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Researcher Central: Tools and information to help PIs succeed


Problems with Word & Excel attachments using WISPER with IE

There have been several reports of errors and difficulties launching Microsoft Word and Excel attachments using WISPER in an Internet Explorer browser. The following tip may help in many of the cases. It requires you to have administrative rights to your machine, but will facilitate the launching of Microsoft Word & Excel documents.

  1. From the Start menu, choose Settings, then Control Panel.
  2. Double-click on Folder Options.
  3. Click the File Types tab.
  4. Scroll down to the DOC extension and click on it. It will be labeled Microsoft Word Document or Microsoft Office Word 97 - 2003 or some such thing.

  5. Click the Advanced button.
  6. Uncheck all checkboxes: Confirm open after download, Always show extension, and Browse in same window.

  7. Click OK and OK again.
  8. Repeat steps 4 through 7 for Excel as well: Scroll to XLS - Micrsoft Excel Worksheet file type, select Advanced, uncheck the boxes. Click OK and OK again.

If this fix doesn't work, or if you need any other WISPER assistance, send e-mail to WISPER-rsa@uwm.edu or call (414) 229-3332.


Page last updated on: 09/26/2008