Problem with command-line switches: Can't open Word by clicking on documents

Anonymous
2009-06-12T04:13:19+00:00

Using Windows 7 64-bit.

When I click a Word document in Explorer or on the Start menu, I get the error "There was a problem sending the command to the program". I'm using Word 2003, but I don't get this problem with Excel 2003.

I know that when I try to open a document this way, the program uses the command switches "/n" -- which means "open a new instance of Word", -- and "/dde" -- which I don't know what it means. I do know that I don't want the /n switch. 

  1. How can I remove the /n switch? Remember, I'm not clicking on a shortcut, but on a document icon. I know how to assign the "Open With" command, but I don't see any options about changing command-line switches.
  2. Is the /dde switch causing my problem? How do I remove it? 

Compatibility mode doesn't seem to make a difference.

This doesn't happen with Excel 2003, or with any version of Office 2007. I'm sure this has something to do with how I associated .doc files to Word 2003: I'm guessing that it added the switches, and they're causing the problem. I wish I knew how to change the switches.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2009-06-12T11:56:03+00:00

Hello ShawnVW,

Thank you for visiting the Microsoft Windows Vista Community site.

Try the following:

Method 1: Change File Type Association Directly from the File Properties

  1. Right click on a file with the type or extension that want to change its associated application program.
  2. Select Properties on right click context menu.
  3. In the General tab, click on Change button.
  4. An Open With window will appear. Choose a program to open the kind of file from the list of programs available. By default, Recommended Programs is automatically expanded. However, there is more detected programs in the section of Other Programs, which can be expanded to select by clicking on Down Arrow at the end of the separator line.

If the program that want to used as the default program does not found, click Browse to select an executable file manually. 5. Click OK button.

Method 2: Change File Type Association Directly On The Fly

Note that this method works if only several programs have been used to open and run a kind of file type extension previously.

  1. Right click on a file with the type or extension that want to change its associated application program.
  2. Point to Open With on right click context menu, and then select Choose Default Program.
  3. An Open With window will appear. Choose a program to open the kind of file from the list of programs available. By default, Recommended Programs is automatically expanded. However, there is more detected programs in the section of Other Programs, which can be expanded to select by clicking on Down Arrow at the end of the separator line.

If the program that want to used as the default program does not found, click Browse to select an executable file manually. 4. Check and tick the checkbox for Always use the selected program to open this kind of file option. 5. Click OK button. The file association will be set, and the file or document will be opened using the new default program automatically.

Method 3: Assign New File Association via Windows Vista Set Associations

  1. Open Control Panel. Then go to Programs and click Make a file type always open in a specific program.

Alternatively, in the Classic View, open Default Programs and then click Associate a file type or protocol with a program. 2. In the Set Associations folder, locate and highlight a file type by extension or protocol, and then click on Change Program button. 3. An Open With window will appear. Choose a program to open the kind of file from the list of programs available. By default, Recommended Programs is automatically expanded. However, there is more detected programs in the section of Other Programs, which can be expanded to select by clicking on Down Arrow at the end of the separator line.

If the program that want to used as the default program does not found, click Browse to select an executable file manually. 4. Click OK button.

I suggest we run a System File Checker which scans for and attempts to fix corrupted System files. - below are the instructions and have Vista Disc ready:

<br>Running the System File Checker…
<ol><br><li><br><span>Click </span><span style="font-weight:bold">Start</span><span>, click<br></span><span style="font-weight:bold">All Programs</span><span>, click<br></span><span style="font-weight:bold">Accessories</span><span>, right-click<br></span><span style="font-weight:bold">Command Prompt</span><span>, and select<br></span><span style="font-weight:bold">Run as Administrator</span><span>.</span><br></li><li><br><span>Click </span><span style="font-weight:bold">Continue</span><span> or supply Administrator credentials<br> if prompted.</span> </li><li><br><span><span> </span>In the<br></span><span style="font-weight:bold">Command Prompt</span><span> window type the following, and press:<span> <br></span></span><span style="font-weight:bold">Enter</span><span>:</span><span style="font-weight:bold">sfc /scannow</span><br></li><li><br><span><span> </span>You should see the following on-screen messages:</span><ol><br><li><br><span style="font-style:italic">Beginning the system scan. This process will take some time.</span><br></li><li><br><span style="font-style:italic">Beginning verification phase of system scan.</span><br></li><li><br><span style="font-style:italic">Verification % complete</span><br></li></ol><br></li><li><br><span>  Once the scan has completed you will receive an onscreen message resembling one of the following:</span><ol><br><li><br><span>…found no integrity violations</span><br></li><li><br><span>…</span><span style="font-style:italic">found corruption but repaired it</span><br></li><li><br><span>…</span><span style="font-style:italic">found corruption that it could not repair</span><br></li></ol><br></li><li><br><span><span> </span>Please reply with the completion message that you received.</span><br></li></ol>

This should resolve your problem.

Let us know if these steps resolve your problem.  I hope the information is useful.

Regards,

Anthony

Microsoft Answers Support Engineer

Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.

Was this answer helpful?

0 comments

77 additional answers

Sort by: Oldest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2010-07-14T14:32:34+00:00

    Wow, thanks BrandonCollins. I found the solution to uncheck the Run as Administrator checkbox in a number of forums, but since I did not have it checked it did not solve anything I didn't think of checking it and then unchecking it - but it worked!!! I guess there must have been some error in the registry or something. 

    I did just what you did: checked the Run as Administrator box, tried to open Word a few times, and then unchecked the box again. And it suddenly works. This is definitely one of the weirdest problems I've encountered. And as a former multi-year systems developer by trade that's saying a lot!

    Per Bylund

    Per Bylund Columbia, Mo.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2010-07-15T15:02:19+00:00

    I wish someone in Microsoft would post a fix or an extended blog about this, but here is what I found.  I was having problems in Outlook getting my Rules to work regularly (sometimes they would, other times not) until I set that program to 'Run as administrator'.  However, once I did that, and none of my other programs could interact with Outlook unless they too were set to run as administrator. Office programs couldn't send currently open files as email attachments, Explorer / firefox couldn't email pages or links, and so on.  They would all get the message that the .ost file was already in use.

    I did find that if I turned off UAC while all these programs were still set to 'Run as Administrator', I did not have the "Problem sending the command" issue.  But it's not a solution I recommend.  I think that Microsoft should post a company approved answer, and possibly a utility?  My expectation is that it has several levels of complexity including UAC, DDE, and the way programs are installed.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2010-07-16T11:19:25+00:00

    Looks like the process monitor says that WinWord the following on the command line:  

    "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office12\WINWORD.EXE" /n /dde "c:\path\file.doc"

    But when I look at the actual process it says this:

    Image Begin

    Image End

    If you look at the first process, it shows that there is a hook set up to an old Virus Scanner I tested about a year ago.  I had to go in and change all the .dll to dot .incompetent in the virus scanner directory b/c it didn't uninstall correctly.  And then reboot and delete the files.

    Regards

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2010-07-23T19:25:45+00:00

    I have been looking at machine running Windows 7 32-bit with this same issue.  I ran through most all of the above mentioned solutions and still we could not get this to work.  Finally I renamed the NORMAL.DOC file in the Templates folder to NORMAL.OLD. 

     Word starting working immediatly!  Give it a try if you are still struggeling with this.

    C:\users(your user name)\appdata\roaming\microsoft\templates

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments