Microsoft KB Archive/315837

Knowledge Base

PUB2002: Publisher 2002 Stops Responding When You Open Earlier-Version Publication

Article ID: 315837

Article Last Modified on 10/8/2003

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APPLIES TO

• Microsoft Publisher 2002 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q315837

SYMPTOMS

When you use Publisher 2002 to open a Microsoft Publisher file that was created in an earlier version of Publisher, you may receive an Office Application Error Reporting message, and Publisher stops responding (hangs). The same publication opens correctly in Publisher 2000. You can create, open, and save new Publisher 2002 files with no error.

NOTE: When you view the details of the Office Application Error Report, the report indicates that Microsoft Publisher crashed in module name "Mspub.exe."

CAUSE

This problem is caused by changes in the file format from Publisher 97 to Publisher 2002.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Office XP. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

307841 OFFXP: How to Obtain the Latest Office XP Service Pack

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, you must install Publisher 97 or Publisher 2000, either coexisting on the same computer on which Publisher 2002 is installed, or on a different computer. Use one of the following methods, as appropriate for your situation.

Method 1: In Publisher 97

Select the Create Two Backgrounds with Mirrored Guides option, and then save the publication again. To do this, follow these steps:

1. On the View menu, click Go to Background.
2. On the Arrange menu, click Layout Guides.
3. In the Layout Guide dialog box, click to select the Create Two Backgrounds with Mirrored Guides check box, and then click OK.
4. Save your publication again.

Method 2: In Publisher 97

Delete all the content from the second background page, and then turn off the Create Two Backgrounds with Mirrored Guides option. To do this, follow these steps:

1. On the View menu, click Go to Background.
2. On the Arrange menu, click Layout Guides.
3. In the Layout Guide dialog box, click to select the Create Two Backgrounds with Mirrored Guides check box, and then click OK.
4. At the bottom of the Publisher application window, click the Left Background Page icon.
5. Delete all the objects on the left background page.
6. On the Arrange menu, click Layout Guides.
7. In the Layout Guide dialog box, click to clear the Create Two Backgrounds with Mirrored Guides check box, and then click OK.
8. Save your publication.
9. Open your publication in Publisher 2002.

Method 3: In Publisher 2000

Select the Create Two Backgrounds with Mirrored Guides option, and then turn off Two Backgrounds with Mirrored Guides, which forces Publisher 2000 to delete the once-hidden content. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Start Publisher 2000, and then open your publication that caused the problem in Publisher 2002. On the Arrange menu, click Layout Guides.
2. In the Layout Guide dialog box, click to select the Create Two Backgrounds with Mirrored Guides check box, and then click OK.
3. On the Arrange menu, click Layout Guides.
4. In the Layout Guide dialog box, click to clear the Create Two Backgrounds with Mirrored Guides check box, and then click OK.
5. When a dialog box appears, asking whether you want to switch to one background, click OK.
6. Save your publication.
7. Open your publication in Publisher 2002.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was fixed in Office XP SP-1.

Keywords: kbbug KB315837

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