Can't change default app version (2008/2011) for opening MS Office files

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Level 1

0 points

Can't change default app version (2008/2011) for opening MS Office files

I have a MacBook Pro running both Office 2008 and Office 2011. I only have 2011 installed for access to Outlook; I still want Doc/DocX and other Office files to open in Office 2008. When I try to reset the default app to Word 2008 in "Get Info" on a DOCX file, it always reverts back to Word 2011. I can change the default for all DOCX files to TextEdit successfully, but when I then try to switch to Word 2008, Word 2011 comes up in its place. The method I'm using is:

1. Right-click a DOCX file and select Get Info
2. Change "Opens With" to Word 2008 (Change All button is grayed out at this point)
3. Click lock to unlock the permissions pane and enter password
4. Close Get Info, then reopen Get Info again
5. Make sure Word 2008 is still selected and click Change All button

Once I do that, the Open With entry reverts to Word 2011. This happens for all Office file types. Since I can change to other non-Office apps, I'm assuming that Office itself is somehow protecting against opening with Office 2008 apps by default. Is there any way around this?

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.6)

Posted on Jan 13, 2011 8:07 AM

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Answer 1

baltwo

Level 9

62,386 points

Jan 13, 2011 11:10 AM in response to davisc

AFAIK, the OS now selects one of those as the default. If you don't want Word '11 to be the default, delete it, restart, reset all doc/docx files to open with Word '08, rebuild the LaunchServices database, and restart. Use this one-liner in the Terminal app to reset the database:

*/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/LaunchS ervices.framework/Versions/A/Support/lsregister -kill -r -domain local -domain system -domain user*

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Answer 2

Jan 13, 2011 12:36 PM in response to davisc

You might consider making a new service using Automator that will open a selected file in the program of your choice. Thus, I made a service that opens any text-like document in TextEdit. So I right click on something, and then slide down to my custom service and select it. The file then opens in TextEdit, and, if TextEdit isn't open it launches and opens the file.
Francine

Francine
Schwieder

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Answer 3

Feb 28, 2011 11:01 PM in response to davisc

I'm looking for a solution to the problem, too. For me, deleting Office 2011 is not an option, because I still want to be able to launch Word 2011, I just don't want it to be the default. And the Automator solution doesn't really help; if I were willing to right-click the file and select an action, I could more easily drag the file to the Word 2008 icon in the Dock to launch it.

There should be a way to "trick" Mac OS into thinking Word 2008 is the more recent version. For the record, the RCDefaultApp (which is now a preference pane) doesn't work on .doc or .docx Word 2008/2011 defaults.

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Answer 4

Mar 8, 2011 6:47 PM in response to davisc

Here's a wild idea that worked for me years ago.. so may not be relevant in Leopard but heck give it a try.

The goal is to make the desired program the one that's most recently 'installed', since that's the one the finder prefers (Or at least thats the way it used to be...).

The way I USED TO DO IT (like I said YMMV):
Compress the Office 2008 folder (the one containing the Apps) Alternately just compress the the apps themselves).
Throw out the original AND empty the trash.
Now decompress the zip file, and double click on desired app.

Good Luck, HTH

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Answer 5

Mar 31, 2011 10:09 PM in response to LaroftheLair

I had a similar problem, though I think my problem was more of a bug issue, but none the less, it might help:
Find the file:
Macintosh HD:Users:<yourUserAccount>:Library:Preferences:com.apple.LaunchServices.plist

Then browse through the file and look for the LSHandlerContentTag that references Office'11 in LSHandlerRoleAll; then insert the appropriate reference for Office'08 in place of the Office'11 reference.

The reference you need to insert within the LSHandlerRoleAll reference will look something like:
com.<Developer>.<Application>

You may also need to delete the QuarantineEvents file from the Preferences folder:
Macintosh HD:Users:<userAccount>:Library:Preferences:com.apple.LaunchServices.QuarantineE vents

Then restart the computer.

For reference, here is the issue that I had to work through:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2801857&tstart=0

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Answer 6

Apr 19, 2011 1:39 PM in response to davisc

I have a similar problem in that I started with OpenOffice and then installed MSword 2011. Now that I want the default to be MSword 2011, Im having problems. I use get info, change the default to MSword, click to change for all and the message box says change all MSword to Open office? uhm, NOT thats not what I selected for. and yes, I had this problem originally between OO and pages, so, IDK that the problem is not a mac problem.

for some reason the get info box deliberately flips back to OO no matter what I do. Its as if the mac were being anti-msword on purpose.

And no, its not acceptable, as someone else suggested, to expect a user to delete one program just to get mac to behave and reset to the desired program default.

Ive been a mac user since 1993. but more and more, these little things add up and as a dual platform user, I need apple to step up and be the best operating system they used to be.

This little bug isnt turning me off to MSword. its turning me off to my beloved mac.

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Answer 7

Apr 19, 2011 2:03 PM in response to davisc

Ive been reading other posts and the problem is not just related to MSword, either when you want it to be the default, or when you do not want it to be. and in fact, sometimes MSword was not even in the equation with regard to user issues and using "get info" to set the default app for a particular file extension.

Here is the solution that just worked for me. no deleting or archiving software.

when "get info" won't stick

right click file, (in my case I wanted msword, not Open office to be the default) select open with "other .." from the menu.

browse to the program you want to BE the default, select it,

and then click the box "always open with".

Then click "open".

Viola, when your file opens, all other files, with the same extension, change to the app you want to be default.

Im not certain why the "get info" method of choosing a default is not working for anything on my mac, but at least this method did finally work. phew!

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Answer 8

nikkormac

Level 1

116 points

Mar 1, 2012 7:00 AM in response to lucidbydesign

forgive me if somebody already suggested this, but using Disk Utility or another utility (like Cocktail) to repair permissions on your drives may take care of the problem. just be sure to run the repair process at least twice, since it often doesn't do a complete job in one pass.

and yes, i know i'm replying to a post that's almost a year old; that won't prevent someone from finding the suggestion useful. 😉

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Answer 9

Jun 5, 2012 11:01 AM in response to lucidbydesign

Thanks Lucidbydesign, worked a dream for me.

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Answer 10

hank2000

Level 1

0 points

Feb 12, 2013 7:20 AM in response to davisc

I am having the same problem. After reviewing the uninstall steps it is easier to pay the money to microsoft than to spend 2 hours uninstalling - excluding other issues like removing and deleting your font library (I bet that will screw up Office 2008 but no body mentions that in teh microsoft uninstall doc.)

There has to be an easier way to change my defaults than a complex uninstall or going through the contortions described above. Other people must have asurplus of time to debug these problems but I am frustrated for Microsoft for making a trial version that won't uninstall.

Can anybody help?

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