Works: Menu Options Stop Working After Saving or Opening File (112685)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Works 3.0
  • Microsoft Works 3.0a
  • Microsoft Works 3.0b
This article was previously published under Q112685

SYMPTOMS

After you open or save a document for the first time, you may find that most menu commands are unavailable. For example, choosing Font & Style from the Format menu or Options from the Tools menu may result in no action, while Save and Print in the File menu may work correctly.

Furthermore, if you open the file from the Startup dialog box's Recently Used Files list or directly from File Manager, the menu commands will be available until you choose Open Existing File or Save As from the File menu.

Highlighting may also become inconsistent. Rather then being able to select a word at a time, the minimum may be a sentence or a paragraph at a time. NOTE: This can also be caused by a Control key on the keyboard being stuck.

CAUSE

This problem is caused by an outdated or beta version of COMMDLG.DLL, the library used by Windows-based applications to draw the standard Open, Save, Print, Print Setup, Font & Style, and Color dialog boxes on the screen. This file is located in either the Windows directory or the Windows SYSTEM subdirectory.

RESOLUTION

Use the following steps to resolve the problem:

Windows 3.x

  1. Start File Manager (usually located in the Main group).
  2. From the View menu, choose All File Details.
  3. From the File menu, choose Search.
  4. In the Search For box, type commdlg.dll and enter the path to your hard disk drive in the Start From box (for example, type C:\ if your hard drive is drive C).
  5. Compare the file sizes and dates with the following table: 
          Windows Version      File Date     File Size      Disk
      ------------------------------------------------------

           3.1            3/10/92       89248 bytes      4
           3.11           11/1/93       97936 bytes      1
  6. Verify that the correct version of the file is in the Windows SYSTEM subdirectory. If it is not there, or the file size and/or date is different than those listed in this table, then exit Windows to MS-DOS and use the following command to expand the file from the original Windows disk (shown above):

    expand a:commdlg.dl_ c:\windows\system\commdlg.dll

  7. Verify that the file is not included in the Windows directory. If it is present in the Windows directory, rename it using the following command:

    rename commdlg.dll commdlg.old

  8. Restart Windows and test Works. It should operate correctly now.

Windows 95

  1. Click the Start button, point to Find, then click Files or Folders.
  2. In the View menu, choose Details.
  3. In the Named box, type commdlg.dll and enter the path to your hard disk drive in the Look In box (for example, type C:\ if your hard drive is drive C). Then click the Find Now button.
  4. Compare the file sizes and dates with the following: 
            File      File         Cabinet             Location
        Date      Size         File          Disk            CD
     ---------------------------------------------------------------
       7/11/95   97936 bytes   Precopy1.cab  disk 1     Win95 Folder
    To find the exact file size, click on the file with the secondary mouse button and choose properties.
  5. Verify that the correct version of the file is in the Windows SYSTEM subdirectory. If it is not there, or the file size and/or date is different than those listed in step 3, then open a DOS window by clicking Start, point to Programs, and click MS-DOS prompt.
  6. Use the following command to extract the file from the Precopy1.cab cabinet file (see the location above)

    extract /L c:\windows\system <path>\precopy1.cab commdlg.dll

    where <path> is the complete path to the precopy1.cab file on the Windows 95 CD or diskette.
  7. Verify that the file is not included in the Windows directory. If it is present in the Windows directory, rename it using the following command:

    rename commdlg.dll commdlg.old

  8. Restart Windows and test Works. It should operate correctly now.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:9/25/2003
Keywords:KB112685
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.