FTP in windows explorer works but I can't open files (Windows 7 x64)

Hi,

I hope I'm putting this in the correct forum.

I have been trying to find out why I am not able to open any ftp files in windows explorer using win 7 x64

I can successfully open an ftp site in w/explorer and browse the folders without any problems, however, I don't get any previews (eg. jpg files) and if I double click on any file that should have an association like a jpg nothing happens (although a short hourglass / activity wheel appears). I have to manually copy the file or drag it out onto a local folder to be able to do this.

I don't remember this kind of restriction the last time I did it although that was some time ago and perhaps on XP but can anyone shed some light on what might be wrong here? I have no such problems via an ftp client but would like to get this quick method working for convenience.

One clue / difference is when I right click > properties on a file, I will get a single 'general' tab that lists filetype, location,size and modified and then a permissions box immediately below with 6 check boxes.
This seems to prove to me that the explorer is not acting as an explorer as it should but is in some other mode. But as I say I can copy files out and into the window.

Just to eliminate a few thing: I have tried this with numerous ftp sites. I have had no such problems when logging in via an explorer app on my Android device.

Any clues would be a great help.

That's the way FTP protocol works, basically. It just allows to list files and upload/download, plus a bunch of extra fuctions, but that's all. It doesn't supports most of the features of normal filesystems that allow to do what you want.

For examples, for previewing JPGs, that would mean that it must download every single file (without user consent) to generate those nasty thumbnails. This could be a potential enormous waste of bandwidth and as such is not supported.

"Opening" a file has also no meaning in a FTP server. What actually clients do there is to download files to a temporary location and open those with local programs. This is what your Android client must be doing.
As for why Explorer doesn't do this? I would begin checking file associations to see if that one works well locally at least.

However, normally, I would suggest a serious FTP client, as Explorer is really poor in this aspect.