Windows Cannot find 'C:\Document path'

[Guest]

Documents open normally from within Word 2000, but trying to double click in Windows Explorer or using the right click Open With command or any other shortcut to a word document opens Word with a "Windows Cannot find 'C:\Document path" Make sure you typed the name correctly, and try again.------" If I drag and drop the same shortcut onto an open word window the document opens. I tried searching the knowledge base and found article 224016 that describes the problem but the solution listed does not apply to my situation. I found a similar thread here, but the MVP asked for follow-up information and the thread terminated without an answer. All other Office programs work normally.

 

[Jay Freedman]

The most likely cause is damage to the command that Explorer uses to
launch .doc files. The simplest way to fix this is to open the Run
dialog on the Windows Start menu and enter this line:

winword /r

When you click OK, it may appear that nothing happens, or you may see
a Windows Installer message box that will eventually close itself.
What happens is that Word rewrites its registry entries.

If the problem remains after this, you may need to edit the command
line directly. To do this:
- In Windows Explorer, open Tools > Folder Options > File Types.
- Select .DOC in the list. Click the Advanced button.
- Select Open in the list. Click the Edit button.
- The contents of the DDE Message box should look like this:
[REM _DDE_Direct][FileOpen("%1")]
From the description of the problem, the quote marks are probably
missing.
- Fix the command. Click OK, OK, Close.
- It probably isn't necessary to reboot, but it wouldn't hurt. <g>

Now see if the problem is gone. Happy Holidays!

 

[Guest]

Thanks Jay. I have done the winword /r and checked the contents of the DDE Box which is [REM _DDE_Direct][FileOpen("%1")] but still the exact same problem. Since I can open through word it is not a show stopper, but I sure would like to get it fixed as my wwork flow habits include clicking on shortcuts a lot. Do you know what else I can try? I have reinstalled and repaired till I am blue in the face, but the problem remains.

 

[Jay Freedman]

The mystery deepens...

When this happens, are you right-clicking a file in the My Documents
folder? Does it happen with .doc files in any other folder? I'm
thinking that the registry entry that makes the My Documents folder
"special" might be damaged.

If you're comfortable with RegEdit.exe, you can have a look at the
keys
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders
and
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders
to see what's in the value named Personal. It should be the complete
path to the My Documents folder.

Thanks Jay. I have done the winword /r and checked the contents of the DDE Box which is [REM _DDE_Direct][FileOpen("%1")] but still the exact same problem. Since I can open through word it is not a show stopper, but I sure would like to get it fixed as my wwork flow habits include clicking on shortcuts a lot. Do you know what else I can try? I have reinstalled and repaired till I am blue in the face, but the problem remains.

 

[Guest]

I checked the registry keys and they are good. This happens when any document associated with word is clicked on in Explorer or the start menu or anywhere else a shortcut or document maybe located including the desktop. If Word is open I can drag any shortcut to the Word window and the document opens. The only other way that works is by using the File/Open dialog inside Word.

 

[Guest]

I would like to add another possible clue. The right click Open With Command in Explorer will open word without the document if a word assoiated document is right clicked, but the Open With Command fails to open anything if another file .ext is right clicked. For instance right clicking a .txt file and using the Open With Word Command simply fails to do anything.

 

[Jay Freedman]

I would like to add another possible clue. The right click Open With Command in Explorer will open word without the document if a word assoiated document is right clicked, but the Open With Command fails to open anything if another file .ext is right clicked. For instance right clicking a .txt file and using the Open With Word Command simply fails to do anything.

Hi, George,

That clue completely changes the focus of the investigation. It's no
longer a problem with Word or a particular file-type association, but
a problem with the way Explorer is trying to launch files. I don't
have the answer you need, and it's likely no one else in the Word
groups does. I think you have to move the question to one of the
Windows newsgroups, possibly microsoft.public.windows.file_system,
microsoft.public.win2000.general, or
microsoft.public.windowsxp.general.