Microsoft KB Archive/153274

Works: Double-Clicking on Works Document Does Not Start Works

PSS ID Number: Q153274 Article last modified on 06-23-1999

WINDOWS:95; WINDOWS|MACINTOS:2.0,2.0a,3.0,3.0a,3.0b,4.0,4.0a,4.5,4.5a

WINDOWS WINDOWS|MACINTOS

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The information in this article applies to:

 Microsoft Windows 95 == Microsoft Works for Windows, versions 2.0, 2.0a, 3.0, 3.0a, 3.0b, 4.0, 4.0a, 4.5, 4.5a == 

= SYMPTOMS =

When you double-click on a Works Word Processing, Database, Spreadsheet, or Communication document, the Works program may not start, or you may receive one of the following error messages:

Cannot Find the Document Check the drive and directory.

-or-

Cannot Find the Directory

= CAUSE =

The file extension may not have a file association, or the association information may be incorrect, or the extensions may not be registered correctly in the Windows Registry.

= RESOLUTION =

Verify that the file type you want to open is listed as a registered file type and that the information for the program is correctly registered. If you do not see the document in the list of Registered File Types, then you must create a new file type for each missing Works module.

Verify the File Association
To verify the file association, do the following:

  Double-click the My Computer icon on the Windows 95 desktop.   On the View menu, click Options, and then click the File Types tab.   Locate the file type in the Registered file types list. NOTE: If the document type is not listed, proceed to the “Creating a New Association” section.   Double-click the file type you want to open.   Verify that OPEN is listed in the Action box. If it is not listed, skip to step 4 in the “Creating a New Association” section. </li>  Click to select the Open action, and click Edit. </li>  Verify that the box labeled “Application used to perform this action” contains the path to Msworks.exe. For example, if you have used the default installation location, the path will be as follows: C:Files.exe “%1” NOTE: Your Msworks.exe file may be in a different location. NOTE: The “%1” (with the quotation marks) is required. </li>  Click OK. </li>  Repeat steps 4-8 for each Works module. </li></ol>

Creating a New Association
<ol style="list-style-type: decimal;">  On the File Types tab of the View Options dialog box, click New Type. NOTE: The following example is for a Works 4.0 Word Processor document. </li>  In the Description Of Type box, type: Microsoft Works 4.0 Word Processor </li>  In the Associated Extension box type “.wps” (without the quotation marks). </li>  Click New and type OPEN in the Action box. </li>  In the “Application used to perform action” box, type the path to the Works executable file: C:Files.exe “%1” and click OK. NOTE: Your Msworks.exe file may be in a different location. </li>  In the Actions section, click Open, and then click Set Default. </li></ol>

You can now double-click the icon for that file type and start Works.

Create Print and PrintTo Actions
You may want to create print and printTo actions for each Works file type. To enable drag and drop printing, do the following:

<ol style="list-style-type: decimal;">  Repeat step 4 in the “Creating a New Association” section. </li>  In the Action box, type “print” (without the quotation marks). </li>  In the “Application used to perform action” box, type the following: C:Files.exe /p “%1” NOTE: Your Msworks.exe file may be in a different location. </li>  Click OK. </li>  Click New and in the Action box, type “printTo” (without the quotation marks). </li>  In the “Application used to perform action” box, type the following. C:Files.exe /f “%1”“%2”“%3”“%4” NOTE: Your Works executable file may be in a different location. </li> <li> Click OK. </li></ol>

= MORE INFORMATION =

If the file is not properly associated with Works, you may receive a dialog box titled “Open With” when you double-click on the document. If the print or printTo action is missing from the association, you will not see “Print” on the shortcut menu either.

If the steps in the “Creating a New Association” section do not correct the problem, you may have missing or incorrect information in the Windows Registry. To correct this problem, run Works Setup to remove Works. Then run Setup again and reinstall from the original disks.

The problem may also be caused by an unsuccessful attempt to associate the file extensions using File Manager. For more information on this problem, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q134846 Problems with File Manager Associations in Windows 95

Additional query words: 2.00 2.00a 3.00 3.00a 3.00b 4.00 4.00a 4.50 4.50a w_works start startup wrong bad info connect link tie

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========================================================= Keywords : kbenv Version : WINDOWS:95; WINDOWS|MACINTOS:2.0,2.0a,3.0,3.0a,3.0b,4.0,4.0a,4.5,4.5a Platform : WINDOWS WINDOWS|MACINTOS Issue type : kbprb ============================================================================= Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1999.