OpenOffice 4.0 install loses all file associations

[Peter Fitz]

I've installed OpenOffice 4.0, having had earlier versions of OpenOffice and LibreOffice installed previously, and for some reason I've lost all file associations with OpenOffice.

I checked the option to include MS Office formats when I installed, but those associations don't work either.

To make matters worse, OpenOffice appears to be completely invisible to Windows Vista when it comes to re-setting the file associations manually. It doesn't appear in the list of default programs (accessed from the Control Panel) at all, and if I try to set file associations individually by browsing to soffice.exe or swriter.exe, that program option is not accepted.

I suspect there's a registry problem somewhere, but I'm not confident to go rummaging around in there myself. Can anybody help?

[Bill]

Did you uninstall the earlier versions of OOo/AOO and LO before installing AOO 4?

Was there an error message when you tried browsing to soffice.exe to set the file association?

[Peter Fitz]

Yes, I uninstalled all earlier versions.

No, there is no error message.

[Bill]

It's been a while since I tried to install LO. There are a couple of old threads about file association problems that may help:

[Solved] LibreOffice - File associations Win XP SP3

File Association Problem

Try using Revo Uninstaller to completely remove old versions, then using CCleaner to clean up the registry before installilng AOO 4.

[Peter Fitz]

Running CCleaner through the registry a couple of times and then running a Repair from Vista's "Add/Remove Programs" app has partially fixed the problem. The file associations have not been reinstated, but at least now I can associate each file type manually by navigating to the appropriate OpenOffice .exe file.

[aprg1]

I am having pretty much the same issue after installing OO 4.0. When I try to open email attachments (.docx, .xlsx) I get the following message: C:\Users\xxx\AppData\Local\Temp\Copy of 2013 August 4th (3)-5.xlsx could not be opened, because the associated helper application does not exist. Change the association in your preferences.

I went into "default programs" and made sure that all files extensions are associated correctly to OO applications - still no change.

If I save the file onto Desktop, open Writer or Calc and then choose the file from the "Open" command the file will open - it just won't directly from clicking on it from an email attachment.

One other quick note: this is my first posting to this forum and when I tried to register it would not let me use OpenOffice 4.0 in my signature - had to use 3.41.

Any advice you could give me would be appreciated.

Thanks

Aprg1

[thomasjk]

@aprg1. This is an issue with your email client. The best process is to save the email attachment to your hard drive first then edit.

[aprg1]

@thomasjk.
I wondered the same, but if that were the case would that not have shown up when I was using 3.41? Everything worked fine until I did the upgrade, leading me to believe that the problem was with that.

I'm using Postbox express as my email client - are there any settings in it that I could change?

[aprg1]

@thomasjk - Thank you - you put me on the right track and I was able to figure it out, which for me is nothing short of amazing.

Much appreciated.

Aprg1

[lgusaas]

@thomasjk.
I wondered the same, but if that were the case would that not have shown up when I was using 3.41? Everything worked fine until I did the upgrade, leading me to believe that the problem was with that.

I'm using Postbox express as my email client - are there any settings in it that I could change?

I use Thunderbird, which Postbox is based on. Thunderbird uses its own file associations instead of the OS default setting.
Look in your user preferences/settings for Attachments.
Change to OpenOffice for opening the file types you want to open with OpenOffice

The program name has changed to OpenOffice. It used to be OpenOffice.org

[WaimanaloJP]

I had the same issue but resolved by modifying the registry.
Open regedit and change the following each value from "...OpenOffice.org 3/program/..." to "...OpenOffice 4/program/...". Cheers.

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\sbase.exe\shell\open\command
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\scalc.exe\shell\open\command
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\sdraw.exe\shell\open\command
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\swriter.exe\shell\open\command

Note: Please use your own discretion to modify your registry file.

[Bill]

Those are registry keys which are added when associating file extensions with the .exe files. For those uncomfortable with editing the registry, the keys can be removed using CCleaner's Registry Cleaner if the OOo/AOO/LO version associated with the keys has been uninstalled. Scan for Application issues in CCleaner. Each will be labeled as an "Open with Application Issue". After the keys are removed, file extensions can be associated with the .exe files in the usual way.

[Bill]

If you single-click the folder icon, you should see the full name of the folder "OpenOffice 4.0.0 (en-US) Installation Files". Those are the files which are used to install AOO 4.0.0. The downloaded file is a packed installation file. It doesn't install AOO, but contains the files which you now see in the OpenOffice 4.0.0 (en-US) Installation Files folder. That folder can be deleted after installation is complete. It doesn't contain any of your data files from 3.4.

Your data files should still be where you saved them. Installing AOO 4.0.0 doesn't do anything to your data files. Double-click the OpenOffice 4.0.0 icon to open AOO. Select File > Open. On the Open dialog, select "Libraries" in the left pane, then double-click Documents in the right pane. This opens the default location for your documents. If you don't see your documents there, you can then enter filters in the Search box to search for documents. Enter kind:document in the Search box to display a list of all documents in the Documents folder and its subfolders.

You can find more about using search filters here:
Search - Find More with Filters and Operators

[n0ukf]

I'm continuing to have file association problems with AOO4 on WinXP. I've had this since OOo 3 (perhaps OOo 2, maybe StarOffice, maybe LibreOffoce). When I try to Open With... and select swriter.exe or soffice.exe, niether shows up in the Open With... window to select.

[thomasjk]

I'm continuing to have file association problems with AOO4 on WinXP. I've had this since OOo 3 (perhaps OOo 2, maybe StarOffice, maybe LibreOffoce). When I try to Open With... and select swriter.exe or soffice.exe, niether shows up in the Open With... window to select.

If you have been having this issue for a long time then it is most likely a problem with your OS. See http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307859 for some help. The other thing to check is in the Save dialog: make sure that "Automatic file name extension" is checked. Are you icons just a generic windows icon? If so what I suggested should correct your problem

[Bill]

I'm continuing to have file association problems with AOO4 on WinXP. I've had this since OOo 3 (perhaps OOo 2, maybe StarOffice, maybe LibreOffoce). When I try to Open With... and select swriter.exe or soffice.exe, niether shows up in the Open With... window to select.

Did you select Browse on the first Open With Window to open the second Open With window? The first Open With window only displays applications which have registered with Windows as being able to handle the type of file you're trying to open. The second Open With window should allow you to browse to any .exe file.

[n0ukf]

Did you select Browse on the first Open With Window to open the second Open With window? ... The second Open With window should allow you to browse to any .exe file.

Yes, I can select swriter.exe or soffice.exe but when I do, they still don't show in the first window. I've tried Glary Utilities a number of times but it apparently doesn't find and fix whatever the problem is.

[OakBloodThree]

I actually had a similar problem with 3.4.0 and it was never fully resolved. The problem returned with the removal of 3.x and install of 4.0.0, probably due to the new executable location. See this thread: http://forum.openoffice.org/en/forum/vi ... 53#p245084

The Set Default Programs dialog does not list any OO components, and will not allow me to add them.

If I right click an OO document, and select "Open with > Choose default program...", no OO components appear in the "Recommended Programs" or "Other Programs" lists. I can browse to an OO application executable (e.g. swriter.exe) but Windows will not accept it into the Other Programs list.

The fix is to select soffice.exe for all OO file types. (It will appear in "Other Programs" after the first one is complete.)

There will be a warning message (about installing a dictionary) the first time a file is double-clicked.

Windows still will not know the a description for the file types (other than "ODT file", etc.) but will open them.

[Bill]

The fix is to select soffice.exe for all OO file types. (It will appear in "Other Programs" after the first one is complete.)

I'd call that a workaround, not a fix. A complete removal of all old versions, including a registry cleanup and user profile reset followed by a clean install of the latest version shouldn't require any workaround or fix.[/quote]

[OakBloodThree]

Yes, technically you're right-- it's a workaround, not a fix. But the complete removal, etc. didn't work at all for me.

[Bill]

I'd guess that something wasn't removed from the Registry. That can happen if the "open with" option has been used to manually associate a file extension with the swriter.exe, etc files. Any file associations made that way won't be removed when uninstalling the program.

[n0ukf]

Is there anything (free) that will fix this (remove old or specific associations throughout the Registry)?

[Bill]

Internet search: "windows registry cleaner"

[n0ukf]

I already use Glary Utilities but that hasn't targeted those entries.

[Bill]

Try CCleaner. It has worked for me in Vista, but it's been months since I tried it.