Microsoft KB Archive/188447

= OL98: Error Opening Attachment in Outlook =

Article ID: 188447

Article Last Modified on 10/13/2005

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Outlook 98 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q188447



SYMPTOMS
When you attempt to open an attachment that you received in a message in Outlook 98 by double-clicking its icon, you receive the following error message:

The path or file name for C:\Temp\ is invalid

where  is the name of the attachment. The message is generated by the program that is associated with the attachment.



CAUSE
A rare situation exists in Outlook that allows Outlook to delete the file before the associated program has time to open the file.

Two conditions must exist for this to occur:
 * The associated program does not support Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE).
 * The associated program does not allow concurrent instances.

Microsoft PowerPoint is an example of such a program.



RESOLUTION
A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that this article describes. Apply it only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem.

To resolve this problem, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services telephone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

Note In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or later:

File name  Version --- Outllib.dll 8.5.5424



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in Microsoft Outlook 98.

This problem was corrected in Microsoft Outlook 2000.

Additional query words: 98

Keywords: kbbug kbfix kbqfe kbhotfixserver KB188447

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