Why does Help go to network? How to avoid it?

[joeu2004]

With Excel 2003 [1], when I search for help using the
Office Assistant, it automatically does a network search
of Microsoft Office Online.

This did not happen with Excel 2002 [2].

How can I disable the network search, limiting the search
(I presume) to local help information?

The network search can cause an intermidable delay when
using a "slow" network path.

I noticed a similar delay even when I selected bold font.
Is that same or different problem?


-----

[1] Excel 2003 (11.6355.6360) SP1
MSWin XP Pro 2002 SP2

[2] Excel 2002 (10.4302.4219) SP2
MSWin 2002 5.00.2195 SP3

 

[Dave Peterson]

Click on Help
then Microsoft Excel Help
Then "online content settings"
Then "Online Content" Category
Then turn everything off that you want off.

With Excel 2003 [1], when I search for help using the
Office Assistant, it automatically does a network search
of Microsoft Office Online.

This did not happen with Excel 2002 [2].

How can I disable the network search, limiting the search
(I presume) to local help information?

The network search can cause an intermidable delay when
using a "slow" network path.

I noticed a similar delay even when I selected bold font.
Is that same or different problem?

-----

[1] Excel 2003 (11.6355.6360) SP1
MSWin XP Pro 2002 SP2

[2] Excel 2002 (10.4302.4219) SP2
MSWin 2002 5.00.2195 SP3

 

[joeu2004]

Click on Help
then Microsoft Excel Help
Then "online content settings"
Then "Online Content" Category
Then turn everything off that you want off.

Wonderful! Thanks.

FYI, it still does not fix the (network?) delay
when I select bold or italics.

Any idea what is causing that delay?

The delay seems to occur only the first time that
I select bold or italics each time that I restart
Excel.

 

[Dave Peterson]

Just a guess....

Maybe it's the printer driver that's causing the error. If you change to a
different printer driver, does that help?

If it does, maybe a trip to your printer manufacturer's web site to download a
fresh/new driver is in order.

(I've never noticed any delay, though.)

Does it happen with all fonts--or just certain fonts.

 

[joeu2004]

Just a guess....
Maybe it's the printer driver that's causing the error.

Good guess! You're close.

As you probably know, the first font-related action causes
the system to access the printer driver.

The problem was due to the fact that the default printer
was a network device. When I set the default printer to
a local device, the problem went away.

I also learned that there is a way to install the network
printer so that there is no delay.

In the Add Printer Wizard, instead of selecting "network
printer", I select "local printer", then use "create port
(local port)" with the path "\\serverName\printerName".

Printing works. And no delay when doing the first
font-related action. The only downside is: it is awkward
to delete and reinstall the same printer later. But that
is probably a rare need, I think.






If you change to a

 

[Dave Peterson]

Thanks for posting back. Now google has your solution.