asked on

Message When Opening Word

Suddenly, every time I open word I get the following message:

Word cannot save this file because it is already open elsewhere.
(Normal.dotm)
OK

I am clueless as to how to fix this somewhat annoying problem.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Professor J

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GrahamSkan

You are probably starting Word programmatically somewhere with a routine that doesn't successfully find and use an existing instance.

Here is some VBA code to avoid that which that might be in, say, Excel

    'Try to use already running instance of Word
    On Error Resume Next
        Set wdApp = GetObject(, "Word.Application")
    On Error GoTo 0
    
    If wdApp Is Nothing Then
        Set wdApp = CreateObject("Word.Application")
        bNewInstance = True
    End If
    
 'your processing here

    'only close Word application if instance created for this macro
    If bNewInstance Then
        wdApp.Quit
    End If

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Bill Golden

ASKER

I was most comfortable with Option A, except I had some trouble with the instructions. I did the following:

Closed Word ... Done

Click on start->run.... I can click Start, but had no Run option...

I typed %appdata% into the "Search programs and files box which it brings up two folders, both named roaming

and clicked ok each folder then to Microsoft->templates folder and deleted Normal.dotm.

I got the same message when I opened Word. It occurred to me the file might exist on another drive since Outlook templates are stored on a common drive Z!

The files existed on Z under \Outlook Templates and when I deleted it there, the message went away.

Professor J

welldone Bill. i am glad the issued it sorted.