Report not opening in EXCEL after export with Web Viewer

Products

Output Management Web Viewer

Issue/Introduction

When exporting report (with or without a saved rule), the report opens with XML definition page in notepad or Internet Explorer or other browser rather than in the associated program, Microsoft Excel. The second line is showing "<?mso-application progid="Excel.Sheet"?>". Current XML file type is associated to Office XML Handler (MSOXMLED.exe). We'd like a more detailed explanation for why this occurs. It used to work well.

Environment

Output Management Web Viewer 12.1, 14.0
Microsoft Office

Cause

Typically, a Microsoft Office 365 update/push has corrupted the process. Verify this by comparing Office versions between users who have and do not have the problem, and by examining the user's registry entries for the XML file type/Office XML Handler.

Resolution

This is a more detailed explanation of why these symptoms/problem are not based in the Broadcom Web Viewer application.

The problem with instantiating Excel after a Web Viewer export action, is not a new issue. It has occurred before and for several years. It typically occurs when the Corporate Group responsible for pushing new version of Microsoft office, pushes a version which changes/corrupts what is called the XML handler. Web Viewer will construct an XML file, as a result of an Export user action. This XML file is downloaded to the user's machine. When the Browser detects an XML file, it searches the NT Registry for instructions for how XML files are handled. This is explained in some detail below:

For Microsoft Office documents saved in XML and having an .xml extensions, Microsoft implemented a special handler to open these files in the corresponding application (This mechanism is not only used for Word documents, but also Excel spreadsheets, InfoPath forms and some other formats).

If you check the Registry you will see that the file type for files with a .xml extension are set to xmlfile:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.xml (Default) = "xmlfile"

The command that is executed when this file type is opened is specified under
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\xmlfile\shell\open\command = ""C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\OFFICE12\MSOXMLED.EXE" /verb open "%1""

So when an XML file is double-clicked in Explorer or other browser, Windows will launch MSOXMLED.EXE. This application is now looking inside the XML file and searches for an XML processing instruction. This processing instruction named mso-application can specify a ProgId:
<?mso-application progid="Word.Document"?>

For Web Viewer, the ProgId is written as the following in the second line of the XML file:
<?mso-application progid="Excel.Sheet"?>

Additional Information

The workaround is to Save the XML file and then directly open the saved XML file in Excel.

The Basic Problem is: The Microsoft XML handler is either not installed correctly, or has been changed so it loses the function to instantiate the proper ProgId.

An in depth explanation can be found in this article Office365 XML Handler doesn't function properly. Error: This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action. on the Microsoft Web Page.