Native Preview XLSM Excel Macro enabled files

[mjbrookes]

When using Native Preview, on Excel files,

If They are XLSM (macro-enabled 2010) files
then I get No native preview, and a message window = "do you want to open or save this file"
This is annoying because I have a lot of xlsm files; and the message window needs to be closed before I can continue browsing.

x2scrap2.png

BY Accident I recently renamed a XLSM file as an XLS extension and discovered:-
If They are XLS files (ms-office 2007 file format I think)
then I get a nice and useful native preview

x2scrap.png

Question
Is there some setting or trick that I can use
to make the native previewer automatically treat XLSM files as though they are XLS.

It is important that I do not actually change the filenames because I want Excel2010 to not be confused, nor to loose any 2010 features.

thanks

[nikos]

most probably there is no preview handler registered for XLSM files as for XLS files. This is not an xplorer2 issue per se but you can have a look here
www.zabkat.com/blog/chkshxt-shell-extension-dump.htm

[mjbrookes]

Hi Nikos

I understand that this is not a xplorer2 issue per se,
I was hoping that X2 is so clever that there might be a trick so that when x2 'submits' an xlsm file to be previewed it pretends that it is an xls file.

(OR is there a way to suppress the "do you want to open or save this file" message?)

thanks
Mark


Thanks for your chlshxt.exe program. I attach results.
There is a previewer registered for XLS
There is a previewer registered for XLSX ( it appears to be identical to the one for xls)

There is NO previewer registered for XLSM



Shell extension information for .xls ...
1. TEXT FILTER -----------------
X64: %systemroot%\system32\OffFilt.dll {f07f3920-7b8c-11cf-9be8-00aa004b9986}
X32: %systemroot%\system32\OffFilt.dll {f07f3920-7b8c-11cf-9be8-00aa004b9986}
2. PROPERTY HANDLER ------------
(nothing registered)
3. PREVIEW HANDLER -------------
X64: ??? {00020827-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}
X32: C:\PROGRA~2\MICROS~1\Office14\EXCEL.EXE {00020827-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}
4. THUMBNAIL PROVIDER ----------
(nothing registered)
5. THUMBNAIL HANDLER -----------
(nothing registered)

Shell extension information for .xlsx ...
1. TEXT FILTER -----------------
X64: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Filters\offfiltx.dll {F90DFE0C-CBDF-41FF-8598-EDD8F222A2C8}
X32: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\VFS\ProgramFilesCommonX86\Microsoft Shared\Filters\OFFFILTX.DLL {F90DFE0C-CBDF-41FF-8598-EDD8F222A2C8}
2. PROPERTY HANDLER ------------
X64: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\OFFICE14\msoshext.dll {993BE281-6695-4BA5-8A2A-7AACBFAAB69E}
X32: C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\OFFICE14\msoshext.dll {993BE281-6695-4BA5-8A2A-7AACBFAAB69E}
3. PREVIEW HANDLER -------------
X64: ??? {00020827-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}
X32: C:\PROGRA~2\MICROS~1\Office14\EXCEL.EXE {00020827-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}
4. THUMBNAIL PROVIDER ----------
(nothing registered)
5. THUMBNAIL HANDLER -----------
X64: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\OFFICE14\msoshext.dll {C41662BB-1FA0-4CE0-8DC5-9B7F8279FF97}
X32: C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\OFFICE14\msoshext.dll {C41662BB-1FA0-4CE0-8DC5-9B7F8279FF97}

Shell extension information for .xlsm ...
1. TEXT FILTER -----------------
X64: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Filters\offfiltx.dll {F90DFE0C-CBDF-41FF-8598-EDD8F222A2C8}
X32: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\VFS\ProgramFilesCommonX86\Microsoft Shared\Filters\OFFFILTX.DLL {F90DFE0C-CBDF-41FF-8598-EDD8F222A2C8}
2. PROPERTY HANDLER ------------
X64: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\OFFICE14\msoshext.dll {993BE281-6695-4BA5-8A2A-7AACBFAAB69E}
X32: C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\OFFICE14\msoshext.dll {993BE281-6695-4BA5-8A2A-7AACBFAAB69E}
3. PREVIEW HANDLER -------------
(nothing registered)
4. THUMBNAIL PROVIDER ----------
(nothing registered)
5. THUMBNAIL HANDLER -----------
X64: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\OFFICE14\msoshext.dll {C41662BB-1FA0-4CE0-8DC5-9B7F8279FF97}
X32: C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\OFFICE14\msoshext.dll {C41662BB-1FA0-4CE0-8DC5-9B7F8279FF97}

[nikos]

there are a few ways around this, you can do your own registry modifications to apply the same preview handler to xlsm (copy stuff as they exist in xlsx). To stop xplorer2 asking about downloads make sure you tick the previewer option "don't download activex documents" (see TOOLS > ADVANCED OPTIONS menu command and search for activex in the layout settings page)

[mjbrookes]

To stop xplorer2 asking about downloads make sure you tick the previewer option "don't download activex documents" (see TOOLS > ADVANCED OPTIONS menu command and search for activex in the layout settings page)

EXCELLENT.

I had spotted this option in Advanced-Options previously but had not understood what it did.

thanks

... will try Regedit

[mjbrookes]

there are a few ways around this, you can do your own registry modifications to apply the same preview handler to xlsm (copy stuff as they exist in xlsx).

I have read several online articles and tried to follow the principles/guidance. Sadly I really don't understand what I am doing. Are you able to provide more guidance?

[nikos]

you must create a registry key
.xlsm\shellex\{8895b1c6-b41f-4c1c-a562-0d564250836f}
its default value should be the same as xlsx or xls

[mjbrookes]

Hi Nikos,
Thanks for the extra help.

I have fiddled with Regex and think I have done as instructed.
Regex settings now look like:-

x2scrap.png

and

x2scrap2.png

I ran chkshxt.exe with the following results


Shell extension information for .xls ...

1. TEXT FILTER -----------------
X64: %systemroot%\system32\OffFilt.dll {f07f3920-7b8c-11cf-9be8-00aa004b9986}
X32: %systemroot%\system32\OffFilt.dll {f07f3920-7b8c-11cf-9be8-00aa004b9986}
2. PROPERTY HANDLER ------------
(nothing registered)
3. PREVIEW HANDLER -------------
X64: ??? {00020827-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}
X32: C:\PROGRA~2\MICROS~1\Office14\EXCEL.EXE {00020827-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}
4. THUMBNAIL PROVIDER ----------
(nothing registered)
5. THUMBNAIL HANDLER -----------
(nothing registered)


Shell extension information for .xlsx ...

1. TEXT FILTER -----------------
X64: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Filters\offfiltx.dll {F90DFE0C-CBDF-41FF-8598-EDD8F222A2C8}
X32: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\VFS\ProgramFilesCommonX86\Microsoft Shared\Filters\OFFFILTX.DLL {F90DFE0C-CBDF-41FF-8598-EDD8F222A2C8}
2. PROPERTY HANDLER ------------
X64: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\OFFICE14\msoshext.dll {993BE281-6695-4BA5-8A2A-7AACBFAAB69E}
X32: C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\OFFICE14\msoshext.dll {993BE281-6695-4BA5-8A2A-7AACBFAAB69E}
3. PREVIEW HANDLER -------------
X64: ??? {00020827-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}
X32: C:\PROGRA~2\MICROS~1\Office14\EXCEL.EXE {00020827-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}
4. THUMBNAIL PROVIDER ----------
(nothing registered)
5. THUMBNAIL HANDLER -----------
X64: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\OFFICE14\msoshext.dll {C41662BB-1FA0-4CE0-8DC5-9B7F8279FF97}
X32: C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\OFFICE14\msoshext.dll {C41662BB-1FA0-4CE0-8DC5-9B7F8279FF97}


Shell extension information for .xlsm ...

1. TEXT FILTER -----------------
X64: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Filters\offfiltx.dll {F90DFE0C-CBDF-41FF-8598-EDD8F222A2C8}
X32: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\VFS\ProgramFilesCommonX86\Microsoft Shared\Filters\OFFFILTX.DLL {F90DFE0C-CBDF-41FF-8598-EDD8F222A2C8}
2. PROPERTY HANDLER ------------
X64: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\OFFICE14\msoshext.dll {993BE281-6695-4BA5-8A2A-7AACBFAAB69E}
X32: C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\OFFICE14\msoshext.dll {993BE281-6695-4BA5-8A2A-7AACBFAAB69E}
3. PREVIEW HANDLER -------------
X64: ??? {00020827-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}
X32: C:\PROGRA~2\MICROS~1\Office14\EXCEL.EXE {00020827-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}
4. THUMBNAIL PROVIDER ----------
(nothing registered)
5. THUMBNAIL HANDLER -----------
X64: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\OFFICE14\msoshext.dll {C41662BB-1FA0-4CE0-8DC5-9B7F8279FF97}
X32: C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\OFFICE14\msoshext.dll {C41662BB-1FA0-4CE0-8DC5-9B7F8279FF97}



Results:
I can still preview .xls and .xlsx files
but can't preview .xlsm files = "no preview available"

puzzling, yes?

regards
Mark

[nikos]

the only reasonable explanation is that excel is blocking preview of these files for your "safety"
is your xplorer2 32 or 64 bit?

[mjbrookes]

3.4.0.1 {U} x64 19/03/2017

also:
If excel is "protecting" me for my safety ... it appears to be doing so by checking if there is the letter M at the end of the extension (which seems a little simplistic?)

Although I use xplorer2 extensively I know that there are many features/functions/tricks/work-arounds which I have never learned. I wonder if there is some trick that would make Previeweing ignore the letter M at the end of the extension?