Error message when you try to open a publication in Publisher: "Publisher cannot open the file" or "Publisher has detected a problem"

When you try to open a publication in Microsoft Publisher, you may receive one of the following error messages, depending on the version of Publisher that you are running:

• Microsoft Publisher 2000:
  Publisher cannot open this file. This is not a Publisher file.
• Microsoft Publisher 2002 or Microsoft Office Publisher 2003:
  Publisher cannot open the file.
• Microsoft Office Publisher 2007:
  Publisher has detected a problem in the file you are trying to open. To protect your computer, Publisher will not open the file.

To verify the error message that you receive, press CTRL+SHIFT+I. The following number is displayed in the lower-right corner of the error message dialog box:

Publisher 2000, Publisher 2002, and Publisher 2003

This issue occurs in Publisher 2000, Publisher 2002, and Publisher 2003 if the following conditions are true:

• You have installed security update 894540, security update 894541, or security update 894542. These security updates are described in security bulletin MS06-054.
• The publication that you are trying to open contains unexpected data. Alternatively, the publication may be damaged.

Security update 894540, security update 894541, and security update 894542 block publications that seem to be damaged, that are altered in a malicious way, or that contain unexpected data.

Publisher 2007

This issue occurs in Publisher 2007 when you try to open publications that seem to be damaged, that are altered in a malicious way, or that contain unexpected data.

To resolve this issue, you must add the PromptForBadFiles registry subkey. This subkey lets you open a publication after a message prompts you to verify that you want to open the publication.

Add the PromptForBadFiles registry subkey to one of the following registry keys, as appropriate for the version of Publisher that you are running:

• Publisher 2000:
  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Publisher
• Publisher 2002:
  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Publisher
• Publisher 2003:
  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Publisher
• Publisher 2007:
  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Publisher

The values for the PromptForBadFiles subkey are as follows:

• 0 (zero): When this value is set, suspect publications are blocked. By default, the PromptForBadFiles subkey is set to 0 (zero).
• 1: When this value is set, you receive a message that prompts you to verify that you want to open the publication.

To add the PromptForBadFiles subkey to the registry, follow these steps, as appropriate for the version of Microsoft Windows that you are running.

Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.

Windows XP

1. Exit Publisher.
2. Click Start, click Run, type regedit in the Open box, and then click OK.
3. Locate and then click to select the following registry key:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Office_version#.0\Publisher
4. After you select the key that is specified in step 3, point to New on the Edit menu, and then click DWORD Value.
5. Type PromptForBadFiles, and then press ENTER.
6. Right-click PromptForBadFiles, and then click Modify.
7. In the Value data box, type 1, and then click OK.
8. On the File menu, click Exit to exit Registry Editor.

Windows Vista

1. Exit Publisher.
2. Click Start
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   , type regedit in the Start Search box, and then click Regedit in the Programs list.
   
   
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   If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type your password, or click Continue.
3. Locate and then click to select the following registry key:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Publisher
4. After you select the key that is specified in step 3, point to New on the Edit menu, and then click DWORD Value.
5. Type PromptForBadFiles, and then press ENTER.
6. Right-click PromptForBadFiles, and then click Modify.
7. In the Value data box, type 1, and then click OK.
8. On the File menu, click Exit to exit Registry Editor.

After you add the PromptForBadFiles subkey, you will receive the following message when you try to open a publication:

For more information, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: