Help Topic -
Downloading Microsoft Excel Files from the Forms Library

Problems:

You are having trouble downloading the forms to your local PC or Mac from the Form Details pages, or you get strange symbols (garbled) information displayed on your browser when you attempt to download one of the forms. This Help applies only to Netscape browsers (2.0 and above).

Solutions:

The easiet way to handle this problem is to hold down the "Shift" key (on Windows and UNIX) or the "Option" key (on Macintosh) on your keyboard and then click on the "Download the Form" link to download the file; this will display a "Save As" dialog box in which you can specify where (what directory) you want the file downloaded to your hard drive. NOTE: YOU MUST OPEN YOUR EXCEL APPLICATION FIRST, THEN OPEN THE FORM FILE YOU DOWNLOADED WITH THE "OPEN" COMMAND ON THE MAIN EXCEL MENU BAR.

A more permanent solution is listed below for both Windows and Macintosh. Please refer to the steps outlined for the version of Netscape Navigator that you are currently running.

For Windows Click Here
For Macintosh Click Here

WINDOWS

Adding a new MIME type for Microsoft Excel files:

• On the main Navigator menu select "options". Under the "options" menu select "general preference, go to the "Helpers" section.
• Click on the "Create New Type" button. The "Configure new MIME types" dialog will appear. In the MIME type box type "application." In the MIME subtype box type "x-msexcel." Click OK.
• Next, in the "File Extensions" box type "xls."
• Finally set the "Action" to "Save to Disk," "Unknown: Prompt User," or "Launch the Application." If you select "Launch the Application" you must enter the path to your Microsoft Excel executable file. With this option set up, the browser will open the form file that you requested in Microsoft Excel. To save the file you must use "Save As" on the Microsoft Excel main menu.
• Click OK and you are done!

MACINTOSH

For Version 2.0 and 2.01 for Macintosh Click Here!
For Version 3.0 and 3.0.1 for Macintosh Click Here!

For Netscape Version 2.0 and 2.01 for Macintosh

Do the following steps to add a new MIME type for Microsoft Excel files:

• On the main Navigator menu select "options." Under the "options" menu select "preferences," go to the "Helpers" section.
• Click on the "New" button. In the MIME type box type "application." In the "Sub Type" box type "x-msexcel." Click OK.
• Click in the "File Extensions" box and type "xls."
• Finally set the "Action" to either "Save," "Unknown: Prompt User," or "Launch the Application." If you select "Launch the Application" you must browse to your Microsoft Excel application. Click the "Browse" button and navigate to your Microsoft Excel application. Click on Excel and then click "Open." The Application should now be "Microsoft Excel" and the "File Type" box should now be "XLS." If it is not "XLS" change it.
• Click OK and you are done!

For Netscape Version 3.0 and 3.01 for Macintosh

Do the following steps to add a new MIME type for Microsoft Excel files:

• On the main Navigator menu select "options." Under the "options" menu select "preferences," go to the "Helpers" section.
• Click on the "New" button.
• In the "Description"  box type "application". In the "Mime Type" box type "x-msexcel."
• Click in the "Suffixes" box and type "xls."
• In the "Handled by" box click the "Application" button. Next, click the "Browse" button and navigate to your Microsoft Excel application. Click on Excel and then click "Open."
• The "Edit Type" screen will reappear after the previous step has been completed and should show that the "Application" is "Microsoft Excel" and the pull down "File Type" should be set to "XLS." If the "File Type says "TEXT," change it to "XLS."
• Click OK and you are done!

 

For more information on MIME types and helper applications click here.

For more information on how to configure Helper Applications for X Windows click here.