Word 2.x/6.x: New Word Session Started for Each Attached File

ID: Q138447

The information in this article applies to:

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registration database. Before you edit the registration database, you should first make a backup copy of the file (Reg.dat in Windows 3.1).

SYMPTOMS

Windows starts an individual instance of Word for Windows for each attached Word document that you open from within a Mail for Windows message. 

   -or-
Windows starts an individual instance of Word for Windows for each document file that you double-click in File Manager.

CAUSE

This behavior occurs in Mail and File Manager when the file association for .doc files is incorrect or when the Word Document setting is incorrect or incomplete in the Windows registration database file (Reg.dat in Windows 3.1).

For example, if you set the file association for .doc files to 

   C:\Winword\Winword.Exe
Windows starts a new instance of Word each time you start a file from File Manager and each time you open a document from Mail. If you set the file association to 

   Microsoft Word Document
Windows checks the registration database and performs the specified commands for an Open action. (By default, Windows opens a document in the current instance of Word if it is already running.)

WORKAROUND

To work around this behavior, associate .doc files with Word and correct the Word Document settings in the registration database. To do this, use the steps appropriate to your version of Word and Windows.

Windows 95 and Word 2.0x, 6.0, 6.0a, and 6.0c

To check the .doc file association, use the following steps:

1. In Windows Explorer, click Options on the View menu, and click 

   the File Types tab.
2. In the Registered File Types box, click Microsoft Word Document, and 
   click New Type.
3. In the Description of Type box, type "Microsoft Word Document" (without 
   the quotation marks). In the Associated Extension box, type ".doc"
   (without the quotation marks).
4. Click New in order to define an action for this file type.

5. In the New Action dialog box, in the Action box, type the action that 

   you want to define; for example, type "Open" or "New" (without the
   quotation marks).
6. In the "Application Used to Perform Action" box, type the command that 
   you want to run in order to complete the action you specified; for
   example, type:

      c:<folder location>\Winword.exe

   where <folder location> is the folder that contains the Word program.
7. Click OK.

8. Click OK again.

For more information about associating file types in Windows, see your Windows printed documentation or click the Index tab in Microsoft Windows Help, type the following text 

   associating, file types
and then double-click the selected text to view the "Creating or modifying a file type" topic.

Windows 3.1 and Word 2.0b, 6.0, 6.0a, and 6.0c

To check the .doc file association, use the following steps:

1. In File Manager, click a .doc file.

2. On the File menu, click Associate.

3. In the Associate With box, click Microsoft Word Document <directory 

   location>

   Where <directory location> is the directory that contains the Word
   program, and click OK.
To edit the Reg.dat file, use the following steps:

1. In File Manager, click either Ww20.reg (for Word 2.0b), or Winword6.reg 

   (for Word 6.0). These files are located in the Word for Windows
   directory.
2. On the File menu, click Associate.

3. In the Associate With list, click Registration Entries (Regedit.exe) 

   and click OK.
4. In the list of files, double-click Ww20.reg (for Word 2.0b) or 
   Winword6.reg (for Word 6.0).
5. Click OK when the following message appears: 

      Information in C:\Winword\Ww20.reg (for Word 2.0b)

      -or-

      C:\Winword\Winword6.reg (for Word 6.0)

      has been successfully registered in the registration database.

Windows 3.1 and Word 2.0 and 2.0a

To check the .doc file association, use the following steps:

1. In File Manager, click a .doc file.

2. On the File menu, click Associate.

3. In the Associate With list, click Word 2.0 for Windows and click OK.

To edit Reg.dat, use the following steps:

NOTE: Before you perform any of the following steps, make a backup copy of your Reg.dat file.

WARNING: Using Registration Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registration Editor can be solved. Use Registration Editor at your own risk. 

 1. In Program Manager or File Manager, click Run on the File menu.

 2. In the Command Line box, type "regedit" (without the quotation marks)
    and click OK.

 3. In the Registered File Types list, click Microsoft Word Document.

 4. On the Edit menu, click Modify File Type.

 5. In the Action box, select Open.

    The Command box contains the following incorrect string:

       <Drive letter>:\WINWORD\winword.exe %1

    where <Drive letter> is your computer's hard disk drive.

 6. Change the string to the following (remove " %1"):

       <Drive letter>:\WINWORD\winword.exe

 7. Click Uses DDE.

 8. In the DDE box, type the following settings:

       DDE Message:                     [FileOpen("%1")]
       Application:                     Winword
       DDE Application Not Running:     <this box should be blank>
       Topic:                           System

 9. In the Modify File Type dialog box, click OK.
10. On the File menu, click Exit to close the Registration Editor.

MORE INFORMATION

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

   ARTICLE-ID: Q102496
   TITLE     : Individual Word Session Started for Each Attached Document
KBCategory: KBSubcategory: winword

Additional reference words: 2.0 2.0a 2.0a-CD 2.0b 2.0c 6.0 6.0a 6.0c 3.0 3.0a 3.0b email e-mail electronic msmail win31 attachment session multiple instances extra separate different second 2nd 

Keywords          : kbinterop winword 
Version           : 2.x 6.0 6.0a 6.0c
Platform          : WINDOWS

Last Reviewed: February 6, 1998