Knowledge Base

Part 1: Troubleshooting failure to import graphics images

Article ID: 232496

Article Last Modified on 8/22/2007

APPLIES TO

Microsoft Word 2000 Standard Edition

This article was previously published under Q232496

Important This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SUMMARY

This article is part 1 of a series of two Microsoft Knowledge Base articles that present a systematic approach to eliminating error messages in Microsoft Word 2000 running under Microsoft Windows 95 or Windows 98 when you attempt to import graphics files into a Word document.

For additional information about Part 2, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

243687 Part 2: Troubleshooting failure to import graphics images

MORE INFORMATION

What Are the Types of Errors That May Appear?

When you try to import a graphics file, one or more error messages similar to the following may appear:

This file is not recognized as a <graphic file type> file.

An error occurred while importing this file. <filename>

You have run out of disk space on drive C. To free space on this drive by deleting old or unnecessary files, click Disk Cleanup.

Word cannot display this picture format because the correct graphics filter was not found.

Getting Clues from the Error Message

The error message can point you in the direction of the problem. For example, an error message similar to "...is not recognized..." or "...the correct graphics filter was not found" can indicate that either the graphics file or the graphics filter has been damaged.

An error message similar to "You have run out of disk space..." usually means just that. You may not have enough free hard disk space for Word to work with the graphics file you are trying to import.

If you are unsure about the error message you received, query on the error message in the Microsoft Knowledge Base. To access the Microsoft Knowledge Base on the World Wide Web, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/?pr=kbinfo

For additional information about how to use the Microsoft Knowledge Base, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

129725 Obtaining Knowledge Base Articles on the World Wide Web

After you get to the Search Support page, use query parameters specific to your error message.

NOTE: You can query on the exact syntax of the error message. For information about contacting Microsoft Technical Support, please see the "Microsoft Support Options" section in part 2 of this article.

Determining the Scope of the Problem

Is the Problem Reproducible?

Can you make the error occur with a different graphics file of the same type? For example, if you are trying to import a TIFF file, does the problem occur when you try to import a different TIFF file? Can some TIFF files be imported, while others cannot? Can you open or import the graphics file on a different computer system?

Does the Problem Occur in Other Applications?

Can you make the error occur when you try to import the same graphics file into a different Microsoft Office application? For example, can you import the TIFF file into Microsoft Excel?

If you are unable to import the same file into Microsoft Excel, try opening the file into a graphics application like Microsoft PhotoDraw 2000. Can you open the graphics file in the application in which it was created?

If you cannot open the graphics file in a graphics application like Microsoft PhotoDraw 2000 or in the graphics application in which it was created, the graphics file or graphics filter is probably damaged.

If the graphics file does not open in the application in which it was created, you need to recreate the graphic.

To repair a damaged graphics filter, click Detect and Repair on the Help menu. For additional information, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

230672 Differences between repair and reinstall

235620 How the auto-repairing feature works

Are You Importing the Graphic from a Scanner or Camera?

Do you get an error message when you try to insert a picture from a scanner or camera? These errors can be caused by any of the following:

Only some of the scanner software is installed.

When you connect your scanner to your computer and install your device software, follow the scanner manufacturer's directions and install all of the software that accompanied your scanner.

Your device is not compatible with TWAIN.

Make sure that your device is TWAIN-compatible and that you have installed the software to support TWAIN that was provided by the device manufacturer. If you are not sure whether the device is TWAIN-compatible, refer to the device documentation or contact the device manufacturer. After you install the software, try to scan your picture again.

The device software does not support automatic scanning.

Use Custom Insert instead of Insert in the Insert Picture from Scanner or Camera dialog box (on the Insert menu, point to Picture and click From Scanner or Camera).

To import a graphics image into Word, do one of the following:

Try to scan in another program that supports TWAIN, such as Microsoft Publisher 98 or later, Microsoft Picture It! version 2.0 or later, or Microsoft FrontPage 98 or later. If you can scan successfully in another program, try to use Custom Insert in the Insert Picture from Scanner or Camera dialog box (on the Insert menu, point to Picture and click From Scanner or Camera) in Word.

-or-

Do not try to scan the graphics image directly from Microsoft Word. Instead, start the scanner software and scan your image. If you can scan it, use the scanner software and save your image as a graphics file.

NOTE: For more information about the supported graphics formats in Microsoft Word, see the "Can the graphics file be opened in a drawing program?" section later in this article.

After the graphics file is saved, try to import the graphics file into Microsoft Word.

Can the Graphics File Be Opened in a Drawing Program?

Try to open graphics file in the program in which it was created or in a different drawing program. If you cannot open it, the graphics image is most likely invalid or otherwise corrupted.

If you can open the graphics file in its original application or in a different drawing program, do one of the following:

Select the graphic, copy it, and paste it into your document. The graphic becomes a Windows metafile (.wmf).
Save the graphic in a format that can be imported into Microsoft Word.

For additional information about supported graphics formats in Microsoft Word, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

235928 Supported file and graphics formats

Are You Having a "Known" Problem When Importing Your Graphics File?

The following articles discuss known problems when importing graphics files into Microsoft Word. For additional information, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

224665 "An error occurred while importing file" importing .fpx file

224058 Err Msg: "Word cannot display this picture format"

220404 Error importing Adobe Illustrator 8.0 EPS graphic with a color preview

224744 Err Msg: "An error occurred while importing this file..." when inserting TIFF file

Troubleshooting Graphics Import Failure

Do You Have the Correct Graphics Filter to Import the Graphic?

Verify that you installed the necessary graphics filter. On the Insert menu, point to Picture, click From File, and view the list of filters in the Files of type box. If the filter you need is not listed, you may need to install it. For additional information about available graphics filters in Microsoft Word 2000, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

212271 Graphics filters installed in an "Install Now" setup

Are the Correct Graphics Filters Registered in the Windows Registry?

IMPORTANT! Do not attempt this procedure if you are not familiar with working in the Windows Registry. Instead, proceed to the next section of this article to continue troubleshooting failure to import graphics images.

Warning If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.
By default, the graphics filters installed by Microsoft Word 2000 (Microsoft Office 2000) are installed to the following location:

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Grphflt

The Microsoft Windows Registry has to tell the applications where to find these graphics filters. This is done by the following Windows Registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Shared Tools\Graphics Filters\Import

Check this registry key and verify that the appropriate import filter key is pointing to the correct graphics filter and location on your system. If this registry location is incorrect, you can modify the setting of the registry key.

For example, if you attempt to import a TIFF image and find that the following registry key

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Shared Tools\Graphics Filters\Import\TIFF

is pointing to an incorrect TIFF filter, you can modify the registry key by following these steps:

With the TIFF key selected, click to select Path in the right pane.
On the Edit menu, click Modify.
In the Value data box, change the path to point to the correct "Tiffim32.flt" import filter.

For example, the default path to the "Tiffim32.flt" import filter is as follows:

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Grphflt\Tiffim32.flt

How Much Memory Is Available on the System?

To work with or import a graphics file in Word 2000, there must be sufficient RAM memory on your computer to load the graphics image.

For example, assuming that no other applications (programs or TSRs) are running, Microsoft Windows 95/98 requires at least 16 MB of RAM, and Microsoft Word 2000 requires an additional 4 MB of RAM. In addition, you need enough RAM memory available for the graphics file. If your graphics file is 2 MB, you need an additional 2 MB of RAM memory available to work with the file. The minimum total amount of RAM required in this example is at least 22 MB. If your system contains only 24 MB of RAM memory in this example, you may need to upgrade your system with more RAM memory.

NOTE: Graphics files are usually stored in a compressed format. This means that an uncompressed graphics file may be much larger than you expect and may be too large to fit within your available RAM memory.

For additional information about determining file size and memory requirements, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

132271 Importing Bitmaps: Determining Size and Memory Requirements

How Much Free Disk Space Is Available on the Hard Disk?

If there is insufficient free disk space available on your local hard disk, Word may be unable to import the graphics file. How much free disk space is needed? It depends on your particular system and the files you are trying to work with. You need enough free space to accommodate the Windows swap file, a scratch area for the Word application to work in with your document, and space equal to the size of the graphics file you are importing.

As a general rule, the amount of free space on your hard disk should be 2.5 times that of your available RAM memory. For example, if you have 64 MB of RAM memory installed on your system, you need "2.5 x 64 MB", which equals 160 MB of free hard disk space. This is enough free space for Windows to manage its swap file (virtual memory) and for Word to import most graphics files. If your graphics file is very large, you may need more free hard disk space.

For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: