# opening .mwv files from e-mail attachments in VLC player

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-mwv-files-from-e-mail-attachments-in-vlc-player/433217>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 12, 2008, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-mwv-files-from-e-mail-attachments-in-vlc-player/433217 "2008-01-12T01:00:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![D\_White](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@D\_White](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_White)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2008, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-mwv-files-from-e-mail-attachments-in-vlc-player/433217/1 "2008-01-12T01:00:14Z")

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When someone sends me a video attached in an email that is wmv file (I use Outlook Express and Windows XP), I can drag the the attachment to my desktop and it opens with VLC player with no problems.

However, if I don’t drag it to my desktop and just double click it from the email itself, I get a pop-up that says, “This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action. Create an association in the Folders Option control panel.”.

So I go to “Control Panel”, click on “Folder Options”, go to “File Types” and the WMV extension has VLC media file (.wmv) next to it. What do I need to do?

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**Author:** ![D\_White](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@D\_White](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_White)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2008, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-mwv-files-from-e-mail-attachments-in-vlc-player/433217/2 "2008-01-12T01:02:16Z")

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Doh! I posted in the wrong forum. Can someone report this post for me so a mod can move it? Thanks.

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**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2008, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-mwv-files-from-e-mail-attachments-in-vlc-player/433217/3 "2008-01-12T05:24:20Z")

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I reported it for you, **D\_White**. You’re welcome.

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**Author:** ![D\_White](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@D\_White](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_White)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2008, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-mwv-files-from-e-mail-attachments-in-vlc-player/433217/4 "2008-01-12T06:08:00Z")

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One thing I forgot to mention:

I’m using gmail in Outlook Express. If I use gmail through the web, I can click on “download” and it works no problem. It’s only when I double click on the file in the little attachment box in OE that I get that pop-up message.