2007 pro: pub file "unknown application"

[Tigger]

When I save a .pub file then try to open it from its link, error comes up
with Windows cannot open this publication. It also has the wrong current
icon, showing C:\WINDOWS\system32\shell32.dll,0 and when I look in the
available list there is no .pub choice of icon.

In properties, under general, Type of file is PUB file, Opens with Unknown
Application.

When I click on Change, Recommended Programs has Microsoft Office Publisher
there, but it doesn't show it in 'Other Programs' where the only MS listed
are MS Picture Manager and MS Office Word.

So every time I want to open a .pub file to read it quickly I have to go to
properties, then Change, click on Recommended programs, and then bring up
Microsoft Publisher. If its already listed under recommended programs it
doesn't work - it has to be brought up by clicking on Recommended freshly
each time.

I can't 'update' Office 2007 pro at all as it will not install (that has
been happening since I bought the program), so I can't check whether an
update would fix the above problem and any ideas as to how to get the pub
icons to associate properly with the publisher would be really helpful.

 

[Tigger]

Forgot to mention in case it matters:
Windows is XP Pro SP3 and I'm logged in as an administrator when trying to
open publication file links and when trying to install office updates.

 

[Mary Sauer]

Have you tried Office Diagnostics in the Help menu?

Right-click a Publisher file in Windows Explorer, Properties, Opens with...
Change, select Publisher. Is this what you have been doing?

You can insert your Office disk, in the Control Panel, Add & Remove programs.
click repair.

 

[Rob Giordano [MS MVP]]

don't forget the little check box to Always Open with (or whatever the exact
wording is)

--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rob Giordano
Microsoft MVP Expression Web

 

[Tigger]

Yes, have tried Office Diagnostics several times.
The only problem it finds is that it needs updating - which
I try now and again, but installation always fails.

I've done the Properties, opens with, change,
select properties rightclicking on the pub document
links and in windows explorer.

It won't 'stick'.
The only thing it will do (when doing it via the link itself)
is bring it up in publisher, as long as I refresh recommended
programs and then choose publisher. It doesn't change
anything, and has to be done every time I click on a pub
file link.

Its not in the list under
'Other Programs'
and I don't know why, or how to get it there.

I've repaired Office many times, sometimes in
Add Remove Programs, other times from the
disk itself. Neither makes any difference and
every time I do diagnostics everything is OK
except the updating Office.

I'm beginning to wish I'd stuck with Office 2003
as that didn't give me any trouble at all, but I
really would prefer to have 2007 pro plus working
properly and installing the downloaded security
updates instead of every one of them, every time,
coming up as "failed". Trouble is, I've tried
help methods and nothing works and don't
have much understanding - or not enough to be
able to work out - of whats causing it all.

Everything else on the pc works fine, I've done
scans from live help more than once, and that
finds no problems.

Thanks to you and Rob who I'll answer in a minute
for both trying to help. If you've got any other ideas
as to what to try I'd be very grateful for those too.

 

[Tigger]

Hi Rob

The check box to 'Always Open With' is already ticked BUT greyed out and
even if I 'name description' I still don't have any access to the tick.
I kinda suspect that its not working being as its like that, or that
the greyed out tick is stopping me from changing anything.
But mostly I think (guessing) that its because publisher is not
in the Other Programs like Word is.

When I've tried (often) to change programs by using Change then
Browse, I've gone into Programs, into Microsoft Office, into Office12, then
chosen MSPUB. Maybe its the wrong one, but I can't see anything
else that looks right for the job. In cany case, it still won't stick

Any other ideas are very welcome as that problem and the
'installation failed' on updates are beginning to drive me mad

 

[Tigger]

I daren't press was this post helpful to you in case if I click on Yes it
'closes' the query. But knowing someone is trying to help IS very helpful in
itself. Thank you both

 

[Mary Sauer]

Tigger,
There is a wealth of information here with links to more information:
How to install the individual 2007 Office features or to repair the installed
2007 Office programs
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/924611

On the right of the above article is a link to Mr. Fix it.

 

[Tigger]

Hi Mary - thank you for coming back again.
I've been to that place before, but didn't at the time
think of using fixit to uninstall office properly.
I've uninstalled in control panel and then reinstalled
but the problem remained.

So, now I uninstalled office 2007 with Fix It, then
reinstalled, and now the files mentioned above
do show the correct icon and open straight away

However, my hopes were dashed when I re-registered
Office 2007, downloaded the previously failed updates
then....watched them fail to install again.

BUT following links again, a message flashed up saying
I could use techmarketplace so I've submitted the
problem and the error code 0x80070663 that comes with
the many failed updates and - hopefully - will be assigned
an expert after a 'bidding' process has completed.

Thank you for leading me to fixing the file association
link, and I wouldn't have found the techmarketplace
link if you hadn't prompted me to again go looking for
an answer to the problem I posted about here.

So a big THANK YOU for your help

I'll get back here in a fresh post if an expert can cure the problem
with failed installation of Office 2007 updates, so
that anyone else with the same problem (and there seems
to be a lot of people having that prob) who comes to
this thread might be able to put theirs right.

Thanks again