Include an ocx in a custom template?

[Jeremy's Dad]

I built a template 4 years ago that serves as a letter generation tool
using the monthview control. In addition to creating and logging the
letter, the template also adds the appointment to the user's Outlook
calendar. The template has been used flawlessly by 50 users on a daily
basis since then and has been a great time saver. At the time, our
system at the office was using Win2000 as the operating system.

3 weeks ago, we upgraded to Windows XP and the default build does not
include mscomct2.ocx which contains the monthview control. Imagine if
you please the various noises that arose when the users found the
template crashing....

The folks in IT tell me they will be happy to add the ocx file to the
default build but with current priorities, they tell me we are looking
at several months before that will happen. Imagine if you please the
looks on the faces of my users....

I'm hoping there is a way I can amend the code of my current template
to somehow reference the ocx if I place it on a network drive.

Any suggestions would be gratefully received.

Gary

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

You could probably create step by step instructions for your 50 users to
download and install mscomct2.ocx. See:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/297381

However, if your IT department has things so locked down that users do not
have the necessary permissions to do that, it would seem to me that your
management needs to be resetting the priorities for the IT department. I
would guess that it would take a competent IT person no more than 15 minutes
to create the necessary script to roll the ocx file out to all of your users
the next time that they log on to the network.

--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP, originally posted via msnews.microsoft.com

 

[Jeremy's Dad]

However, if your IT department has things so locked down that users do not
have the necessary permissions to do that, it would seem to me that your
management needs to be resetting the priorities for the IT department.  I
would guess that it would take a competent IT person no more than 15 minutes
to create the necessary script to roll the ocx file out to all of your users
the next time that they log on to the network.

Your thoughts are very well expressed and mirror some of my own
impressions. I have a hard time understanding why this needs to be
put through a prioritization process when it has proven to be so well
received by users and useful to management. I'll have a chat again
with my manager and see what pressure can be brought to bear.

I had hoped there was some other way to reference the ocx or to
somehow imbed it into the template in order to avoid the mess..
<shrug>

Gary