I have a list with a URL field. This field points to a word document in another document library.
My problem is such that, when the user clicks on this link, the system gives them a prompt for opening the document in the word client. Is there a way have the browser open the document in the word app directly? Thank you in advance for your help!
i am assuming you have SharePoint 2013, You need the Office web Apps installed and configure in order to open the word/office documents in Browser.
Once installed, office documents will be opened in web apps by default - you can change it by activating site collection feature called "Open Documents in Client Applications by Default". After this setup, users will opens office document in their client applications as they've been used to before, but they will have additional option to open office documents right in their browsers (through web apps) through item context menu
firstly you need office web apps installed on the server, once you have that up and running follow this msdn guid! you have several option!
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee837425(v=office.14).aspx
How documents open in SharePoint varies depending on whether the OpenInClient feature is present, and either enabled or disabled:
•If the OpenInClient feature is not present and Office Web Apps is not installed, documents will open in the client application (SharePoint default).
•If the OpenInClient feature is not present, Office Web Apps is installed and Office Web Apps service applications are activated, documents will open in the browser (Office Web Apps default).
•If the OpenInClient Feature is present and enabled, and Office Web Apps service applications are activated, documents will open in the client application.
•If the OpenInClient Feature is present and disabled, and Office Web Apps service applications are activated, documents in will open in the browser.
now for what you want, you need to disable this function:
To set the default open behavior for site collections 1.In the SharePoint site collection, click Site Actions, and then click Site Settings.
2.On the Site Settings page, under Site Collection Administration, click Site Collection Features.
3.On the Features page, for the Open Documents in Client Applications by Default feature, click Activate (OpenInClient Feature is enabled) to open documents in the client application. Click Deactivate (OpenInClient Feature is disabled) to open documents in the browser.
or using powershell script
$defaultOpenBehaviorFeatureId = $(Get-SPFeature -limit all | where {$_.displayname -eq "OpenInClient"}).Id
Get-SPSite -limit ALL |foreach{ Disable-SPFeature $defaultOpenBehaviorFeatureId -url $_.URL }
for full guid follow the link at the top!
or just for a specific document library:
1.On the : All Documents page, under Library Tools, click Library.
2.In the library toolbar, click Library Settings.
3.On the Document Library Settings page, click Advanced Settings.
4.On the Advanced Settings page, in Opening Document in the Browser, select one of the following options:
Open in the client application When a user clicks on a document in this library, the document will open in the corresponding client application (if available).
Open in the browser When a user clicks on a document in this library, the document will open in the Web browser Web app for that document type. When the document is opened in the Web app, the user can then decide to open the document in the client application
Use the server default When a user clicks on a document in this library, the document will open by using the default open behavior specified for the server on which SharePoint 2010 Products is installed.
The URL should look like this in 2010:
http://server/_layouts/WordViewer.aspx?id=/Shared%20Documents/Document.docx&Source=http%3A%2F%2Fserver%2FShared%2520Documents%2FForms%2FAllItems%2Easpx&DefaultItemOpen=1&DefaultItemOpen=1
