Error Inserting Object After Registering Application

ID: Q122418

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0c
• Microsoft WordArt, version 2.0
• Microsoft Equation Editor, version 2.0

SYMPTOMS

When you insert or edit a Microsoft WordArt 2.0 object or a Microsoft Equation 2.0 object, you receive the following error message:

   The server application, source file, or item cannot be found. Make sure
   the application is properly installed, and that it has not been deleted,
   moved, or renamed.

CAUSE

This behavior occurs when you register Microsoft WordArt 2.0 or Microsoft Equation 2.0 again in the Registration Database file (REG.DAT). The behavior occurs because the registration files for these applications, WORDART2.REG and EQNEDIT2.REG, contain incorrect path information. The WORDART2.REG file contains the following path information:

   <windows dir>\MSAPPS\WORDART\WORDART2.EXE

   <windows dir>\MSAPPS\EQUATION\EQNEDIT.EXE

If you merge the EQNEDIT2.REG file into the REG.DAT file, and your Microsoft Windows directory is NOT C:\WINDOWS, you can no longer edit or insert a Microsoft Equation 2.0 object. Note that if your Microsoft Windows directory is C:\WINDOWS, you do not have this problem.

Note that if you merge the Microsoft Excel 5.0 registration file, EXCEL5.REG, into the REG.DAT file, you may experience this problem when you edit or insert a Microsoft Excel 5.0 object. This problem occurs only if Microsoft Excel is not included in the PATH statement in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. To correct this problem, start Microsoft Excel. The full path to Microsoft Excel is automatically registered in the REG.DAT file when you do this.

WORKAROUNDS

To work around this problem, do either of the following:

• Run the Setup program that you used to install the application, such as Microsoft Office, and install the application again.

  -or-

• Use the following steps to correct the information in the *.REG file, and merge the registration file again:

  1. Open the registration file in a text editor, such as Notepad.

        The WordArt registration file, WORDART2.REG, is located in the
        MSAPPS\WORDART subdirectory of your Microsoft Windows directory. The
        Equation registration file, EQNEDIT2.REG is located in the
        MSAPPS\EQUATION subdirectory of your Microsoft Windows directory.
  

  2. Locate the fourth and eighth lines in the WORDART2.REG file, or the

        sixth, thirteenth and nineteenth lines in the EQNEDIT2.REG file. If
        the equal sign in these lines is followed by "<windows dir>" (without
        the quotation marks) or an incorrect path, replace this with the
        actual path to your Microsoft Windows directory.
  

        For example, if the 4th line in the WORDART2.REG file (following the
        equal sign) appears as follows
  

           <windows dir>\MSAPPS\WORDART\WordArt2.exe
  
        then modify the line as follows (assuming Windows is installed in
        C:\WIN3):
  
           C:\WIN3\MSAPPS\WORDART\WORDART2.EXE
  
     Note, if "<windows dir>" does not appear on the specific line numbers
     listed above, then look for the lines that contain either, without
     quotes, "Eqnedit.exe" or "Wordart2.exe", in the respective .reg files.
  
     3. Save the changes and exit the text editor.
  
     4. In File Manager, double-click the registration file that you edited
        above, WORDART2.REG or EQNEDIT2.REG. A dialog box will appear with
        the message that the registration information has been successfully
        registered in the registration database.
  
  

   ARTICLE-ID: Q122188
   TITLE     : WordArt 2 error "Cannot launch or communicate..."

   ARTICLE-ID: Q107437
   TITLE     : WordArt 2.0 Does Not Auto-Register Itself in REG.DAT

Keywords          : kbole kbtool kbdta
Version           : windows:2.0
Platform          : WINDOWS
Hardware          : x86
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: March 27, 1998