WinWord Err Msg: Word Cannot Locate the Server Application...

Last reviewed: July 30, 1997
Article ID: Q81037

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 2.0, 2.0a, 2.0a-CD, 2.0b, 2.0c

SUMMARY

In Word for Windows, when you choose Object from the Insert menu, and you select Microsoft Excel Worksheet or Microsoft Excel Chart from the Object list box, you may receive the following error message:

   Word cannot locate the server application for Excel Worksheet [or
   Excel Chart] Objects. Install the server application with the Setup
   program.

If you can insert Excel objects using the above method when Excel is running as an icon, there are two possible causes for this error message:

Word cannot find the Excel executable file (EXCEL.EXE).
```
    -or-
```
Word has found a version of the Excel executable file that is different from the version that is currently running.

To correct this problem, follow the steps below:

Verify that the PATH environment variable in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file points to the Excel directory where the most recent version of the Excel executable file is located.
Note: The path must include a drive designation. For example, "C:\EXCEL" is a valid path whereas "\EXCEL" is not.

Remove or rename older versions of the Excel executable file.

    The file date for EXCEL.EXE version 3.0  is 12/09/90.
    The file date for EXCEL.EXE version 3.0a is 06/12/91.
    The file date for EXCEL.EXE version 4.0  is 04/01/92.

MORE INFORMATION

When Word tries to start the server application (Excel in this case), it first looks at the corresponding entry in the [Embedding] section of the WIN.INI file. Below is a sample of a possible entry for an Excel worksheet:

   ExcelWorksheet=Excel Worksheet,Excel Worksheet,Excel.exe,picture

If Word cannot find the executable file for the given application, it uses the PATH environment variable to find the file.

Reference(s):

README.DOC file in the version 2.0 Word for Windows program directory

KBCategory: kbother
KBSubcategory:
Additional query words: winword winword2
2.0a 2.0 2.0a can't

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Last reviewed: July 30, 1997
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