Open using default program eg .doc

[Toolbar]

After 20 years of using the Microsoft Office Shortcut Bar, I now find it doesn't work in W10.  After days of searching and installing all sorts of dancing launch bars, I finally found what I thought must exist somewhere ...  Launchbar Commander.  It's looking good and working well, so thank you to all who've spent time developing it over the years.

I have a query though.  I have a Directory link which allows me to drill down into folder before finally clicking on a file to open it ... except it doesn't open ...
I've got .docx files - they open.  Other files open too, although I've not tried all variations.  However, I've got loads of .doc files and they don't open.

In W10 I've set Word as the default and if I d-click on a .doc in Explorer it opens as expected.  So why doesn't LC know what to do with it ?
I've tried the Tools>Maintenance Operations and I've reinstalled LC but still it doesn't work.
The .docx in the attached clip works: the .doc doesn't.

Can anyone advise please ?

[mouser]

How strange..

Can you try this: Go to the topmost "Options" tab and change the setting you have for "Use file launch helper" -- see if that makes a difference?

[Toolbar]

Well done Mouser !
I had that box ticked - .doc didn't work (as I mentioned earlier)
I unticked it - and it did work

I re-ticked it - .doc didn't work
I re-un-ticked it - and it does work


BUT the icon is still blank / white.  Not necessarily a problem ...
I tried exiting LC a couple of times and it changed nothing.

If you have an idea how to fix the blanks I'll be interested to hear.  It'll be easier than converting all docs to .docx !

[mouser]

Still strange that that happened, but at least it's a clue for me to look into.
I'm not sure what's going on with the icon but maybe there is an issue with the default open app for .doc files, not actually changing from the perspective of LBC until you restart your pc?

[Toolbar]

No, I've just restarted again and no change

[Toolbar]

Sorry ... I've only just noticed that the .doc's, although they were opening in Explorer ... the icon is also white there.  Very odd.
This means that LC is now doing the same as Explorer - opening .doc's but icon missing.

If I find out what's happening, I'll report back.

[mouser]

Yeah that makes me think that perhaps the file association is working -- but not set up perfectly correctly?

[Toolbar]

Hello Mouser
I did try a few things to get the file association working last week and gave up, deciding the solution would show itself at some point - it was no big deal.

All of a sudden, I'm happy to report that the file association is now working in both Explorer and LBC.
Why ? No idea.  It didn't work last night, but this morning it does. 
There hasn't been a Windows update of any sort for several days, but something has started working.

LBC is now looking good. 
There will be lots of people who have used Microsoft Office Toolbar from 1997 or 2000 who suddenly find that it doesn't work in W10.
LBC is the best alternative (actually the only alternative) that I've found, albeit more awkward to set up but much more powerful, of course.

[mouser]

Thanks for reporting back.
And I'm glad it's useful to you!
Let me know if you think of features worth adding.

[IainB]

@mouser: That's interesting.
I had been having a similar problem, but it was regarding running a VBS file. The file had just one line in it. It worked repeatedly just fine, if triggered (double-click) as a .VBS file from Windows Explorer or xplorer² and if triggered via a shortcut from either of those. However, it wouldn't run at all from LBC or FARR - kept giving this error in both cases:



So, I did as you suggested above, re LBC:

...Can n you try this: Go to the topmost "Options" tab and change the setting you have for "Use file launch helper" -- see if that makes a difference?

-mouser (September 06, 2018, 09:45 AM)

That setting was empty (not ticked), so I ticked it, and now the script works just fine when triggered in LBC. I realise (from the Options tip in LBC) that changing that option might enable or disable effective triggering of other files via LBC (depending on other factors), so I shall see what transpires, but at least I now know how to enable the .VBS file to be triggered via LBC, so, thankyou.
EDIT: That setting in LBC seems to be not sticky, unless the user Exits LBC nicely and then restarts it.

Now all I need to figure out is how to enable the trigger via FARR ...     
Any ideas?