WOT - Utility to View Most Files

Larry Clifford wrote on 2/20/2014, 1:49 PM
In XP days I used a program that would display almost any program. I believe it used the file-type determine what type of file it was. You did not have to have the program that created it installed.

An example - It would display a WordPerfect file because the file extension was ".wpd". It would also tell me the version of WP that created the file. I could then copy the display and paste it into a Word file.

Does anyone know of a program that will do than in Windows 7 or 8?

Thank you,
Larry

Comments

Arthur.S wrote on 2/20/2014, 1:55 PM
http://www.freefileviewer.com

Opens most things I've thrown at it.
Larry Clifford wrote on 2/20/2014, 4:33 PM
Arthur,

Thank you for your reply

My concern is that it wants to use a download manager. Unfortunately, more softwar is doing that. I don't know why that is done.

More importantly, it wants to install a search toolbar and an add-on. I don't know what the latter does. If I installed all of the search toolbars different installation programs wanted to install, I would probably have many of them on my Internet Explorer.

Can anyone suggest another program? I would appreciate it.
PeterDuke wrote on 2/20/2014, 4:56 PM
It seems to be the way of the world that most free and even some not free software these days comes with 3rd party bloat that you have to navigate around during installation. Some bloat you can't navigate around and have to uninstall after the main installation.

You have to weigh up the value of the program to see if it is worth the hassle.
Rob Franks wrote on 2/20/2014, 5:52 PM
"www.freefileviewer.com
=========================================
You need to take that off because it's adware to an incredible extent. I got all kinds of warnings when trying to install that thing.

Rob Franks wrote on 2/20/2014, 5:56 PM
More importantly, it wants to install a search toolbar and an add-on.
=================================================
DO NOT INSTALL IT!

The entire program is adware.
If you already installed there are 2 additional folders which are created and not removed on uninstall. They remain active in your process list.
Geoff_Wood wrote on 2/20/2014, 7:46 PM
Sadly ImageBurn has also gone that route, and they manage to pretty well obscure how to avoid installing the crud ;-(

geoff
Arthur.S wrote on 2/21/2014, 3:19 AM
I've been using this for ages with none of the problems described above. It's just a case of using your eyes and brain to navigate around the bloatware. As Geoff sez, the much respected ImageBurn is now far more sophisticated in getting you to install 3rd party toolbars etc....but it can be done if you look and read as you go through the installation. ;-)
Larry Clifford wrote on 2/21/2014, 10:39 AM
Thank you for the warning. I did not install the program even though my previous post may have indicated that.

Does anyone know of a fee based program that is not terribly expensive?
Jøran Toresen wrote on 2/21/2014, 11:25 AM
Larry, take a look at Explorer View file viewer for Windows Explorer:

http://www.explorerview.com/

Jøran
Larry Clifford wrote on 2/24/2014, 6:49 AM
Explorer View does not support 64-bt OS. This is their response:

Explorer View is not compatible with 64 bit systems. It was also not developed under windows 7 or 8 so cannot be guaranteed to operate correctly under these operating systems.

They do have a 30-day trial.

Any additional suggestions for other programs? It does not have to include audio and video programs.

Larry
johnmeyer wrote on 2/24/2014, 1:37 PM
Any additional suggestions for other programs? It does not have to include audio and video programs.I am going to violate my own self-imposed rule of never posting about anything that isn't from my own personal experience (I absolutely hate posts where people just randomly speculate or regurgitate Internet urban legends). However, you may remember that when Windows finally came of age in May 1990, with the release of Windows 3.0, it included a file viewer that was called "Outside In." I think the programmers were close friends of Microsoft management. The name was subsequently changed to QuickView, but was eventually dropped from Windows and became a separate product, eventually marketed by Inso. It is apparently still around today, in shareware form. It used to perform very well, although I always preferred the amazing 1980s DOS file view product called Magellan (much faster and more intuitive).

Here is a link to the current version of what is now called QuickView Plus:

QuickView Plus

It is available in both 32- and 64-bit versions.

The standard version has a free trial download. There is also a professional version. Here is the fact sheet for the standard version:

QuickView Plus 13 Fact Sheet

Again, I want to apologize for posting something about a product I do not own, but it sounds like you weren't able to get what you wanted with the suggestions received so far. Also, this is the "granddaddy" of all file viewing applications, and since it is on version 13, it probably handles most formats. Of course, like most applications that have gone through this many iterations over such a long time (think Microsoft Office) it is probably bloated and slow ...