WD97: Err Msg: "Word Cannot Edit the Microsoft Drawing"

ID: Q183900

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Word 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to edit an object created in Microsoft Draw, you receive the following error message:

Word cannot edit the Microsoft Drawing.


CAUSE

Microsoft Draw is not installed on your system. In addition, Word does not automatically convert the Microsoft Draw object to a Word picture.

NOTE: Microsoft Draw is installed by Microsoft Word for Windows 2.0.


RESOLUTION

If you are a registered Office user, you can download and install Microsoft Draw 98. Microsoft Draw 98 makes the OfficeArt drawing tools available in any OLE-compliant program. You can obtain Microsoft Draw 98 from the following Web site:

http://officeupdate.microsoft.com/updates/updword.htm
After you install Microsoft Draw 98, you can double-click the MSDraw object and edit it as a Microsoft Draw 98 Drawing.

If you are unable to download Microsoft Draw 98, use any of the following methods to work around this problem.

Method 1: Convert the Object to Word Picture

Convert the object to a Word picture. To do this, follow these steps:

  1. Select the object.


  2. On the Edit menu, click Microsoft Drawing Object, and then click Convert.


  3. Select Convert To and select Microsoft Word Picture in the Object Type list.


  4. Click OK.


NOTE: When you toggle field codes on (ALT+F9), the object will be replaced by an {EMBED Word.Document.8} field.

Method 2: Unlink the Embed Field, and Edit Using the Picture Editor in Word

The Microsoft Draw object is an embed field. Unlink the field, and then edit the object using the Picture Editor. To do this, follow these steps:

  1. Select the object.


  2. Press CTRL+SHIFT+F9 to unlink the field.


  3. Double-click the object.


The object will open in Picture Editor in Word.

Method 3: Install Microsoft Draw from the Word 2.x Disks

If you have the Microsoft Word version 2.x disks, you can choose to install only Microsoft Draw. To install Microsoft Draw, follow these steps:

  1. Insert Disk 1 of the Word 2.x disks, and run Setup.


  2. In the "Welcome to Microsoft Word for Windows Setup" dialog box, enter the installation directory.


  3. Click Continue.


  4. In the "Choose the type of installation" dialog box, click Custom Installation.


  5. In the Word Setup Options dialog box, clear all the check boxes except the "Draw, Graph, Equation Editor, WordArt" check box.


  6. Click Tools.


  7. On the Options dialog box, clear all the check boxes except the Draw check box.


  8. Click OK.


  9. Click Setup.



STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.

Additional query words: msdraw drawing picture

Keywords : word97
Version : WINDOWS:97
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbbug


Last Reviewed: November 16, 1999
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