I have Thunderbird on Windows 8.1 and it will not allow me to open an excel spreadsheet from an e-mail.

Question

If I receive an e-mail with an excel attachment on it or an attachment that has 'dat.' at the4 end of it, the attachment won't open when I try to open it. Most frustrating.

Answer 1

To get Thunderbird to open a dat Text file file using Excel.
Right click on attachment and choose 'Open'
A window opens asking what to use.
select 'Open with'
click on the drop down selection and choose 'Other'.
A small window opens showing a selection.
If Microsoft Excel is not in the list, click on 'Browse' button
a window opens showing your 'Program files'
If your OS is Win8.1 and 64bit version and Office 2010 32bit version, to find Office programs the default path may say:
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\ This is the 64bit version path for Win8.
It is also the standard directory if using Vista 32bit.
So if your OS is Win8.1 64bit version you need to choose the 32bit path:
C:\'''Program Files (x86)'''\Microsoft Office\
locate and click on 'Microsoft Office'
click on 'Office 12' folder
The number eg: '12' depends on the version: I have 2007
so if you use 2010 then it will be in Office 14 folder - list is below to choose correct folder.
* 9 = Office 2000
* 10 = Office 2002/XP
* 11 = Office 2003
* 12 = Office 2007
* 14 = Office 2010
Now you should see 'Excel.exe' , This is the file you are looking for.
Select 'Excel.exe' and click on 'Open'
If you want Thunderbird to remember this and use it each time to open dat file, select the checkbox 'Do this automatically for files like this from now on.
click on Ok
This will now open a dat file from the attachments in an email using excel.
It will be listed in Tools-Options-Attachments-Incoming tab.