Document Not Found

Document 'Not Found' Error

	Sometimes, when opening documents from Windows Explorer or by clicking attachments to e-mail messages, the document does not immediately open, but produces a series of error messages as follows:

	If you click through this box, the dialog box referred to is displayed:

	The filename shown is the filename of the requested document up to the first space in the path - which in the above example would be "d:\My Documents\Filename.doc" - thus to the first space "D:\My", to which is appended the file type extension ".doc". Clicking through that error message may reveal yet more similar message boxes, culminating in the document opening, or it may simply open Word with a new blank document.
	To address this, first see how to re-register Word when problems crop up opening files. http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/AppErrors/ReRegisterWord.htm and if that doesn't fix it select a document in Windows Explorer, right click and choose Open with... From the ensuing dialog select Word (winword.exe) and check the box to always open with this application.

	In some situations, the above will not fix the problem, which is attributable to a registry entry associated with the particular document type. Should that occur: From the Windows Start Menu > Run command, type Regedit to open the registry editor. Let's consider the two most likely document types - Word document (doc) and Word 2007 document (docx) and the relevant registry entries which are: Word 97-2003 doc format HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Word.Document.8\shell\Open Word 2007 docx format HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Word.Document.12\shell\Open In both cases the ddexec sub key will have a value of [REM _DDE_Direct][FileOpen("%1")] and the command sub key will have a value of "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\WINWORD.EXE" /n /dde %1 It is the %1 at the end of the command sub key that is the problem. Either edit the key to remove the 1% or surround it with quotes thus "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\WINWORD.EXE" /n /dde or "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\WINWORD.EXE" /n /dde "%1" In the examples that follow, I have surrounded the %1 with quotes. In the entries for both document types shown above Office12 in the program path refers to Word 2007. If the default Word application is 2003 change that to Office11. When you access the registry key unless you have more than one version of Word installed, vying for possession of these keys, the correct path should already be present.


	Remove the %1 from the end of the string, or add quotes around it as shown below. Do not type in the 'Value data' field while the text is selected as above, or your typing will replace the entry. Instead first press the END key to move the cursor to the end of the field.

	Click OK to update the entry

Windows Explorer Options
	If you are uncomfortable editing the registry directly, the same entries can be changed in Windows XP using tools in Windows Explorer.

Note:	The above instructions concentrate only on the 'Open' action. It may be necessary to change the command line for other actions - such as 'Print', 'Edit', or 'New'.