WV: How Word Viewer 97-2000 Determines Default Document Path

ID: Q178877

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Word Viewer 97-2000
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, make sure you understand how to restore it if a problem occurs. For information about how to do this, view the "Restoring the Registry" Help topic in Regedit.exe or the "Restoring a Registry Key" Help topic in Regedt32.exe.

SUMMARY

Word Viewer 97-2000 does not contain or set a default document path in its own registry key. This article discusses how Word Viewer 97-2000 determines the default document path to use when you start it.


MORE INFORMATION

How Word Viewer 97-2000 Determines the Default Document Location

Word Viewer 97-2000 determines its default document path by following these steps:
  1. Word Viewer 97-2000 looks for the Word 97 Doc-Path setting in the following registry key:
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Word\Options


  2. If Word 97 is not installed or if the default document path does not exist, Word Viewer 97-2000 looks in the Windows Explorer User Shell Folders\Personal registry key for the folder to use as the default document directory:
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Explorer\User Shell Folders


  3. If step 1 or 2 returns invalid or non-existent folder names, Word Viewer 97-2000 creates a My Documents folder on the local hard disk, as in the following example:
    C:\My Documents


Setting a Default Document Path for Word Viewer 97-2000

If you want to set a default document path for Word Viewer 97-2000, use one of the following methods.

Method 1: If Word 97 Is Installed on the Same Computer as Word Viewer 97-2000

If Word 97 is installed on the same computer as Word Viewer 97-2000, follow these steps to set the default document folder in Word 97:
  1. In Word, click Options on the Tools menu, and then click the File Locations tab.


  2. In the File types list, click Documents.


  3. Click Modify.


  4. Select the folder that you want to use as the default working folder. To do this, use either of the following procedures:
    • To select an existing folder for the default working folder, locate and click the folder you want in the folder list.


    • To create a new folder for the default working folder, click Create New Folder, and then type a name for the new folder in the Name box.




  5. Click OK to return to your document.


Method 2: If Word 97 Is Not on the Same Computer as Word Viewer 97-2000

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys and Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it. If you are running Windows NT, you should also update your Emergency Repair Disk (ERD).


If Word 97 is not installed on the same computer as Word Viewer 97-2000, you must create the Word 97 Options registry key. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Quit Word Viewer 97-2000.


  2. Click the Start button, and then click Run. In the Open box, type regedit and then click OK.


  3. In Registry Editor, locate the following registry entry and select it:
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft
    The Microsoft key should be selected.


  4. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click Key. Type Office and press ENTER.


  5. With the Office key selected, on the Edit menu, point to New, and then click Key. Type 8.0 and press ENTER.


  6. With the 8.0 key selected, on the Edit menu, point to New, and then click Key. Type Word and press ENTER.


  7. With the Word key selected, on the Edit menu, point to New, and then click Key. Type Options and press ENTER.


  8. With the Options key selected, on the Edit menu, click New, and then click String Value. Type Doc-Path and press ENTER.


  9. Under Name (on the right side of the Registry Editor), click to select the Doc-Path entry. On the Edit menu, click Modify. On the Value Data line, type the desired full document path. For example, type
    C:\My Documents


  10. Quit Registry Editor and start Word Viewer 97-2000.


When you click Open on the File menu, the default folder should be the one you specified in step 9.


REFERENCES

For more information about Word Viewer 97-2000, please see the following Knowledge Base article:

Q165908 WV: How to Obtain Microsoft Word Viewers

Additional query words:

Keywords : kbinterop kbviewer
Version : WINDOWS:
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbinfo


Last Reviewed: July 29, 1999
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