RoboHelp Error Message - Unable to start Word

Report · Sep 24, 2008

I just recently updated to the full version of 6.0 (I was previously using X5 and had the 6.0 Upgrade). When I open the RoboHelp Explorer and try to load any of my projects, the correct Word document opens at the start, but then the Explorer hangs. If I click anywhere, I get the error message, "RoboHelp Explorer was unable to start Word."

Another person has been able to open the same project from their machine. I've tried copying the templates from the other user (Local Disk > Documents and Settings (user) > Application Data > Microsoft > Templates) as well as the Adobe templates (Program Files > Adobe > RoboHelp 6.0 > RoboHELP > Template > Custom > Custom 1 and Custom 2). I have also tried deleting the .RTF files from the project so that they'd have to re-generate.

The other user is still on X5 with the 6.0 Upgrade. Is the problem specific to that? Has anyone else seen this error message before?

Report · Sep 24, 2008

There is another thread running on this currently so you would do well to look through that. It is not clear whether the posters there are using RH for Word or RH HTML whereas you have specified what you are using.

Did you uninstall RH6 upgrade or just run the install for RH6 full. If the latter, uninstall and reinstall, making sure X5 is not shown either. It shouldn't be but check.

Then hop over to the other thread and post and more information there after you have worked through that. That way all feedback is in one place which helps tracking.

The other thread can be found at http://tinyurl.com/46xsgr

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Report · Sep 24, 2008

Thank you for replying so quickly. Basically... I recently had my user account deleted entirely for other issues, so everything had to be re-installed on my computer. I first had the RoboHelp 6.0 Upgrade installed, then, when my X5 disc could not be found, I had the entire 6.0 version installed.

I took a look at the other thread and am going to check out a few things. I will be sure to post any additional comments there.

Report · Oct 30, 2008

Hi Kaherns,

I've experienced the same problem, solved it as described below. Not the must beautiful solution, but better than reinstalling RH each and every day.

In my case, the "unable to start Word" problem was related to a .dot file mess up created by RH in Local Disk>Documents and Settings (user)>Application Data>Microsoft>Templates.

1. Reinstall RH.
2. In Windows Explorer, open the Local Disk>Documents and Settings (user)>Application Data>Microsoft>Templates folder.
3. Make a backup of the fresh, non-corrupted RoboHELP.dot by copying (not moving) it to any place on your computer or network.
4. When RH shows "Unable to start Word", close the project and RH.
5. In Windows Explorer, open the Local Disk>Documents and Settings (user)>Application Data>Microsoft>Templates folder.
6. Make sure that hidden files are shown ( Tools>Folder options>View...).
7. Delete RoboHELP.dot, ~$boHELP.dot, and ~$Normal.dot.
8. Copy the backup RoboHELP.dot created in step 3 to the Local Disk>Documents and Settings (user)>Application Data>Microsoft>Templates folder.
9. Restart Word. If prompted to start Word in safe mode, select No.

Now, my RH does this a couple of times per day so I use a batch file, instead of copying files manually:

1. Create a copy of the Local Disk>Documents and Settings (user)>Application Data>Microsoft>Templates folder (on the desktop, for example).
2. Make sure that the folder contains a non-corrupted RoboHELP.dot file and that ~$boHELP.dot, and ~$Normal.dot are not in the folder.
3. Insert the below code in a text file and save it as a .bat on an easy-to-access place (the desktop, for example).
@echo off
rmdir /s /q "C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates"
xcopy /s /i "<path to copied Templates folder>" "C:\Documents and Settings\user\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates"
4. As RH goes bananas, close RH and then double click the .bat file. The corrupted files are now replaced.
5. Open RH.

Of course, I take no resonsibility for any problems you might run into trying the above.

Report · Oct 30, 2008

Rassmussiimes

Thanks for that one. Here's some additional information that might, if we get lucky, result in a better solution.

I saw someone have problems with a project when they had robohelp.dot in the project, so first check you don't have one there. If you do, create a backup of the project and then trash it. See if that does any better.

Second, there is a copy of the template in C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe RoboHelp 7\RoboHELP\WordTemp\en_US\Word00.

You clearly understand copying and moving and so on. Keep the template in your profile somewhere safe but try substituting the one above.

I am wondering if the issues is templates from an earlier version of RH.

Please post back as there is another thread on this which is now massive and it sure would be great to resolve it.

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Report · Nov 18, 2008

I have the same problem. I have used RoboHelp X5 with XP and Word 2003 for years. Now I have a new computer, XP, Word2003 and I installed RoboHelp X5. On my old computer everything works fine, but on new one I got this message RoboHelp is unable
to start Windows Word. I does open it, but Robohelp features won't work.

So, I uninstalled X5 and downloaded RoboHelp X7 to se if that works. To my disappointment it didn't solve the problem.
On my new computer I have Word2003 sp3 and on the old one Word2003 sp1. And there seems to be Microsoft Office 2007 Compatibility pack installed, which I don't have on my old computer. Can either of those have something to do with it?

Report · Nov 18, 2008

RE RH7

I can only suggest you look through what is covered in the thread linked to above. I do not know the cause and have been unsuccessfull in obtaining a real solution to resolve the matter. The other thread has many ideas but I would discount those involving creating shortcuts or copying exe files.

RE X5
When you installed that on the new PC, did you remember that you first have to apply some updates to make X5 work with Word 2003?

If you are going back to X5 maybe this will work. Uninstall both RH7 and X5. See my site and follow the instructions for a full uninstall. Involve IT if in any doubt. Then reinstall X5 and make sure you apply those updates first.

Please post back to let us know how you got on.

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Report · Nov 18, 2008

I have already checked that thread last week. And yes, I did have the updates installed the first time.

Report · Nov 19, 2008

OK I didn't know what you had tried.

So the current scenario is you have a new PC, X5 said it would not start Word but it did, albeit crippled. Then you tried RH7 and got the same error. Does it open Word?

What version of RH are you currently using?

What is the security level in Word?

I don't think SP3 is the issue as I have RH7 with Word 2003 SP3 on one machine and that is working OK.

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Report · Dec 15, 2008

My problem is fairly similar. I have Robohelp X5.0.1 and MS Word 2002 SP3. I recently had an issue where Word's locale kept changing from UK English to US English. At this point my Robohelp buttons disappeared from Word. I don't know whether these issues are related...
Now when I open a project I get the Unable to Start Word message, then Word opens, but without any Robohelp buttons. I can modify the project manually, but that defeats the purpose of using Robohelp.

Report · Dec 15, 2008

You could try an uninstall and reinstall but bear in mind you will have to reapply the X5 patches. Also you can no longer activate X5 so you have to download some replacement files. There is a link for those in Snippets on my site.

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Report · Dec 16, 2008

Can you open Word itself without a problem. Word can start to act up in a variety of ways prior to a crash.

You could have a corrupt normal.dot file. If you rename it and open Word a new one will be created.
You could have conflicting add-ins in word (Tools/Templates and addins)

The following link looks at a variety of problems opening word.
Link

Hope some of this helps,

Brian

Report · Dec 16, 2008

Haven't had time to work on this problem for a while; RH7 (trial) was making the use of Word impossible (complained about RH features not working) so I removed it. Now I reinstalled X5 but the problem persists. Security level is not the problem, it is higher on my old machine where X5 is working.

I rechecked the other thread and found something: In templates and add-ins I only have one RoboHook.wll, but on my old machine there are two. The link you gave in the other thread (microsoft support) is not working, so can't find more information on that error that might be causing it and what to do about it.

Report · Dec 17, 2008

I am truly sorry to say that I have nothing else to add beyond what is already in these forums. This is something that Adobe have to investigate.

Please pester Support and create a bug report. It is important that everyone who has this problem logs it.

http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/mmform/index.cfm?name=wishform

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