Expert: Ran - 8/19/2009

Question
QUESTION: Normally:If you double click a cdr file in windows explorer cdr12 opens and the file opens.
Normally the next time you double click a cdr file in win explorer; the file opens in the already running cdr program as a new file.

Recently, the double clicking a file only works if cdr is closed.  It will open the file but will not open another file with the double clicking.....until I close the cdr program once again.

I tried re-installing coreldraw, but no change.


ANSWER: Hi Michael

It sounds like your file association thingumy has got its knickers in a twist.

I could spend an hour typing it all out for you but it would be really fiddly to explain, so to let your system fix itself you might need to uninstall CorelDraw again (sorry!), then ***delete the .CDR file association*** then install CorelDraw again. Preferably with a reboot or two in there somewhere.

To delete the file association, open up the file types box (in XP Explorer it's Tools/Folder Options/File Types, or if you're a slave to Vista it's something similar but needlessly more convoluted), then scroll down the list until you find .CDR. Select it then press Delete.

I am optimistic that when you put your CorelDraw back on your system it will rebuild the association correctly for you.

Thanks for the question and I hope this works for you.

By the way I noticed that you're in Canada, the HOME of CorelDraw! - wow!


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Ran,  Your advice looked good. Unfortunately ineffective.  I found old cdr8 with malfunctioning media indexer and deleted/uninstalled that, then  uninstalled and re-installed cdr12 after checking for cdr file types in the explorer folder options. (several re-boots thrown in too).  No change in problem.
Any ideas?


ANSWER: Sorry to hear that it's still messing you around.

In the File Types dialog, find CDR and click Advanced. Select Open, click Edit.

In the Application Used.. box you should have:
"c:\Program Files\Corel\CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4\PROGRAMS\CORELDRW.EXE" -DDE

In the DDE Message box you should have:
[O("%1")]

In the Application box you should have:
CORELDRW_MOS

The DDE Application Not Running box should be blank

The Topic box says:
System

The above settings are from my XP/X4 system. See how yours compares. Sometimes all the fiddly settings can get wiped out and some of the functionality goes missing!

I'm going home now (it's 6pm UK time - GMT+1) so if you reply I'll read it tomorrow.


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Ran,
Good news!  It's fixed.  I used a combination of your advice and creative tinkering:
system restore to a point one week ago (before this problem - looks like some automatic download glitch occurred)
then I uninstalled all cdr programs (had cdr8 & 12  - don't ask why....)in cluding user settings, en rebooted after uninstalls, then reloaded - seems to be working just fine. (of course I have my entire cdr user rences to re-adjust as well as all the custom colours we use.
Thanks for the help.

Answer
Hello again Michael, I am delighted to hear you've fixed this issue. And it's a credit to you that you have stuck with it rather than just lived with it!

I've just read your previous post in which you said the problem was still there and was thinking that perhaps your Windows DDE had somehow mucked up but maybe it was CDR8 (I never liked that media indexer thing!).

You deserve to take the rest of the week off, nice one!