Microsoft KB Archive/173078

= OFF97: "That control can only..." Appears Clicking a Control =

Article ID: 173078

Article Last Modified on 1/20/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Office 97 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Word 97 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Excel 97 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft PowerPoint 97 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q173078



SYMPTOMS
When you click a control in a Microsoft Excel 97 worksheet object that is embedded in a Microsoft Word 97 document, a Microsoft PowerPoint 97 presentation, a Microsoft Office 97 Binder, or any other type of document, you may receive the following error message:

Microsoft Excel

That control can only be used while the worksheet is displayed in a

separate window. Do you want to open a window for the worksheet?

If the error message is displayed in an Office Assistant balloon and you click Yes or No, the error message may not disappear.

NOTE: Microsoft Excel 97 may appear to stop responding (hang).



CAUSE
This problem occurs when Microsoft Excel 97 incorrectly determines which window currently has the focus. In this case, the worksheet object has the focus even though an error message is displayed by the Office Assistant.

Note that this problem does not occur when the error message is displayed in a error message dialog box outside of the Assistant.



WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, use either of the following methods:


 * Press Y or N depending on whether you want to open a window for the worksheet.

-or-
 * Click anywhere in the Microsoft Excel worksheet object. Then, click Yes or No in the Office Assistant balloon.

The error message disappears.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

Additional query words: OFF97 XL97 WD97 PP97 ocx hangs locks freezes list box combo box command button option button spin button scroll bar toggle button

Keywords: kbbug kberrmsg kbinterop KB173078

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