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WD2000: How to Identify Word COM Add-ins

Article ID: 228856 - View products that this article applies to.

This article was previously published under Q228856

SUMMARY

As part of the startup process, Microsoft Word can load COM add-ins. A COM (Component Object Model) add-in is a supplemental program that extends the capabilities of Microsoft Word by adding custom commands and specialized features.

NOTE: COM add-ins can be installed by a Microsoft program or a third-party program.

As part of troubleshooting problems in Microsoft Word, you may need to use the "/a" startup switch to temporarily disable (turn off) certain components that typically are loaded when you start Word. By using this troubleshooting technique, you may be able to determine where a problem exists. This article describes how to determine which COM add-in files are installed in Microsoft Word and how to temporarily turn them off when you are trying to determine where a problem exists.

MORE INFORMATION

COM add-ins can be designed to be loaded and run in one or more Office programs. COM add-ins, which use the file name extension .dll or .exe, can be implemented in any Microsoft programming product (such as Microsoft Visual Basic, Microsoft Visual C++, and Microsoft Visual J++) or in any third-party programming product that can create COM DLLs (dynamic link libraries) and executable files.

In earlier versions of Office, program-specific add-ins were created in Visual Basic for Applications and were designed to meet the unique requirements of a specific Office program's add-in architecture. In Microsoft Office 2000, COM add-ins are created in any programming product that can create COM DLLs and executable files. COM add-ins are designed to connect to and disconnect from one or more Office programs by using a new, shared add-in architecture. Office 2000 continues to support all add-in architectures that were supported by earlier versions of Office.

When you use System Information to view which add-ins are loaded in Microsoft Word, COM add-ins do not appear in the list. Instead, only the templates and .wll files that have been added appear.

To view the loaded templates and .wll files in Microsoft Word, follow these steps:

Start Microsoft Word.
On the Help menu, click About Microsoft Word.
In the About Microsoft Word dialog box, click System Info.
On the Tree tab, click to expand the Applications folder. To expand a folder, either double-click the folder, or click the plus sign (+) to the left of the folder.
Click to expand the Microsoft Word 2000 folder.
Click to select the Summary folder.
In the right pane of the System Information dialog box, scroll to the bottom of the list. Loaded add-ins (templates and .wll files) are listed.

NOTE: COM add-ins are not listed in the Summary folder.

To determine whether any COM add-ins are loaded in Microsoft Word, follow these steps:

On the Tools menu, click Customize.
On the Commands tab in the Customize dialog box, click to select Tools.
In the Commands list, click to select the COM Add-Ins command, and then drag the COM Add-Ins command to a toolbar.
In the Customize dialog box, click Close.
Click the COM Add-Ins toolbar button that you added in steps 1-4.
In the COM Add-Ins dialog box, the add-ins that are available (loaded) in Microsoft Word are listed.
To temporarily turn off a COM add-in, click to clear the COM Add-In check box, and then click OK. When you restart Microsoft Word, Word will start without loading the COM add-in.