How to determine whether any COM add-ins are loaded in Word

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

NOTE: A Microsoft program and a third-party program both can install COM add-ins.

When you troubleshoot problems in Microsoft Word, you may need to use the /a startup switch to temporarily make unavailable 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 make them unavailable when you are trying to determine where a problem exists.

COM add-ins can be designed to be loaded and to 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 Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications and were designed to meet the unique requirements of the add-in architecture of a specific Office program. In Microsoft Office XP, 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 XP 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, the list contains only the templates and .wll files that have been added.

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

1. Start Microsoft Word.
2. On the Help menu, click About Microsoft Word.
3. In the About Microsoft Word dialog box, click System Info.
4. In the System Summary tree, 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.
5. Click to expand the Office 10 Applications folder.
6. Click to expand the Microsoft Word 2002 folder.
7. Click Summary.
8. 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.
9. Click Close Find, and then click Exit on the File menu to close the System Information dialog box.

To determine whether any COM add-ins are loaded in Microsoft Office Word 2007, follow these steps:

1. Click the Microsoft Office Button, and then click Word Options.
2. In the navigation pane, click Add-Ins.
3. In the View and manage Microsoft Office add-ins. pane, on the Manage list, select COM Add-ins, and then click Go.
4. In the COM Add-Ins dialog box, the add-ins that are available (loaded) in Word 2007 are listed.
5. To temporarily make a COM add-in unavailable, select the add-in that you want to make unavailable, click Remove, and then click OK.
6. Click to clear the COM Add-In check box, and then click OK. When you restart Word 2007, Word 2007 does not load the COM add-in.

To determine whether any COM add-ins are loaded in Microsoft Word 2002 or in Microsoft Office Word 2003, follow these steps:

1. On the Tools menu, click Customize.
2. On the Commands tab in the Customize dialog box, click Tools.
3. In the Commands list, click the COM Add-Ins command, and then drag the COM Add-Ins command to a toolbar.
4. In the Customize dialog box, click Close.
5. Click the COM Add-Ins toolbar button that you added in steps 1 through 4.
6. In the COM Add-Ins dialog box, the add-ins that are available (loaded) in Microsoft Word are listed.
7. To temporarily make a COM add-in unavailable, clear the COM Add-In check box, and then click OK. When you restart Microsoft Word, Word starts without loading the COM add-in.