Automating for multiple versions of Word - back to Word 97.

[rajas]

It appears that reading through MSDN that the best way to assure that my MFC
application that automates Word works with versions of Word from Word 97
onward is to use the type library for Word 97 - msword8.olb Where can I
download this file from? - my current version is Office XP and hence the
wrapper generated by MFC include functions and function calls that do not
work with earlier versions of Word.

 

[Andrew Cushen]

AFAIK you cannot download that file, as it is considered
part of the Word 97 program, which you need to purchase as
a whole.

The usual method when developing such apps is to develop
on a machine that already has installed the oldest version
you want to automate.

HTH,

-Andrew
======================================================

 

[Jonathan West]

It appears that reading through MSDN that the best way to assure that my MFC
application that automates Word works with versions of Word from Word 97
onward is to use the type library for Word 97 - msword8.olb Where can I
download this file from? - my current version is Office XP and hence the
wrapper generated by MFC include functions and function calls that do not
work with earlier versions of Word.

You need to install a copy of Word 97 on your computer and test with that.
You cannot distribute individual files from Word such as msword8.olb with
your application for 2 reasons

1. It breaks licensing conditions
2. It won't work, because msword8.olb has other dependencies which stretch
throughout the Word app.

If you have an MSDN subscription, then you can avoid the need for having
multiple PCs (one for each version of Office) by downloading VirtualPC from
the subscriber downloads area, and setting up a virtual machine for each
version of Office.

 

[rajas]

I have the original Word 97 install disk. I have long since upgraded to
Office XP. Is there a way to 'extract' the file without installing it- I am
afraid it will 'screw' things up if I try to install an older version of
Word 97 on top of the newer version.

 

[Jonathan West]

I have the original Word 97 install disk. I have long since upgraded to
Office XP. Is there a way to 'extract' the file without installing it- I am
afraid it will 'screw' things up if I try to install an older version of
Word 97 on top of the newer version.

No, you'll have to install, because you need the wole of Word installed in
order to test properly. There are all kinds of OLE components that need to
be properly registered.

You really need a separate machine or at least a separate virtual machine
for this. Installing multiple versions of Office on a single machine is
possible but tricky, and in any case useless for testing purposes because it
is an unrealistic environment and because you can never be quite sure which
version of Word an outside app will attempt to automate.

 

[rajas]

Thanks Jonathan,

I will dig up a machine. In the mean time, is there a way of finding out
which version of Office /Word is being used - do I look in a particular
place in the registry (e.g. HKCR\Word.Application\CLSID...)?
I want to give users with even older versions of Word (Word 6, Word95 ..) a
message that only later versions are supported.

 

[Jonathan West]

Thanks Jonathan,

I will dig up a machine. In the mean time, is there a way of finding out
which version of Office /Word is being used - do I look in a particular
place in the registry (e.g. HKCR\Word.Application\CLSID...)?
I want to give users with even older versions of Word (Word 6, Word95 ..) a
message that only later versions are supported.

Yes, you can do this.

Determine If Word is Installed
http://www.fawcette.com/vsm/2002_06/magazine/columns/qa/default_pf.aspx