[Sovled] Opening .doc files won't open

[AKJ]

OS: Windows xp
Oo version 2.4

Since I upgraded to OpenOffice 2.4 and deleted my MS Office 2003 Trial Version (long-expired) I can no longer open .doc files on the Internet.

For instance: Shopping for homes online, property details are provided via link. I used to be able to open link, but now it refers me to a strictly Microsoft site to download (or purchase) a program capable of opening the . doc file.

Can someone help me associate OpenOffice as my .doc reader? The only alternative I've found (but prefer not to use if unnecessary) is to download Word Viewer 2003, but I'm not sure that's what I need.

Please help me out if you can. I'm not terribly computer savvy.

[Bhikkhu Pesala]

Right-click on a DOC file in Windows Explorer, and chose "Open With, Choose Program." Select Open Office as the program. Check the box that says, "Always use the selected program to open this kind of file."

[AKJ]

Thanks for the quick help, but I haven't been able to right-click the link and get any options. If I click on the link to get the file, I'm given a pop-up that redirects me to Microsoft's four options to open the file and cannot get off that to select another option...or maybe I'm missing something?

***If I save the file to my desktop, then try to open it with swriter, I get the appropriate pop-up screen to make my selection, but only wordpad and windows explorer are listed as options. Shouldn't I see swriter listed as a choice as well?

[Bhikkhu Pesala]

Shouldn't I see swriter listed as a choice as well?

Not unless you associated DOC files with Writer when you installed it, and I suspect that you didn't do that, which is why you're having this problem. If Writer is not listed in the Open With dialogue then click on browse and find it. Then check the box that says, "Always use the selected program to open this kind of file."

[AKJ]

Shouldn't I see swriter listed as a choice as well?

Not unless you associated DOC files with Writer when you installed it, and I suspect that you didn't do that, which is why you're having this problem. If Writer is not listed in the Open With dialogue then click on browse and find it. Then check the box that says, "Always use the selected program to open this kind of file."

Thank you so much!!!
I couldn't figure out how to locate the swriter to do the "Always open" thing you suggested, (I'm dense, I know. - can't say I didn't warn you, though.) so I modified the installation itself to have it open all MS files with OpenOffice. (You were right, I had not done that during installation.) It worked like a charm! I only hope I haven't disrupted all my current files by doing this, but (I think) it said I could still right-click a file and have it open with another program, so all is not lost. ...Now I can download reports like crazy again!