Changing Default Save-As and Right-Click > New document extensions

[mdenbo]

I am in the process of implementing Office 2007 into our office, but would like to automate the default saving format of Office 97-2003 for compatibility. I changed the default Save-As file types for each program using registry settings listed below:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Excel\Options]

"DefaultFormat"=dword:00000038

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Word\Options]

"DefaultFormat"="Doc"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\PowerPoint\Options]

"DefaultFormat"=dword:00000000

This works when clicking on File - Save inside of the respective programs, and defaults to 97-2003 formatting and extensions.

One of the feats I am trying to overcome is with the creation of a new document when Right-Clicking somewhere and choosing New, then either Word, Excel Powerpoint or Access documents. This creates a document under the Office 2007 extension formats (docx, xlsx, pptx and accdb) instead of the compatibility mode options for previous versions. I have compatibility mode enabled via GPO.

Are there some registry settings that will allow a Right-Click, selecting New, and the Office application that will create a compatibility mode document with the Office 97-2003 formatting and extension?

[mdenbo]

More information on the subject....

I have downloaded and installed the ADM templates previously, searched thoroughly through them, and could not find the required settings needed.

I have already enabled the setting in User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Microsoft Office <NAME>(e.g. Word 2007)\Word Options\Save\ --> "Save Word files as - Enabled - Word Doc 97-2003" and this is still an issue. I have also turned on Compatibility mode for Office Applications, but apparently, that setting only takes effect if Word or the corresponding application is already open and saving the new document inside of Word itself.

The setting in the ADM templates for GPO change only the default Save format when clicking on the Office button, and clicking on Save. Creating a new document with or without the application open (e.g. Right-clicking on desktop, highlighting New, and selecting New Microsoft Office Word Document) will create a new document with the extension of *.docx.

The only way I have been able to get this to change is by altering the Registry under HKCR, (after exporting the listed hives for the following) deleting the ".doc", ".xls", ".mdb", and ".ppt" listings for previous versions of Office Applications, and renaming the ".docx", ".xlsx", ".accdb", and ".pptx" to become the older formats that were deleted previously. Once this has been done, the "Right-Click" creation of a new file creates the file with the 97-2003 format, however, by doing this, it loses the association for the newly supported file types, and Access does not like that setting at all, it will not even create a new database.

So the above (unless I missed a setting somewhere) is not a viable workaround to the issue.