Microsoft KB Archive/140113

= Works, Automap: Unable to Start DDE Communications =

Article ID: 140113

Article Last Modified on 11/24/2003

-

APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Automap Road Atlas 4.0
 * Microsoft Works 2.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Works 2.0a
 * Microsoft Works 3.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Works 3.0a
 * Microsoft Works 3.0b
 * Microsoft Windows 95

-



This article was previously published under Q140113



SYMPTOMS
During the Setup of 16-bit versions of Works or Automap in Windows 95, you may receive the following error message:

Unable to start DDE communications with Program Manager.

Abort, Retry, Ignore

Any program running as a shell which does not support Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE), will cause the above error message. Selecting Ignore on the error message will allow Setup to continue but no program group or shortcut will be created.

You must manually add a shortcut to Works on the Start menu. Refer to the section "To Add a Shortcut for Works" below for instructions on adding a shortcut to the Start menu.



RESOLUTION
This error occurs when you are using a shell other than Explorer. It may also occur if you have other programs, including Terminate-and-Stay- Resident (TSR) programs, running during Works Setup.

If you receive this error, do the following:

Make sure no other programs are running before starting Works or Automap Setup. To make sure no other programs are running do the following:
 * 1) Press CTRL+ALT+DEL simultaneously to open the Close Program box.
 * 2) If any program other than Explorer and Systray is listed, click on it and click End Task.
 * 3) Repeat these steps until no programs other than Explorer and Systray appear in the box.

Use Explorer as the shell program. To make sure you are using Explorer as the shell do the following:  Click the Start button and then click Run. Type system.ini and press ENTER. In the [Boot] section, make sure that the Shell= line reads as follows:

Shell=Explorer.exe.



To Add a Shortcut for Works
To create a shortcut for Works, do the following:  Click the Start button point to Settings and then click Taskbar. On the Start Menu Programs tab, click Add. Type the following in the Command Line box and click Next:

\ \msworks.exe.

For example, if you installed Works in the Msworks folder on drive C, you would type:

c:\msworks\msworks.exe

NOTE: If you are unsure what directory contains the Works program file, you can click the Browse button to help locate it.</li> Click the Programs folder and then click Next.</li> Type Microsoft Works for the shortcut name and click Finish.</li> Click OK.</li></ol>

For additional information, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

119830 Unable to Start DDE Communications with Program Manager

Additional query words: w_works win95

Keywords: kbprb KB140113

-

[mailto:TECHNET@MICROSOFT.COM Send feedback to Microsoft]

© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.