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Q164599: XCLN: Opening an Attachment on Rich Text Field Fails

Article: Q164599
Product(s): Microsoft Exchange
Version(s): WINDOWS:5.0; Win95:5.0; :8.03
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbusage
Last Modified: 21-APR-2000

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Exchange Windows NT client, version 5.0 
- Microsoft Exchange Client for Windows 95, version 5.0 
- Microsoft Outlook 97, version 8.03 
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SYMPTOMS
========


When you add a RichEntry field to a form in a simple Exchange Form Designer,
compile the form, and install it, you can attach an Office 97 .doc or .xls file
to the form.

When the recipient tries to open the attached file, the following error message
may appear:

  The application associated with this attachment could not be started. Verify
  that the application is installed on your system with a correct directory
  path.
  c:\path\file.doc

When you press F2, you may get a Microsoft Exchange Client - 0 - (80000008), even
though the Microsoft Office 97 application is installed and works correctly.

The problem occurs with Office 97 applications but not with Office 95
applications.

CAUSE
=====

The association for the file extension of the icon you have attached has been
established using a path to the application that contains "space" or special
characters.

You can verify this using Windows Explorer. Go to View / Options / File Types.
Click the file type you want and click Edit. Under the action, click Open. You
will find that the path to the application has a space or a special character.

Another way to test the association is to send the file in a message. If you
create a standard message, not a form, and attach the same file to it, the
recipient can open the file without any problem.

The problem is that Office 97 does not install into an 8.3 compatible directory.
By default, Word is installed in C:\Program Files\Microsoft
Office\Office\winword.exe. Office 95 installs into a directory path that is 8.3
compatible.

WORKAROUND
==========

To work around this problem, either change the path or reinstall the Office 97
application:

To change the path:
-------------------

If possible, you can change the path to your application in the Open action on
the Association tab for your icon.

1. In Windows Explorer, on the View menu, click Options. On the File Types tab,
  select Microsoft Word Document, and click Edit.

2. Change the Open command, and substitute the path with an 8.3 compatible
  path:

     C:\progra~1\micros~1\office\winword.exe

This requires that all of the client computers be changed.

To reinstall the Office 97 application:
---------------------------------------

Reinstall the application to a new directory that does not contain special
characters or a space. If you install Office 97 in the directory
C:\office\winword.exe, everything works fine.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Exchange versions 4.0
and 5.0. Microsoft is researching this problem and will post new information
here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbusage 
Technology        : kbOutlookSearch kbExchangeSearch kbExchange500 kbExchangeClientSearch kbZNotKeyword2 kbOutlook97Search kbZNotKeyword3 kbOutlook803 kbExchange500NT
Version           : WINDOWS:5.0; Win95:5.0; :8.03
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbnofix

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