Ref Edit problems with Excel 2003 SP3

[Bill Freund]

I downloaded and installed SP3 in December 2007 before distributing several
workbooks containing user forms which included several "ref edit boxes".
My users began to report problems when trying to run a particular macro, the
message being "Unable to locate project or library". It was suggested to me
by several Office MVP's that I check the References (in the VBE). When I did
so I discovered an items that read "MISSING: Ref Edit Control", upon
inspecting
the "location" associated with this item I discovered that it was "stuck" on
the
path as it existed on my machine; I had used a non-standard folder
"MSOffice2003"
rather than the generic "Microsoft Office" when I installed Office 2003 on my
machine. By unchecking the "missing" item and "browsing" out to the correct
location on the users machine the "problem macro" was able to run.

Another resource I contacted told me that he had encountered a "ref edit"
problem
after installing SP3. In his case he was no longer able to add a ref edit
control to
a userform. I tried to do the same on my machine and received the message
"Invalid argument" and was unable to add a ref edit control. I tried the
same in
Excel 2002 and 2000 and got the same error (I have all 3 versions on my
machine,
each in their own, custom-named folder. Whatever SP3 did it apparently
affected
the other versions as well.

As it is evidently not possible to uninstall SP3, I have now uninstalled all
versions of
Office on my machine and have reinstalled Office 2003 (Pro). Upon started
Excel
I received the following "Microsoft Forms" error messages: "Could not load
object
because it is not available on this machine" (singular version) and "Could
not load
some objects because they are unavailable on this machine" (the plural
version).
I stripped away all add-ins as well as my Personal.xls workbook and no longer
receive those messages, of course I also gave up the functionality the
add-ins and
my Personal.xls provided me.

However, when I load a workbook (created for a user) that contains
userform(s) that include one or more ref edit boxes, I receive the above
mentioned "Microsoft
Forms" error messages. Moreover, when I go into the VBE and attempt to view
the userforms I receive the "Microsoft Forms" message again and when I clear
the message box and the user form displays ALL THE REF EDIT BOXES ARE GONE!

It appears that SP3 has left behind some defect that continues to plaque the
reinstallations of Office 2003. This is obviously an intolerable situation
and I am desperate for a solution.

 

[Charles Williams]

Try Searching for all .EXD files and delete them
(Start-->Search-->*.EXD)

You may find these files in various places like
Documents and Settings\Charles\Application Data\Forms
Documents and Settings\Charles\Local Settings\Temp\Excel8.0
Documents and Settings\Charles\Local Settings\Temp\VBE

Delete them them ALL, they will be recreated as needed.


Charles
__________________________________________________
Outlines for my Sessions at the Australia Excel Users Group
http://www.decisionmodels.com/OZEUC.htm

 

[Bill Freund]

Charles,

My search revealed a total of 8 files under folder within the path
\Documents and Settings\Administrator\, just as you had predicted.

There were 2 MSForms.exd of different sizes (225Kb, 147Kb) and dated to
March of 2007 (1 day apart); there were 3 MSComtclLib.exd also of different
sizes (2 at 165Kb, 1 at 138Kb) all dated 4/24/07; and 3 RefEdit.exd of
different sizes (2 at 15,428 bytes, 1 at 15,040 bytes) the first 2 dated
3/24/07 the 3rd dated 2/8/08).

After making backup copies of all 8 files I deleted them all.
I restarted Excel (no add-ins or Personal.xls files) and received no error
messages. I then installed one of the add-ins that seemed to have been
producing the Microsoft Forms error message "Could not load an object ..."
and received that same error message twice during the installation process.

I opened a workbook that dated back to early 2006 and received the "plural"
version of the Microsoft Forms error message (this workbook contained a
userform with a half dozen of so ref edit boxes). When I viewed the userform
in the VB Editor ALL the ref edit boxes on the form were GONE!

One other pecularity was that in the project window at the left side of the
VBE, the Sheets, Modules and Userforms WERE NOT GROUPED under "folders" but
simply listed alphabetically. I closed this workbook without saving.

I then did another search for ".exd" files and discovered:
2 MSForms.exd files, the first was in \Local Settings\Temp\VBE\, the second
appeared to have been created at the time of the add-in installation (in the
\Local Settings\Temp\Excel8.0\ folder;
one MSComctlLib.exd file in \Application Data\Microsoft\Forms,
and one RefEdit.exd file in \Local Settings\Temp\VBE\ also apparently
created at the time of the aforementioned add-in installation

I closed Excel, re-started it (got the 2 "Could not load ..." messages),
opened a similar workbook (from 2006 with userform) and got the multiple
"Could not load ..." message, opened the VB Editor, viewed the userform and
all ref edit boxes
were gone (and the items in the project window were also NOT GROUPED).

Any further suggestions would be greatly appreciated.