When I download Excel reports from an SQL Server internet application (I work
for state government), sometimes the report downloads as an Excel file and
sometimes it says that it is an "unknown format" - I then have to choose from
a list of programs to open it. I choose Excel and it opens file fine.

Is there something wrong with the file format on the SQL program? The
programmers are telling me it is a problem on my end, but my computer
recognizes Excel files - why can I download some Excel files with no problem
and others have unknown format?

I need to show the programmers something. Thanks for any help.

You must be saving the downloaded file by providing a name...
Check to see whether the extension is XLS when you are not able to open...
if NOT then that is your problem... make sure that extension is XLS while
saving.

If it is something else then you can associate that extension with Excel by
clicking on 'Alwasy use this to open' while choosing Excel to open the file.

"janee" wrote:

When I download Excel reports from an SQL Server internet application (I work
for state government), sometimes the report downloads as an Excel file and
sometimes it says that it is an "unknown format" - I then have to choose from
a list of programs to open it. I choose Excel and it opens file fine.

Is there something wrong with the file format on the SQL program? The
programmers are telling me it is a problem on my end, but my computer
recognizes Excel files - why can I download some Excel files with no problem
and others have unknown format?

I need to show the programmers something. Thanks for any help.

When I look at the downloaded file after it downloads, there is NO extension
- in the File Type column under Windows Explorer, instead of saying Microsofr
Excel worksheet - it just says FILE.

When I download and have to look for the Excel program to choose to open the
file - the option to "ALWAYS USE THIS PROGRAM TO OPEN THIS FILE" is grayed
out - I cannot check the box. How can I get that checkbox back?

Thanks for your help.

"Sheeloo" wrote:

You must be saving the downloaded file by providing a name...
Check to see whether the extension is XLS when you are not able to open...
if NOT then that is your problem... make sure that extension is XLS while
saving.

If it is something else then you can associate that extension with Excel by
clicking on 'Alwasy use this to open' while choosing Excel to open the file.

Right Click the file name while keeping the SHIFT key pressed
Choose Open With
The check box should be available

You did not tell me whether you type the name or it gets downloaded with
astandard name?

If you are choosing the name then try to enter
"name you want.xls"
in the file name box (including the ''). This way your file will have XLS
extension.

"janee" wrote:

When I look at the downloaded file after it downloads, there is NO extension
- in the File Type column under Windows Explorer, instead of saying Microsofr
Excel worksheet - it just says FILE.

When I download and have to look for the Excel program to choose to open the
file - the option to "ALWAYS USE THIS PROGRAM TO OPEN THIS FILE" is grayed
out - I cannot check the box. How can I get that checkbox back?

Thanks for your help.

"Sheeloo" wrote:

You must be saving the downloaded file by providing a name...
Check to see whether the extension is XLS when you are not able to open...
if NOT then that is your problem... make sure that extension is XLS while
saving.

If it is something else then you can associate that extension with Excel by
clicking on 'Alwasy use this to open' while choosing Excel to open the file.

When I right click on the unknown file name while holding the shift key down
- there is an option to OPEN (there is no OPEN WITH) - it doesn't do anything
at all - nada - it doesn't bring up any programs or anything. I am running
Windows XP version 2002, SP3 and Office 2003.

Yes, the file name does get downloaded - but it has NO FILE EXTENSION - the
file type just says FILE - when I choose the Excel Program to open, then I
can save it as an Excel file - that's not the problem. The problem is that
it downloads as an unknown file, when it is supposed to be an Excel file.
It is a lot of extra steps for me. It sounds like something on the
programmers end to me. (I am the IT person here.)

Thanks for your help.

"Sheeloo" wrote:

Right Click the file name while keeping the SHIFT key pressed
Choose Open With
The check box should be available

You did not tell me whether you type the name or it gets downloaded with
astandard name?

If you are choosing the name then try to enter
"name you want.xls"
in the file name box (including the ''). This way your file will have XLS
extension.

Since you are not being asked to provide the name then programmer should
change the program so that XLS extension is added to the file name.

In the meantime you should get OPEN WITH option if your RIGHT-CLICK with
SHIFT..

You may like to see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307859 for details on
how to associate a file type with a program.

"janee" wrote:

When I right click on the unknown file name while holding the shift key down
- there is an option to OPEN (there is no OPEN WITH) - it doesn't do anything
at all - nada - it doesn't bring up any programs or anything. I am running
Windows XP version 2002, SP3 and Office 2003.

Yes, the file name does get downloaded - but it has NO FILE EXTENSION - the
file type just says FILE - when I choose the Excel Program to open, then I
can save it as an Excel file - that's not the problem. The problem is that
it downloads as an unknown file, when it is supposed to be an Excel file.
It is a lot of extra steps for me. It sounds like something on the
programmers end to me. (I am the IT person here.)

Thanks for your help.

"Sheeloo" wrote:

Right Click the file name while keeping the SHIFT key pressed
Choose Open With
The check box should be available

You did not tell me whether you type the name or it gets downloaded with
astandard name?

If you are choosing the name then try to enter
"name you want.xls"
in the file name box (including the ''). This way your file will have XLS
extension.

Thanks so much - I am going to ask the programmers to do this. I did try to
associate the file, but I could not because there is no extension to
associate with - I have all of my extensions showing through Windows Explorer
and there isn't one. Thanks for your suggestion.

"Sheeloo" wrote:

Since you are not being asked to provide the name then programmer should
change the program so that XLS extension is added to the file name.

In the meantime you should get OPEN WITH option if your RIGHT-CLICK with
SHIFT..

You may like to see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307859 for details on
how to associate a file type with a program.

"janee" wrote:

When I right click on the unknown file name while holding the shift key down
- there is an option to OPEN (there is no OPEN WITH) - it doesn't do anything
at all - nada - it doesn't bring up any programs or anything. I am running
Windows XP version 2002, SP3 and Office 2003.

Yes, the file name does get downloaded - but it has NO FILE EXTENSION - the
file type just says FILE - when I choose the Excel Program to open, then I
can save it as an Excel file - that's not the problem. The problem is that
it downloads as an unknown file, when it is supposed to be an Excel file.
It is a lot of extra steps for me. It sounds like something on the
programmers end to me. (I am the IT person here.)

Thanks for your help.

"Sheeloo" wrote:

Right Click the file name while keeping the SHIFT key pressed
Choose Open With
The check box should be available

You did not tell me whether you type the name or it gets downloaded with
astandard name?

If you are choosing the name then try to enter
"name you want.xls"
in the file name box (including the ''). This way your file will have XLS
extension.