Cannot open .x_t or .IGS file types! Help?

When I first installed 2008, I wasn't sure how it would perform on my
system, and wanted to be able to continue working without interruption or
the chance of down time, so I installed it alongside 2007, rather than
upgrading.

I just recently decided to un-install 2007, since I no longer have any need
for it.
Only problem is, other file types (pretty much all other 3D file types other
than native SW file types) are no longer associated with SolidWorks, and I
can no longer open them.

If I right click on the other file type, select "Open With", SolidWorks no
longer appears on this program list. OK- so I will browse to my executable
and select it from there. Nope, that doesn't work either - when I select OK,
or double click my SW exe, I jump back to my "Open With" list, and the first
program on the list is selected. Adobe Acrobat doesn't like to open
Parasolids.

How can I get SolidWorks to appear in my program list?
I tried doing a re-install. Didn't help for some reason.
Not only that, but the latest service pack (1.1) doesn't agree with my ATI
video card. Now I also get frequent exits to the BSOD and have to restart my
computer. (But that's a problem for another time.)

 

Sean,

It's not clear why you have lost SolidWorks in association with the
file types it can open (via Windows Explorer); however, for the time
being as you troubleshoot your file associations issue, why not simply
use the File/Open menu in the main toolbar of SolidWorks. Doing so
provides flexibility in tailoring the way files are to be opened/
translated.

Even after you have restored the proper file associations and can open
a SolidWorks related file just by double clicking on it in Windows
Explorer, there will be no opportunity to interactively specify the
options (such as for IGES importation) which exist. If you are always
using the default settings (or those last selected from within
SolidWorks), then the Windows Explorer 'Open With' process may be just
fine for you...

Per O. Hoel

p.s. Good luck with your ATI video card. I think ATI hardware is
typically quite good, but the software drivers often leave much to be
desired.
_______________________________________________________

 

Sean,

It's not clear why you have lost SolidWorks in association with the
file types it can open (via Windows Explorer); however, for the time
being as you troubleshoot your file associations issue, why not simply
use the File/Open menu in the main toolbar of SolidWorks. Doing so
provides flexibility in tailoring the way files are to be opened/
translated.

Even after you have restored the proper file associations and can open
a SolidWorks related file just by double clicking on it in Windows
Explorer, there will be no opportunity to interactively specify the
options (such as for IGES importation) which exist. If you are always
using the default settings (or those last selected from within
SolidWorks), then the Windows Explorer 'Open With' process may be just
fine for you...

Per O. Hoel

p.s. Good luck with your ATI video card. I think ATI hardware is
typically quite good, but the software drivers often leave much to be
desired.

---------------------------------
Thanks
Went back to SP 0.1, eliminated the video card problem.
Yes I can open these files from SW open option. Got so used to just double
clicking from SW File explorer, it took me a while to even think of the
other ways to open these files from SW. Brain Cramp.
Still would like to figure out how to fix my registry so that SW is once
again listed in my "Open With" program list, though, so if anyone could help
with this, I would still appreciate it, even though it is not the issue it
was once was with me.

 

Sean,

You may find it easiest to perform a "repair" installation of
SolidWorks 2008. This is done through the Windows Control Panel's Add/
Remove Programs applet. (Troubleshooting the file associations issue
in Windows may be more work than it's worth.)

As with any SolidWorks installation, make sure that any virus scanning
software you normally run is disabled during the process. (An active
virus scan can cause certain portions of an installation to be
incomplete or handicapped.

BTW - I typically only open IGES files from within SolidWorks, so I
wouldn't notice if the Explorer-based association was missing;
however, I have SolidWorks 2006, 2007 and 2008 all installed (side-by-
side) on my system and SolidWorks does NOT appear in the Open With
dialog box for .IGS. I've checked a co-worker's system as well and
there is NO installed association (found in the Registry) for the .IGS
file type, so I'm not sure where your 'broken" association came from
in the first place...

Per O. Hoel
________________________________________________________

 

<snip>

BTW - I typically only open IGES files from within SolidWorks, so I
wouldn't notice if the Explorer-based association was missing;
however, I have SolidWorks 2006, 2007 and 2008 all installed (side-by-
side) on my system and SolidWorks does NOT appear in the Open With
dialog box for .IGS. I've checked a co-worker's system as well and
there is NO installed association (found in the Registry) for the .IGS
file type, so I'm not sure where your 'broken" association came from
in the first place...

Per O. Hoel


fwiw, running 2006 here and i have parasolid, iges, and step associated with
solidworks. i can open these file types from windows explorer by double
clicking. the association is a manual process. not sure why the op is
having trouble.

 

Yes, it was a manual association, but my system is no longer capable of
making that association, for some reason.