WIN 97 - Annoying "File In Use Message"

[Jeff]

WIN XP - WORD 97

Whe I open a document from WORD 97 all goes as expected.


When I open a document by double clicking on the file name in Windows
Explorer or by double clicking on an attached WORD document in an
e-mail the document loads but soon after throws up a warning panel
telling me the documnet is "in use" by me already and asking if I'd
like to make a copy.


How do I rid myself of the annoyance of having to click "cancel" on
this warning panel every time I open a file that way? It doesen't seem
to happen when I use WORD 97 that way on other peoples computers.


Thanks Guys,


Jeff

 

[Isadore Yablon]

Did some searching while waiting for answers to my post and found this one
which WORKED slicker than snot on a brass doorknob!

*************************************

setting: Word 97 installed on Windows XP
problem: double-click on Word document causes Word 97 to open file twice
reason: two mechanisms are opening the file in Word 97 simultaneously:

1) the DDE (Dynamic Data Exchange) mechanism
2) the "%1" file name variable mechanism (goes back to DOS days!)

Both mechanisms can be found and modified by opening any folder in Windows,
then choosing Tools>Folder Options>File Types (tab), then highlighting DOC
in the list and clicking on the "Advanced" button. A box pops up with the
following:

New
Open
Print
printto

Select Open with a single click, then click on "Edit..." You should see the
following if your settings are INcorrect:

Application used to perform action:
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\WINWORD.EXE" "%1"

Use DDE (checked)

DDE Message:
[REM _DDE_Direct][FileOpen("%1")]

"%1" is a variable that contains the file name (and path) of the file you
double-clicked. Word 97 is responding to both the "%1" in the first line and
the %1 in the DDE section, causing the file to open twice.

The solution is to disable the DDE section, BUT: simply removing the "Use
DDE" checkmark DOES NOT WORK: Windows automatically restores it (try it:
uncheck it, click OK twice, then go back and see for yourself -- the DDE
section has been re-enabled! -- WinXP is "thinking for you").

The solution that DOES work is to leave the following under the DDE Message
section:

DDE Message:
[REM _DDE_Direct]

In other words, you're removing the [FileOpen(%1)] command. What remains is
merely a comment ("REM" in programming circles means "comment," something
that's only there to remind humans what the code is or does). By leaving
this comment, the DDE mechanism is effectively disabled. The "%1" in the
other section now opens one copy of the document, just as it should be.
(Note that you have to click OK in the open windows before the change takes
effect).

Important PS: if you get error messages for some files and not others, be
sure your "%1" appears in quotes (as it does here). The quotes allow for
spaces in file and folder names.