it opens in IE7, you could set the HTML editor to word, and add the "Edit" button to the toolbar of IE7, so with only 1 extra click you get it opend with word...
That's theory though, I only ever use IE for setting our work routers, cause they are old and crap and the web admin on them don't support real browsers like FF or Opera

[#10]

Thing is though when you are designing an interface to work out of the box then you can be sure that IE will be present so you cant really blame them now can you?

[#11]

Erm, yeah - routers are not OS specific, they are TCP/IP specific.
On the basis that they deal with protocols adhering to standards, you would expect them to code an interface that adhered to internet standards, rather than the dodgy non-standard Microsoft offerings.
Remember; Popularity != Quality

[#12]

Hi James
My point was that router web interfaces are designed to do a job which is of course to allow people not familiar with CLI to stick them in a rack and get them up and running.
As the Windows OS is pretty much built around IE and IE does not adhere to standards but is going to be present on the vast majority of machines that your customer is running so hence they code for IE as in reality you cant really ask your customer to install another browser to configure a piece of equipment they've just paid x thousand pouinds for can you as not every customer is going to have someone who is familiar with networking device CLI
I fear we are digressing, I'll have a tinker on a Vista system tomorrow when I'm at work and see if I can come up with anything to help the OP

[#13]

Yes, but your point is missing a little common sense.
If the WI was built to adhere to standards, it wouldn't matter which browser you used.
If its built to only work in IE, you have only one option.

[#14]

I agree entirely with what you are saying James, I have not looked into IE that much to determine what standards it flouts (my browser of choice is FF 3)
Interface design seems to be more about flashy presentation rather than getting the job done which is probably why the decision was made to code for IE

[#15]

Quote from: techguy

I fear we are digressing, I'll have a tinker on a Vista system tomorrow when I'm at work and see if I can come up with anything to help the OP

Thanks, but the OP doesn't care any more! I'm quite happy to tell people to use Firefox instead. Stuff IE7, that's what I say