Chapter 22 - Supporting Multiple Versions of MS Office

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On This Page

Specifying the Default Format in Which to Save Office Documents
Running Multiple Versions of MS Access
Running Multiple Versions of MS Excel
Running Multiple Versions of Electronic Mail and Scheduling Applications
Running Multiple Versions of MS PowerPoint
Running Multiple Versions of MS Word
Running Multiple Versions of Office on a Single Computer
Using MS Office in a Global Environment

This chapter tells you what to expect when you have multiple versions of Microsoft Office installed in your workgroup or on a single computer. It provides an overview of sharing files among different versions of Office applications.

For information about sharing documents with previous versions of each of the Office applications, see the chapters in Part 3, "Upgrading to Microsoft Office."

Specifying the Default Format in Which to Save Office Documents

If you or your workgroup is upgrading to Office 97 for Windows or Office 98 for the Macintosh from previous versions of Office applications, you can specify the default file format in which to save new files. By specifying a default format, members of your workgroup can automatically save files in the best format for sharing within the workgroup.

Note You can specify a default file format in Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Microsoft Word.

To specify the default format in which to save files in Word or PowerPoint

1. On the Tools menu, click Options (Windows) or Preferences (Macintosh), and then click the Save tab. 

2. In the Save Application files as box, click the file format you want. 

To specify the default format in which to save files in Excel

1. On the Tools menu, click Options (Windows) or Preferences (Macintosh), and then click the Transition tab. 

2. In the Default save as type box, click the file format you want. 

Tip In Windows 95 and Windows NT Workstation version 4.0, you can use a system policy to define the default value for the Save Application Files as option in the Options dialog box (Tools menu) for all Office 97 users in your workgroup. In the System Policy Editor, set the following policies:
User\Excel\Tools_Options\Transition\Default Save
User\PowerPoint\Tools_Options\Save\Default Save
User\Word\Tools_Options\Save\Default Save 

For more information, see "Using Windows System Policies to Customize Office" in Chapter 7, "Customizing and Optimizing Microsoft Office."

The next time you save a file that is not already saved in the Office 97 (Windows) or Office 98 (Macintosh) format, you are prompted to save it in this default format. The Office 97 or Office 98 application also gives you the option of saving the file in another format, and warns you if you choose to save in a format that could result in the loss of formatting or data.

Tip In Windows 95 and Windows NT Workstation 4.0, you can use a system policy to define the default-save prompt text for all Office 97 users in your workgroup. In the System Policy Editor, set the following policy:
Computer\Office\Default Save 

For more information, see "Using Windows System Policies to Customize Office" in Chapter 7, "Customizing and Optimizing Microsoft Office."

Using Long File Names with Previous Versions of Office

When you save an Office 97 for Windows document in Office version 4.x format, a user opening the document may be running another operating system, such as Windows version 3.1, that does not support long file names. Such an operating system truncates the file name to eight characters with a three-character extension.

If the document is opened by a user running Office on Windows 95 or Windows NT Workstation 3.51 or 4.0, however, the long file name is preserved.

Although the Macintosh operating system supports long file names, Macintosh file names cannot exceed 32 characters. Names longer than 32 characters are truncated.

Running Multiple Versions of MS Access

This section describes issues relevant to a workgroup or a single computer running any combination of the following versions of Microsoft Access (Windows only):

• Access 97 

• Access 95 

• Access version 2.0 

• Access version 1.x 

Sharing Databases Across Operating Systems and Versions

While file format differs among different versions of Access, Access 97 can read databases in previous formats. The following sections explain issues to be aware of when sharing databases among multiple versions of Access.

Opening Database Files

To maintain backward compatibility, Access 97 can open databases from previous versions without converting them. This process is called enabling a database. However, users of previous versions cannot open database files created with Access 97. Additionally, Access 97 users cannot modify the design of any objects in an enabled Access database created in a previous version of Access.

As an alternative to enabling databases created in a previous version of Access, you can create a database front-end application in Access 97 format that is linked to table data from the previous version of Access. For more information about both of these ways to share databases, see "Sharing Databases with Microsoft Access 1.x, 2.0, or 95" in Chapter 11, "Upgrading from Previous Versions of Microsoft Access."

Using Secured Databases

To use a secured database from a previous version of Access, Access 97 users must use a workgroup information file created in the previous version. Use the Workgroup Administrator that comes with Access 97 to join the workgroup information file from the previous version.

To join a workgroup information file from a previous version of Access

1. In the System folder (Windows 95) or System32 folder (Windows NT Workstation 4.0), double-click Wrkgadm.exe. 

   – or – 

   In Program Manager, double-click the Workgroup Administrator icon in the Microsoft Office program group (Windows NT Workstation 3.51). 

2. In the Workgroup Administrator dialog box, click Join. 

3. In the Database box, enter the name of the workgroup information file you want to use. 

If all users of a secured database have upgraded to Access 97, you can convert the database to Access 97 format. For information about converting secured databases, see "Converting a Database Secured with User-level Security" in Chapter 11, "Upgrading from Previous Versions of Microsoft Access."

Modifying Access Basic Code

You may need to make changes to Access Basic code for it to work in Access 97. For more information, see "Access Basic Code Changes" in Chapter 11, "Upgrading from Previous Versions of Microsoft Access."

Running Multiple Versions of MS Access on a Single Computer

This section addresses installing and using different versions of Access on the same Windows 95 or Windows NT Workstation 3.51 or 4.0 computer. All of the issues noted in the previous section apply to running multiple versions of Access on a single system. For information about other issues such as the Office Shortcut Bar, see "Running Multiple Versions of Office on a Single Computer" later in this chapter.

Why is the wrong version of Microsoft Access trying to open my database?

When you run multiple versions of Access on the same computer, certain actions — such as double-clicking an Access database on the desktop or activating an OLE object — start the last version of Access that was installed, even if it is not the right version for the database. To avoid this problem, either install Access 97 last, or select which version of Access to use when you open a database file from the desktop or in Windows Explorer under Windows 95 or Windows NT Workstation 4.0.

For more information about selecting a version of Access, see "Choosing the Version That Opens Databases" later in this chapter.

Running Two 32-bit Versions

You can install and run Access 95 and 97, both of which are 32-bit versions, on the same computer. If you attempt to remove one version of Access, you may lose components shared by both versions, requiring you to reinstall the version you want to keep.

Running 16-bit and 32-bit Versions

You can install and run the 16-bit versions of Access (version 1.x or 2.0) and Access 97 on the same computer, as long as they are installed in different folders. All versions of Access can be run at the same time, but only Access 97 can open databases created with all other versions.

Choosing the Version That Opens Databases

When you use Windows Explorer (Windows 95 or Windows NT Workstation 4.0) or File Manager (Windows NT Workstation 3.51) to open a database, the database is opened by default in the last version of Access you installed. If you install a previous version of Access after installing Access 97, Access cannot open later versions of the files, and displays a message indicating that the file is damaged. However, if you are using Windows 95 or Windows NT Workstation 4.0, you can override the default by selecting which version of Access to use.

Note This following procedure works only on Windows 95 and Windows NT Workstation 4.0. It does not work on Windows NT Workstation 3.51.

To control which version of Access opens a database

1. In Windows Explorer, find a version of Access on your computer. 

2. Open the Windows\SendTo folder. 

3. Using the right mouse button, drag the Access application icon to the SendTo folder and click Create Shortcut(s) Here on the shortcut menu. 

4. Repeat Steps 1 through 3 for every version of Access you want to run. 

5. In the SendTo folder, rename the Access shortcuts so you can easily distinguish them. 

6. To specify which version of Access to use to open a database, right-click the database in Windows Explorer; and then point to Send To on the shortcut menu and click the version you want. 

Running Multiple Versions of MS Excel

This section describes issues relevant to a workgroup or a single computer running any combination of the following versions of Excel:

• Excel 97 for Windows or Excel 98 for the Macintosh 

• Excel 95 for Windows 

• Excel 5.0 for Windows or the Macintosh 

• Excel 4.0 for Windows or the Macintosh 

Sharing Workbooks Across Operating Systems and Versions

While the file format differs between Excel 97 and Excel 98 and previous versions of Excel, Excel 97 and Excel 98 can open workbooks created in previous versions. However, when an Excel 97 or Excel 98 workbook is saved in a previous version, the workbook is converted to the older file format, and data and formatting may be changed or lost. For information about how workbooks are converted to previous versions of Excel, see Chapter 12, "Upgrading from Previous Versions of Microsoft Excel."

In addition to considering the effect on a workbook when it is saved in a previous version of Excel, you should be aware of issues relevant to Visual Basic code in workbooks shared among versions of Excel or across operating systems.

You can write programs in Visual Basic that run under more than one version of Excel. However, some objects, properties, and methods that exist in Excel 97 or Excel 98 do not exist in Excel 95 or previous versions. For a complete list of changes to Visual Basic in Excel 97 or Excel 98, see Microsoft Visual Basic online Help. See also "Porting Your 16-bit Office-Based Solutions to 32-bit Office" in Chapter 10, "Upgrading from Previous Versions of Microsoft Office."

You can write programs in Visual Basic that run on more than one operating system. Write the Visual Basic code in a workbook and then create an add-in from the source workbook. This add-in can run on both the Windows and Macintosh operating systems. Performance of the add-in may suffer when it runs on an operating system other than the one on which it was created. To ensure best performance of the add-in, move the source workbook to the other operating system and then recreate the add-in.

Running Multiple Versions of MS Excel on a Single Computer

Note The information in this section applies to Excel for Windows. For information about Excel for the Macintosh, see "Running Multiple Versions of Office for the Macintosh on a Single Computer" later in this chapter.

This section addresses installing and using different versions of Excel on the same computer. All of the issues noted in the previous section apply to running multiple versions of Excel on a single system. For information about other issues such as the Office Shortcut Bar, see "Running Multiple Versions of Office on a Single Computer" later in this chapter.

Why is the wrong version of Microsoft Excel trying to open my workbook?

When you run multiple versions of Excel on the same computer, certain actions — such as double-clicking an Excel workbook on the desktop or activating an OLE object — start the last version of Excel that was installed, even if it is not the right version for the workbook. To avoid this problem, either install Excel 97 last, or select which version of Excel to use when you open a workbook file on the desktop or in Windows Explorer under Windows 95 or Windows NT Workstation 4.0.

For more information about selecting a version of Excel, see "Choosing the Version That Opens Workbooks" later in this chapter.

Running Two 32-bit Versions

You can install and run Excel 95 and 97, both of which are 32-bit versions, on the same computer. If you attempt to remove one version of Excel, you may lose components shared by both versions, requiring you to reinstall the version you want to keep.

Running 16-bit and 32-bit Versions

You can install and run the 16-bit versions of Excel (Excel 5.0 or earlier) and Excel 97 on the same computer, as long as they are installed in different folders. These versions of Excel can be run at the same time, but only Excel 97 can open workbooks created in all other versions.

Choosing the Version That Opens Workbooks

When you use Windows Explorer (Windows 95 or Windows NT Workstation 4.0) or File Manager (Windows NT Workstation 3.51) to open a workbook, the workbook is opened by default in the last version of Excel you installed. If you install a previous version of Excel after installing Excel 97, the previous version of Excel cannot open later versions of the files. However, if you are using Windows 95 or Windows NT Workstation 4.0, you can override the default by selecting which version of Excel to use.

Note The following procedure works only on Windows 95 or Windows NT Workstation 4.0. It does not work on Windows NT Workstation 3.51 or on the Macintosh.

To control which version of Excel opens a workbook

1. In Windows Explorer, find a version of Excel on your computer. 

2. Open the Windows\SendTo folder. 

3. Using the right mouse button, drag the Excel application icon to the SendTo folder and click Create Shortcut(s) Here on the shortcut menu. 

4. Repeat Steps 1 through 3 for every version of Excel you want to run. 

5. In the SendTo folder, rename the Excel shortcuts so you can easily distinguish them. 

6. To specify which version of Excel to use to open a workbook, right-click the workbook in Windows Explorer; then point to Send To on the shortcut menu and click the version you want. 

Tip This strategy works only if the workbook is in a format that can be opened by the version of Excel you choose. To ensure that Excel 97 saves new workbooks in the proper format, use the Save Excel files as option on the Transition tab in the Options dialog box (Tools menu). For more information, see "Specifying the Default Format in Which to Save Office Documents" earlier in this chapter.

Running Multiple Versions of Electronic Mail and Scheduling Applications

This section describes issues relevant to a workgroup running any combination of the following e-mail and scheduling applications in Windows:

• Microsoft Outlook 

• Microsoft Exchange Client 

• Microsoft Mail version 3.x for Windows 

• Microsoft Schedule+ 95 

• Microsoft Schedule+ 1.0 

If your workgroup is upgrading gradually to Outlook, some Outlook users may need to exchange e-mail and meeting requests with users of these applications. Outlook has been designed to make sharing information as simple as possible, but there are some issues to consider, especially advanced features of Outlook that are not supported by other e-mail or scheduling applications.

Sharing Information with MS Exchange Client

Outlook can open both standard and custom message forms created by Exchange Client. However, Exchange Client does not recognize Outlook message forms. When Exchange Client receives an Outlook form, it uses a standard Exchange Client message form to display the message.

Outlook and Exchange Client users can have access to a common set of public folders. Outlook recognizes custom views created with Exchange Client, and can create views in Exchange Client format. However, Exchange Client does not recognize custom views created in Outlook format.

For more information about sharing information between Outlook and Exchange Client, see "Sharing Information with Microsoft Exchange Client," in Chapter 13, "Upgrading to Microsoft Outlook."

Sharing Information with MS Mail 3.x for Windows

While Outlook users are able to exchange e-mail freely with Microsoft Mail 3.x for Windows users, e-mail messages composed using Outlook may not appear the same when viewed by users of Microsoft Mail 3.x for Windows.

When an Outlook user opens a message created by a Microsoft Mail 3.x for Windows user, Outlook recognizes all of the features of the message. However, when a Microsoft Mail 3.x for Windows user opens an e-mail message created by an Outlook user, the Microsoft Mail 3.x client does not recognize some of the advanced features that the Outlook user is able to include in the message. For example, rich text in an Outlook message is not displayed by Microsoft Mail 3.x for Windows.

For more information about sharing information between Outlook and Microsoft Mail 3.x for Windows, see "Sharing Information with Microsoft Mail 3.x," in Chapter 13, "Upgrading to Microsoft Outlook."

Sharing Information with MS Schedule+ 95

Outlook and Schedule+ users can freely send and receive meeting requests and responses for group scheduling. Both sets of users can also, with proper permission, view each other's free/busy information. With the proper permission, an Outlook user can open a Schedule+ calendar; however, a Schedule+ user cannot open an Outlook calendar.

If you would prefer to have all your users using the same scheduling application, you can set an option in Outlook to use Schedule+ 95 as the primary scheduling application in your workgroup.

To make Schedule+ 95 your primary scheduling application

1. On the Outlook Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Calendar tab. 

2. Select the Use Microsoft Schedule+ 95 instead of Outlook as my primary calendar check box. 

   This check box is available only if Schedule+ 95 is installed. 

Tip In Windows 95 and Windows NT Workstation 4.0, you can use a system policy to set Schedule+ 95 as the scheduling application for all Outlook users in your workgroup. In the System Policy Editor, set the following policy:
Computer\Outlook\Use Schedule+ 

For more information, see "Using Windows System Policies to Customize Office" in Chapter 7, "Customizing and Optimizing Microsoft Office."

For more information about sharing information between Outlook and Schedule+ 95, see "Sharing Information with Microsoft Schedule+ 95," in Chapter 13, "Upgrading to Microsoft Outlook."

Sharing Information with MS Schedule+ 1.0

Outlook and Schedule+ users can freely send and receive meeting requests and responses for group scheduling, and they can view each others' free and busy status. However, Schedule+ 1.0 does not recognize advanced features in Outlook meeting requests — such as attachments, meeting locations, and recurring meetings. In addition, Outlook users cannot view the free/busy details of Schedule+ 1.0 users because that feature is not available in Schedule+ 1.0.

Important In order for Outlook and Schedule+ 1.0 to share information, Schedule+ 95 must be installed on the computer that is running Outlook. Without Schedule+ 95, Outlook cannot read any Schedule+ 1.0 information.

For more information about sharing information between Outlook and Schedule+ 1.0, see "Sharing Information with Microsoft Schedule+ 1.0," in Chapter 13, "Upgrading to Microsoft Outlook."

Running Multiple Versions of MS PowerPoint

This section describes issues relevant to a workgroup or a single computer running any combination of the following versions of PowerPoint:

• PowerPoint 97 for Windows and PowerPoint 98 for the Macintosh 

• PowerPoint 95 for Windows 

• PowerPoint version 4.0 for Windows and the Macintosh 

• PowerPoint version 3.0 for Windows and the Macintosh 

Note Information about PowerPoint 4.0 and PowerPoint 3.0 applies to both the Windows and Macintosh versions. Issues particular to the Macintosh are noted separately.

Sharing Presentations Across Operating Systems and Versions

While the file format of presentations differs between PowerPoint 97 for Windows and previous versions of PowerPoint, PowerPoint 97 can open presentations created in previous versions. However, when a PowerPoint 97 presentation is saved in a previous version of PowerPoint, the presentation is converted to the other format, and data and formatting may change or be lost. For information about how presentations are converted to previous versions of PowerPoint, see Chapter 14, "Upgrading from Previous Versions of Microsoft PowerPoint."

Converters

PowerPoint uses converters to open and save presentations from one file format to another. These converters preserve the data and much of the formatting of the PowerPoint 97 presentation. The converters for saving PowerPoint 97 presentations in a previous format are installed during Setup when you choose a Typical installation.

Tools and Utilities The Office Resource Kit Tools and Utilities include a converter that allows PowerPoint 4.0 users to read PowerPoint 97 presentations. You must use the associated Setup program to install this converter; simply copying the files does not work. For more information about installing the converter, see "PowerPoint 97 Translator for PowerPoint 4.0" in Appendix A, "Microsoft Office Resource Kit Tools and Utilities."

PowerPoint Viewer

If you do not have PowerPoint installed on your computer, you can use the PowerPoint Viewer to read presentations. The PowerPoint Viewer can be freely distributed without any additional license. There are several versions of the PowerPoint Viewer, which correspond to the various releases of PowerPoint.

The 32-bit viewer that comes with PowerPoint 97 is a stand-alone executable program called Pptview.exe. This viewer reads presentations created in all versions of PowerPoint. However, if you are saving presentations in 3.0 or 4.0 format, or if the presentations are to be viewed on a computer that does not support 32-bit architecture, you must install the 16-bit viewer, Pptview.dll. Both the 16-bit and 32-bit viewers are installed when you choose the Typical installation during Setup.

Note If you design a custom Setup script to install Office automatically over a network, include the 16-bit PowerPoint Viewer for all users who must be able to save presentations in PowerPoint 4.0 or 3.0 format. Similarly, include the 32-bit PowerPoint Viewer for all users who must be able to save presentations in PowerPoint 95 format.

When you use the Pack and Go Wizard to package a presentation, you can include the 16-bit or 32-bit viewer or both, depending upon the capabilities of the computer used to show the presentation. For more information about the Pack and Go Wizard, see "The Pack and Go Wizard" in Chapter 32, "Workgroup Features in Microsoft PowerPoint."

In addition to allowing non-PowerPoint users to view presentations, PowerPoint 97 and PowerPoint 95 also use the 16-bit viewer, along with converters, to save presentations in 3.0 or 4.0 format when you select that option in the Save As dialog box (File menu).

PowerPoint 97 uses the following sequence to save presentations in PowerPoint 3.0 or 4.0 format:

1. PowerPoint 97 creates a temporary file on disk using the converter Pp7x32.dll. The temporary file is in PowerPoint 95 format. 

2. PowerPoint 97 starts the 16-bit viewer, Pptview.dll. 

3. The 16-bit viewer uses the converter Pp7trans.dll to open the temporary file in PowerPoint 95 format. 

4. The 16-bit viewer converts the presentation to 4.0 format, and saves it in PowerPoint 3.0 or 4.0 format. 

PowerPoint 95 uses the following sequence to save presentations in PowerPoint 4.0 format:

1. PowerPoint 95 creates a temporary file on disk. The temporary file is in PowerPoint 95 format. 

2. PowerPoint 95 starts the 16-bit viewer, Pptview.dll. 

3. The 16-bit viewer uses the converter Pp7trans.dll to open the temporary file in PowerPoint 95 format. 

4. The 16-bit viewer converts the presentation to 4.0 format and saves it in PowerPoint 4.0 format. 

Running Multiple Versions of PowerPoint on a Single Computer

Note The information in this section applies to PowerPoint for Windows. For information about PowerPoint for the Macintosh, see "Running Multiple Versions of Office for the Macintosh on a Single Computer" later in this chapter.

This section addresses installing and using different versions of PowerPoint on the same computer. All of the issues noted in the previous section apply to running multiple versions of PowerPoint on a single system. For information about other issues such as the Office Shortcut Bar, see "Running Multiple Versions of Office on a Single Computer" later in this chapter.

Why is the wrong version of PowerPoint trying to open my presentation?

When you run multiple versions of PowerPoint on the same computer, certain actions — such as double-clicking a PowerPoint presentation on the desktop or activating an OLE object — start the last version of PowerPoint that was installed, even if it is not the right version for the presentation. To avoid this problem, either install PowerPoint 97 last, or select which version of PowerPoint to use when you open a presentation file from the desktop or in Windows Explorer under Windows 95 or Windows NT Workstation 4.0.

For more information about selecting a version of PowerPoint, see "Choosing the Version That Opens Presentations" later in this chapter.

Running Two 32-bit Versions

You can install and run PowerPoint 95 and 97, both of which are 32-bit versions, on the same computer. If you attempt to remove one version of PowerPoint, you may lose components shared by both versions, requiring you to reinstall the version you want to keep.

Running 16-bit and 32-bit Versions

You can install and run the 16-bit versions of PowerPoint (PowerPoint 4.0 or earlier) and PowerPoint 97 on the same computer, as long as they are installed in different folders. These versions of PowerPoint can be run at the same time, but only PowerPoint 97 can open presentations created with all other versions.

Choosing the Version That Opens Presentations

When you use Windows Explorer (Windows 95 or Windows NT Workstation 4.0) or File Manager (Windows NT Workstation 3.51) to open a presentation, the presentation is opened by default in the last version of PowerPoint you installed. If you install a previous version of PowerPoint after installing PowerPoint 97, the previous version of PowerPoint cannot open the later versions of the files. However, if you are using Windows 95 or Windows NT Workstation 4.0, you can override the default by selecting which version of PowerPoint to use.

Note The following procedure works only on Windows 95 or Windows NT Workstation 4.0. It does not work on Windows NT Workstation 3.51 or on the Macintosh.

To control which version of PowerPoint opens a presentation

1. In Windows Explorer, find a version of PowerPoint on your computer. 

2. Open the Windows\SendTo folder. 

3. Using the right mouse button, drag the PowerPoint application icon to the SendTo folder and click Create Shortcut(s) Here on the shortcut menu. 

4. Repeat Steps 1 through 3 for every version of PowerPoint you want to run. 

5. In the SendTo folder, rename the PowerPoint shortcuts so you can easily distinguish them. 

6. To specify which version of PowerPoint to use to open a presentation, right-click the presentation in Windows Explorer; then point to Send To on the shortcut menu and click the PowerPoint version you want. 

Tip This strategy works only if the presentation is in a format that can be opened by the version of PowerPoint you choose. To ensure that PowerPoint 97 saves new presentations in the proper format, use the Save PowerPoint files as option on the Save tab in the Options dialog box (Tools menu). For more information, see "Specifying the Default Format in Which to Save Office Documents" earlier in this chapter.

Running Multiple Versions of MS Word

This section describes issues relevant to a workgroup or a single computer running any combination of the following versions Word:

• Word 97 for Windows or Word 98 for the Macintosh 

• Word 95 for Windows 

• Word version 6.0 for Windows or the Macintosh 

• Word version 2.0 for Windows 

• Word version 5.x for the Macintosh 

Sharing Documents Across Operating Systems and Versions

While the file format of documents differs between Word 97 (Windows) and Word 98 (Macintosh) and previous versions of Word, Word 97 and Word 98 can open documents created in previous versions. However, when a Word 97 or Word 98 document is saved in previous versions of Word, the document is converted to the other format, and data and formatting may change or be lost. For information about how documents are converted to previous versions of Word, see Chapter 15, "Upgrading from Previous Versions of Microsoft Word."

Running Multiple Versions of Word on a Single Computer

Note The information in this section applies to Word for Windows. For information about Word for the Macintosh, see "Running Multiple Versions of Office for the Macintosh on a Single Computer" later in this chapter.

This section addresses installing and using different versions of Word on the same computer. All of the issues noted in the previous section apply to running multiple versions of Word on a single system. For information about other issues such as the Office Shortcut Bar, see "Running Multiple Versions of Office on a Single Computer" later in this chapter.

Why is the wrong version of Word trying to open my document?

When you run multiple versions of Word on one computer, certain actions — such as double-clicking a Word document on the desktop or activating an OLE object — start the last version of Word that was installed, even if it is not the right version for the document. To avoid this problem, either install Word 97 last, or select which version of Word to use when you open a document file from the desktop or in Windows Explorer under Windows 95 or Windows NT Workstation 4.0.

For more information about selecting a version of Word, see "Choosing the Version That Opens Documents" later in this chapter.

Running Two 32-bit Versions

You can install and run Word 95 and 97, both of which are 32-bit versions, on the same computer. If you attempt to remove one version of Word, you may lose components shared by both versions, requiring you to reinstall the version you want to keep.

Running 16-bit and 32-bit Versions

You can install and run the 16-bit versions of Word (Word 6.0 or earlier) and Word 97 on the same computer, as long as they are installed in different folders. These versions of Word can be run at the same time, but only Word 97 can open documents created with all other versions.

Choosing the Version That Opens Documents

When you use Windows Explorer (Windows 95 or Windows NT Workstation 4.0) or File Manager (Windows NT Workstation 3.51) to open a document, the document is opened by default in the last version of Word you installed. If you install a previous version of Word after installing Word 97, the previous version of Word cannot open later versions of the files. However, if you are using Windows 95 or Windows NT Workstation 4.0, you can override the default by selecting which version of Word to use.

Note The following procedure works only on Windows 95 or Windows NT Workstation 4.0. It does not work on Windows NT Workstation 3.51 or on the Macintosh.

To control which version of Word opens a document

1. In Windows Explorer, find a version of Word on your computer. 

2. Open the Windows\SendTo folder. 

3. Using the right mouse button, drag the Word application icon to the SendTo folder and click Create Shortcut(s) Here on the shortcut menu. 

4. Repeat Steps 1 through 3 for every version of Word you want to run. 

5. In the SendTo folder, rename the Word shortcuts so you can easily distinguish them. 

6. To specify which version of Word to use to open a document, right-click the document in Windows Explorer; then point to Send To on the shortcut menu and then click the version you want. 

Tip This strategy works only if the document is in a format that can be opened by the version of Word you choose. To ensure that Word 97 saves new documents in the proper format, use the Save Word files as option on the Save tab in the Options dialog box (Tools menu). For more information, see "Specifying the Default Format in Which to Save Office Documents" earlier in this chapter.

Running Multiple Versions of Office on a Single Computer

This section describes issues you should consider if you need to run multiple versions of Office applications on a single computer.

Running Multiple Versions of Office for Windows on a Single Computer

Although it is not recommended, it is possible to install and use more than one version of Office on a single computer. Some cases in which you may choose to do this include:

• You want to use Word 97 as your Outlook e-mail editor, but also need to use Word 6.0 because of legacy macros and templates that have not been moved to Word 97. 

• You provide training or support for multiple versions of Office, and need access to them. 

This section describes the problems that you may encounter when you do this, and offers advice on how to prevent two versions of Office from conflicting with each other.

Installing Office Versions in the Correct Order

If you want to install and use more than one version of Office on a single computer, you must install the versions of Office in ascending order; the earlier version of Office must be installed first. Otherwise, you may have problems with conflicting registry keys, shared applications, and other components.

Using the Office Shortcut Bar with Microsoft Office 95 and Microsoft Office 97 Installed

When Office 95 and Office 97 are both installed, the Office 95 Shortcut Bar buttons are added to the Office 97 Shortcut Bar. Some of the buttons used by the different versions of the Shortcut Bar have identical button images but different names.

When both versions are installed, the Office Shortcut Bar will have the following buttons and actions:

This button on the Office Shortcut Bar	Applies to this version of Office
Start a New Document	Office 95
New Office Document	Office 97
Open a New Document	Office 95
Open Office Document	Office 97
Send a Message	Office 95
Make an Appointment	Office 95
New Appointment	Office 97
Add a Task	Office 95
New Task	Office 97
Add a Contact	Office 95
Microsoft Bookshelf 95	Office 95
Getting Results Book	Office 97
Office Compatible	Office 95
Answer Wizard	Office 95
Microsoft Bookshelf Basics	Office 97
New Note	Office 97
New Message	Office 97
New Journal Entry	Office 97
Microsoft Outlook	Office 97
New Contact	Office 97

The number of additional buttons that appear depends on several factors, such as:

• The Office 95 programs that you previously installed. 

• Whether you allow the Office 97 Setup program to remove earlier Office 4.2, 4.3, and 95 components. 

• How you configured the Office Shortcut Bar prior to installing Office 97. 

When you delete older buttons from the Office Shortcut Bar, make sure that you delete the correct buttons. The following are older buttons that you may delete:

• Add a Contact 

• Add a Task 

• Make an Appointment 

• Microsoft Bookshelf 95 

• Microsoft Schedule+ 

• Office Compatible Answer Wizard 

• Open a Document 

• Start a New Document 

Using the Start menu with Microsoft Office 95 and Microsoft Office 97 Installed

When Office 95 and Office 97 are both installed on the same computer, several of the items on the Windows Start menu have the same name. These menu items point to the Office 97 applications after that version is installed.

The following Office 95 shortcuts on the Start menu are replaced by Office 97 shortcuts:

• Microsoft Access 

• Microsoft Binder 

• Microsoft Excel 

• Microsoft PowerPoint 

• Microsoft Word 

You can create new shortcuts to your Office 95 applications if you want.

Using Binder 95 with Microsoft Office 95 and Microsoft Office 97 Installed

When Office 95 and Office 97 are both installed on the same computer, the available document types listed in the Add dialog box (Section menu) refer to the last installed version of Office. When a new section is inserted, the Office 97 version is displayed.

If you try to share a Binder 95 document with other users of Office 95, you may have problems. For strategies about sharing Office 97 documents with users of earlier versions of Office, see the chapters in Part 3, "Upgrading to Microsoft Office."

Using Windows Explorer with Microsoft Office 95 and Microsoft Office 97 Installed

When you launch an Office document in the Windows Explorer or Windows desktop, the following rules apply:

• If a version of the Office application is already running, the document is opened in that version of the application 

• If no version of the application is already running, the document is opened in the version of the application that was most recently installed. 

• If an application was started and then closed in the current Windows session, that version opens the document. 

In order to reassociate the document type with the last installed version of Office, you can rerun Office 97 Setup using the /y and /r command line options. This updates the Registry so that the most recently installed Office applications are associated with the Office document types. For more information, see "Setup Command-Line Options" in Appendix B, "Setup Command-Line Options and File Formats."

Inserting Microsoft Office OLE Objects with Microsoft Office 95 and Microsoft Office 97 Installed

If you have multiple versions of Office applications installed on a single computer and you insert an Office object (for example an Excel Worksheet object) into another application (for example Word), the most recent version of the application is used when you insert the object. This default behavior can cause problems if you share the container document with users who do not have Office 97.

Using Shared Applications with Microsoft Office 95 and Microsoft Office 97 Installed

Shared applications such as Equation Editor and Clip Gallery operate properly as long as the versions of Office are installed in ascending order. Note that the Object dialog box (Insert menu) may display more than one entry for each shared application.

Running Multiple Versions of Office for the Macintosh on a Single Computer

It is possible to install and use more than one version of Office on a single computer. Some cases in which you may choose to do this include:

• You want to use Word 98 for HTML editing, but also need to use Word 5.x because of legacy macros and templates that have not been moved to Word 98. 

• You provide training or support for multiple versions of Office, and need access to them. 

In general, you can run multiple versions of Office for the Macintosh without problems. Following are some issues to be aware of.

Installing Office Versions in the Correct Order

If you want to install and use more than one version of Office on a single computer, you must install the versions of Office in ascending order; the earlier version of Office must be installed first. If this is not done, the older version of the Office applications may be associated with their document types. Installing in ascending order also ensures that the latest version of Office is used when you activate or insert an OLE object.

Using Shared Applications with Microsoft Office 4.x and Microsoft Office 98 Installed

Shared Applications such as Equation Editor should operate properly as long as the versions of Office were installed in ascending order. Note that the Object dialog box (Insert menu) may display more than one entry for each shared application.

Using MS Office in a Global Environment

It is common in large organizations to deploy combinations of English and other language versions of Office to the same users, or to run Office on non-English versions of Windows. The document Global.doc, included on the Tools and Utilities, answers common questions about using Office in a multilingual environment.

Tools and Utilities The Office Resource Kit Tools and Utilities include Global.doc, a document that goes into great detail on using Office in a multilingual environment. For more information about this document, see "Information on Using Microsoft Office 97 in a Global Environment" in Appendix A, "Microsoft Office Resource Kit Tools and Utilities."