Visio2000: Colors in Visio Are Set to Black and Cannot be Changed in Windows NT or Windows 2000 (279855)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Visio 2000 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft Visio 2000 Professional Edition
  • Microsoft Visio 2000 Technical Edition
  • Microsoft Visio 2000 Enterprise Edition
  • the operating system: Microsoft Windows 2000
  • the operating system: Microsoft Windows NT 4.0
This article was previously published under Q279855
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Visio, some of the colors in the user interface (UI) may be set to black incorrectly. If you change the color settings, your changes are not preserved when you quit and restart Visio. Also, some of the colors that appear incorrect cannot be modified.

CAUSE

This behavior occurs if you have insufficient permissions to write to the following registry key, where Visio stores its color settings:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Visio\Colors

RESOLUTION

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

WARNING: After you implement the following workaround, members of the Users group can change any subkeys and values for the following key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Visio

  1. Log on to Microsoft Windows 2000 or Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 by using an account that is a member of the Administrators group.
  2. Click Start, and then click Run.
  3. In the Open box, type regedt32.exe and then click OK.
  4. In Registry Editor, click to select the following registry key (folder):

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Visio

  5. On the Security menu, click Permissions.
  6. In the Permissions for Visio dialog box, click Users in the Name list.
  7. In the Permissions list, under Allow, click to select the Full Control check box.

    NOTE: You can apply a slightly more restrictive set of permissions to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Visio instead, by clicking Advanced in the Permissions for Visio dialog box. Only minimum permissions are required for the following actions:
    • Query value
    • Set value
    • Create subkey
    • Enumerate subkeys
    • Notify
    • Read control
  8. Click to select the Replace Permission on Existing Subkeys check box.
  9. Click OK.
  10. Select the following registry key and then click Delete on the Edit menu:

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Visio\Visio 2000\Colors

  11. On the Registry menu, click Exit.
  12. Start Visio. The program writes its default keys to the registry.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:5/5/2005
Keywords:kbprb KB279855
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