Problem opening "Macro Storage"

[Todd Gray]

We have an application running on a web server that
automates Word to create and convert Word documents.
Everything works fine until the volume really goes up.
The process will instantiate Word multiple times during
the process(each iteration starting Word, doing work, then
shutting it down). It seems that 200 times is a bit of a
threshhold. We get an error saying "Could not open Macro
Storage". I found a KB Article
(http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-
us;224338) that discusses this issue and suggests that
Word be run as interactive user, a user with admin rights,
or run a dummy service with that same user context. The
user account that Word is running under is an
administrator, and we do have services running on the
machine under that same user account.

This is a real longshot, but has anyone else experienced
the same problem? If so, have you solved it? If so, how?

Also, we understand all of the caveats about automating
Word on a server. If we had another choice, believe me,
we would take it.

Thanks,
Todd Gray

 

[Chris Jensen [MSFT]]

Hello Todd,

You have encountered more than one of the problems that are described in
Microsoft Knowledge Base article
257757 INFO: Considerations for Server-Side Automation of Office
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=257757

Since you already know the caveats, you should at least confirm to yourself
that there are alternatives by reading the contents of that article closely.

The reason for the message you see is typically that the user hive (HKLU)
for the Word user isn't loaded. The recommendation to lock down Word launch
and access permissions to a designated user, and grant that user admin
privilages are the way to assure that the appropriate user hive is loaded.
This is discussed in article:
288367 HOWTO: Configure Office Applications to Run Under a Specific User
Account
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=288367

In the description in your post you say the problem doesn't occur until
around 200 separate individual sessions are active. 200 instances of Word
on one computer! Perhaps a second server is in order.

It is possible to serve multiple web users with any single instance of an
application by pooling. The session IDs identifying the users are stored in
the global asa, and the pool manager controls who can next access the
automation server, or application instance.

In any event, for the information of any lurkers and browsers, Todd's
problem is that Office applications are intended for a single user at the
desktop. The first article cited above elaborates on that, and states that
Microsoft does not recommend nor support Server-Side automation of Office.
--------------------

From: "Todd Gray" <[email protected]>
Sender: "Todd Gray" <[email protected]>
Subject: Problem opening "Macro Storage"
Date: Wed, 6 Aug 2003 09:52:48 -0700

We have an application running on a web server that
automates Word to create and convert Word documents.
Everything works fine until the volume really goes up.
The process will instantiate Word multiple times during
the process(each iteration starting Word, doing work, then
shutting it down). It seems that 200 times is a bit of a
threshhold. We get an error saying "Could not open Macro
Storage". I found a KB Article
(http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-
us;224338) that discusses this issue and suggests that
Word be run as interactive user, a user with admin rights,
or run a dummy service with that same user context. The
user account that Word is running under is an
administrator, and we do have services running on the
machine under that same user account.

This is a real longshot, but has anyone else experienced
the same problem? If so, have you solved it? If so, how?

Also, we understand all of the caveats about automating
Word on a server. If we had another choice, believe me,
we would take it.

Thanks,
Todd Gray

Regards,
Chris Jensen[MSFT]

This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights.

“Microsoft Security Announcement: Have you installed the patch for
Microsoft Security Bulletin MS03-026?  If not Microsoft strongly advises
you to review the information at the following link regarding Microsoft
Security Bulletin MS03-026
http://www.microsoft.com/security/security_bulletins/ms03-026.asp and/or to
visit Windows Update at http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com to install the
patch. Running the SCAN program from the Windows Update site will help to
insure you are current with all security patches, not just MS03-026.”

 

[Todd Gray]

Thanks, Chris. We've followed all of the steps in the KB
article you mentioned, and that allows us to operate
smoothly 99% of the time. It's only these rare instances
where we have a large job that it croaks. Also, I should
have been more clear that we don't have 200 concurrent
instances of Word (which sounds nightmarish) running.
Instead, each iteration starts Word, does work, then shuts
it down. So at any given point in time there is only one
instance running. We are trying to re-engineer the
solution to start and stop Word only once, but the current
application constraints have kept us from being successful.

It should also be noted here that although so many of us
are using office apps in a manner for which they were
never intended, the folks at MS have done a good job of
documenting the pitfalls of such an approach and to
provide workable solutions.

Cheers,
Todd

-----Original Message-----
Hello Todd,

You have encountered more than one of the problems that are described in
Microsoft Knowledge Base article
257757 INFO: Considerations for Server-Side Automation of Office
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=257757

Since you already know the caveats, you should at least confirm to yourself
that there are alternatives by reading the contents of that article closely.

The reason for the message you see is typically that the user hive (HKLU)
for the Word user isn't loaded. The recommendation to lock down Word launch
and access permissions to a designated user, and grant that user admin
privilages are the way to assure that the appropriate user hive is loaded.
This is discussed in article:
288367 HOWTO: Configure Office Applications to Run Under a Specific User
Account
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=288367

In the description in your post you say the problem doesn't occur until
around 200 separate individual sessions are active. 200 instances of Word
on one computer! Perhaps a second server is in order.

It is possible to serve multiple web users with any single instance of an
application by pooling. The session IDs identifying the users are stored in
the global asa, and the pool manager controls who can next access the
automation server, or application instance.

In any event, for the information of any lurkers and browsers, Todd's
problem is that Office applications are intended for a single user at the
desktop. The first article cited above elaborates on that, and states that
Microsoft does not recommend nor support Server-Side automation of Office.
--------------------

From: "Todd Gray" <[email protected]>
Sender: "Todd Gray" <[email protected]>
Subject: Problem opening "Macro Storage"
Date: Wed, 6 Aug 2003 09:52:48 -0700

We have an application running on a web server that
automates Word to create and convert Word documents.
Everything works fine until the volume really goes up.
The process will instantiate Word multiple times during
the process(each iteration starting Word, doing work, then
shutting it down). It seems that 200 times is a bit of a
threshhold. We get an error saying "Could not open Macro
Storage". I found a KB Article
(http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-
us;224338) that discusses this issue and suggests that
Word be run as interactive user, a user with admin rights,
or run a dummy service with that same user context. The
user account that Word is running under is an
administrator, and we do have services running on the
machine under that same user account.

This is a real longshot, but has anyone else experienced
the same problem? If so, have you solved it? If so, how?

Also, we understand all of the caveats about automating
Word on a server. If we had another choice, believe me,
we would take it.

Thanks,
Todd Gray

Regards,
Chris Jensen[MSFT]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

"Microsoft Security Announcement: Have you installed the patch for
Microsoft Security Bulletin MS03-026? If not Microsoft strongly advises
you to review the information at the following link regarding Microsoft
Security Bulletin MS03-026
http://www.microsoft.com/security/security_bulletins/ms03- 026.asp and/or to
visit Windows Update at

http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com to install the