Another preview problem with Excel, Word, PDF and AVI files

[Peter Pan]

What I really like are previews. Seeing what is the content of a file
without having to open a programm.
Only this feature does not quite work well.
Pdf, Word and Excel files are not shown. Instead a dialog opens asking to
open or to save the file. Like with downloading.
Click cancel and nothing is shown. This happens only when I click on the preview tab. On any of the other tabs these is no problem
Or when the preview tab is open and I click on a file (Pdf, Word, Excel).
There might be other problem-files as well.
When the info/panel is minimised no problems. When restored to normal or maximum size the save/open/cancel dialog comes up.
With Avi files I only get the sound. No film/image, no preview image.
I have XPSP2 Home, latest updates installed, Office 2003, Foxit pdf
reader, no special movie/avi software except for Nero Vision.
Avi files are made with camera and captured with Windows Movie Maker.
IE7 is installed. But I use Slimbrowser. This is only a shell around IE7 I
think.

Thanks in advance.

[surrender]

Hi!!

Welcome to XYplorer forum!

Your problem sounds familiar. On the first instance of such a dialogue i.e. "open or save file", you have to choose "open" and uncheck the "show this dialogue everytime" to be able to see anything in preview. So go ahead and choose open and it should show in the preview. (At least to my knowledge)

As with .avi files, you have to have right codecs installed. Normally if it works in windows media player it should also work in the preview mode. Additionally, include .avi file extension and the media player path in the "Tool> List management> File associations" thing to view it.

In my opinion, having a complete set of codecs like the K-lite mega codec pack does the trick.

[jacky]

Your problem sounds familiar. On the first instance of such a dialogue i.e. "open or save file", you have to choose "open" and uncheck the "show this dialogue everytime" to be able to see anything in preview.

surrender is right, choosing open will "open" the file on the preview tab, you get this message since Office previews are done in XY through an embeded IE, so it behaves much like it would when opening the file in IE, since that's pretty much what happens here.

Just one note though, you may want to consider using the checkbox! Because once again, it will not affect only the case of previewing files in XY, but opening them in IE any other way, starting with while browsing. So if you do want this confirmation asked when browsing/using IE otherwise, you'll have to have it as well when previewing in XY.

Normally if it works in windows media player it should also work in the preview mode. Additionally, include .avi file extension and the media player path in the "Tool> List management> File associations" thing to view it.

Indeed XY uses Windows codecs so basically, if it works in WMP it should work in XY as well.
Note that choosing your own media player in XY's File Association for AVI (for example) will NOT affect the preview in any way though, only which app will be used when dbl-clicking/pressing Enter on an AVI file.

[j_c_hallgren]

In my opinion, having a complete set of codecs like the K-lite mega codec pack does the trick.

The opinion on some other forums I've been on before (devoted to CD/DVD/AV/etc) is that these codec packs are to be avoided like the plague, as one doesn't know exactly what may be in them, but rather get individual codecs as needed.

[jacky]

The opinion on some other forums I've been on before (devoted to CD/DVD/AV/etc) is that these codec packs are to be avoided like the plague, as one doesn't know exactly what may be in them, but rather get individual codecs as needed.

Yeah I've never been fan of codec packs either, and since most AVI are using the same codecs, namely XviD or DivX, and each one of them can read both, all you need is at least one of those 2, plus I have some Quicktime/Realplayer Alternative, maybe a good h264, etc

I think all those are/can be available when you download Media Player Classic, an excellent free player that is, IMHO the best player under Windows. (VLC is great too, and don't rely on Windows codecs, but is a bit more memory demanding...)

[j_c_hallgren]

(VLC is great too, and don't rely on Windows codecs, but is a bit more memory demanding...)

This is slightly off-XY but for those unfamilar with VLC, see http://www.videolan.org/vlc/
I'd just started using it recently, after hearing about it on http://dl.tv/index.php. For playing a mp4 file (DL.TV iPod file), it takes about half the CPU of Quick Time Player on my system...I haven't looked at memory, but I like what I see thus far.

[surrender]

In my opinion, having a complete set of codecs like the K-lite mega codec pack does the trick.

The opinion on some other forums I've been on before (devoted to CD/DVD/AV/etc) is that these codec packs are to be avoided like the plague, as one doesn't know exactly what may be in them, but rather get individual codecs as needed.

You are right, unless you are not dealing with lot of formats or interested in hunting every damn codec down then you dont codec packs.
But to my experience I have used this codec pack in many XP computers (>20) for my video/image analysis project and they work fine. But then maybe those 20 odd PCs are simply lucky.

And like JC said, VLC is good or try Media player classic (not WMP). Both are great media players for windows.