Microsoft KB Archive/121866

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Using Startup Switches for Application in MOM

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Q121866

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Office for Windows, versions 4.0, 4.2, 4.3

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SUMMARY
It is possible to customize an application so that it performs specific actions when you start it. You can do this by adding specific parameter switches to the Command Line box for the application icon in Program Manager or to the Command Line or Parameters box for the application button on the Microsoft Office Manager (MOM) toolbar.

If you use the Run dialog box to run an application from either Program Manager or File Manager, you can also add startup switches following the command line for the application. You must enter these parameters each time you run the application, because these parameters are not saved.

MORE INFORMATION
By default, the Command Line box in the Program Item Properties dialog box and in the Edit Program Item dialog box contains only the path to and the name of the application's executable file, and the Parameters box in the Edit Program Item dialog box is empty. To add a startup switch for the application, use either of the following methods, depending on how you start your application.

Program Manager
To modify the icon properties for an application, do the following in Program Manager:


 * 1) Select the desired program icon.
 * 2) From the File menu, choose Properties.
 * 3) Place the insertion point at the end of the command line.
 * 4) Type a space, and then enter the correct switches.
 * 5) Choose OK to close the Properties dialog box.
 * 6) Double-click the icon to start the application with the switches in effect.

MOM Toolbar
Do the following to modify the parameters of a MOM toolbar button:


 * 1) From the MOM toolbar, choose the Microsoft Office Manager button.
 * 2) Choose Customize.
 * 3) Select the Toolbar tab, and select the desired application.
 * 4) Choose the Edit button.
 * 5) If you are editing a custom button, type a space at the end of the application's command line, and then enter the correct startup switches.

If you are editing a default button, enter the correct startup switches in the Parameters box. (This box should not contain a command line.)
 * 1) Choose OK to close the Edit Program Item dialog box. Choose OK to close the Customize dialog box.
 * 2) Choose the application's button to start the application with the switches in effect.

The following is a list of valid startup switches that you can use for the Microsoft Office applications:

NOTE: Do not include the < > characters in the actual text that you enter.

Word for Windows 6.0, 6.0a:

To start Word                            Startup Switch --

With no document open                  /n And open an existing document And run a macro                        /m Without templates or add-ins           /a And start the Quick Preview            /mHelpQuickPreview And load a Word Link Library (.WLL)    /l  Without displaying Tips of the Day     /w

Microsoft Excel 4.x, 5.x:

To start Microsoft Excel                 Startup Switch --

Without a new, unsaved workbook        /e And open a specific file And open a specific file read only     /r And specify a default directory        /p

Microsoft PowerPoint 3.0:

To start Microsoft PowerPoint             Startup Switch --

And open a specific file And run a slide show automatically     /s

Microsoft PowerPoint 4.x:

To start Microsoft PowerPoint             Startup Switch --

And open a specific file And run a slide show automatically     /s

Note: To run a slide show automatically in PowerPoint, the file must be saved as an .LST file from a text editor, such as Notepad. To create a .LST file from Notepad, follow these steps:


 * 1) Open Notepad by double-clicking the Notepad icon in the Accessories group of Windows.
 * 2) On the File menu, click Open. Change the "List files of type" to All Files *.*.
 * 3) Select the Powerpoint presentation you would like to open as a slide show, click OK.

Microsoft Access 1.1:

To start Access... Startup Switch --

And open a specific database And open for exclusive access          /Excl And open a file read-only              /Ro Using a specific user name             /User Using a specific password              /Pwd And run a specific macro               /X And specify a value to be returned by  the Access Basic Command function       /Cmd

Microsoft Access 2.0:

(In addition to the switches available for 1.1)

To start Access... Startup Switch --

With a specified initialization file   /Ini And compact a specified database       /Compact [target file name] And convert a 1.x database             /Convert And repair a specified database        /Repair

It is important that any information that appears in the Parameters box is valid for the individual program. Invalid information causes a variety of error messages when starting an application and may also prevent the application from running. For example, if you enter an application's command line (the executable filename) in the Parameters box, the application will start, and then attempt to open the executable file.

You can find information on startup switches for a specific application in Help for each application, as well as in most of the manuals.