"Compile error in hidden module: Main" error message when you try to save a document in Word (328239)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Office Word 2003
  • Microsoft Word 2002
  • Microsoft Word 2000
This article was previously published under Q328239

SYMPTOMS

When you try to save a document in Microsoft Word, you may receive the following error message:
Compile error in hidden module: Main

CAUSE

This behavior may occur if add-in files from a third-party dictation program are in the Office Startup folder on your hard disk, and these add-in files conflict with Word. This behavior is known to occur if the Dictation.dot file is in the Office Startup folder. The Dictation.dot file is a component of ViaVoice, the IBM speech recognition program.

RESOLUTION

To work around this behavior, move the third-party dictation add-in files from the Office Startup folder to a different folder on your hard disk (for example, to the My Documents folder). To do so, follow these steps.

NOTE: Because there are several versions of Microsoft Windows, the following steps may be different on your computer. If they are, see your product documentation to complete these steps.
  1. Quit Word (if it is running).
  2. Right-click Start, and then click Explore.
  3. Locate and then click the one of the following folders for you version of Word, where drive is the drive on which Windows is installed:
    • For Microsoft Word 2000:

      drive :\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Startup

    • For Microsoft Word 2002:

      drive :\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\Startup

    • For Microsoft Office Word 2003:

      drive :\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office11\Startup

    NOTE: This is the default location for the Office Startup folder. If you installed Word to a different location, the path to the Office Startup folder on your computer may be different.
  4. Right-click the third-party dictation add-in file (for example, Dictation.dot), and then click Cut.
  5. Click Start, right-click the My Documents folder, and then click Paste.
  6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 for each third-party dictation add-in file in the Startup folder.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about how to troubleshoot similar "Compile Error in Hidden Module" error messages, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

304508 Error message: Compile error in hidden module EFunctions

307410 "Compile error in hidden module" error message when you start Word or Excel

314127 You receive a "Compile error in hidden module" error message in Word 2002 and Word 2000

For additional information about third-party program conflicts with Word 2000, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

225208 Description of the known third-party conflicts with Word 2000

For more information about ViaVoice, visit the following IBM Web site:

IBM ViaVoice

The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.
Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find technical support. This contact information may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact information.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:1/7/2006
Keywords:kberrmsg kbprb KB328239
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