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General discussion

Bookshelf Basics

Jun 21, 2004 8:45AM PDT

I have an old copy of Ms Office 97 and the dictionary in Bookshelf Basics on the disk is very convenient, however finding the disk, taking it out and putting it in the cd to run the program is not. Is there any way I can copy the program onto my hard drive since I have plenty of room for it and run it from there?

Discussion is locked

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Re: Bookshelf Basics
Jun 21, 2004 4:58PM PDT

I'm sure it can be done, but I can't tell how.
It doesn't make sense to have 270 Mb of data on your hard disk, and not to have a few Mb program to read it, does it? And the documentation says there are add-ons to access this source directly from Word, Excel and Powerpoint.

I found this:
"If you're going to install Microsoft Office 97, don't forget to include one of the best sources of reference material, the Microsoft Bookshelf Basics. Bookshelf Basics is an optional Office add-on that you can select during installation and it includes a dictionary, thesaurus, and book of quotations. These references can be run as a standalone application or they can be accessed directly from within Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint."

And (in the MSKB article telling how to keep Bookshelf Basics when going to Office 2000):

"Integrating Bookshelf Basics with Excel 2000
Regardless of the method you use above, there will not be any Bookshelf Basics integration with Excel 2000. To get this integration, do the following:
Start Excel 2000.
On the Tools menu, click Add-Ins.
In the Add-Ins dialog box, click Browse.
Locate and select Bshxl.xla, and then click OK.

NOTE: This file is installed by Office 97 in the \Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Library folder.
Click OK in the Add-Ins dialog box. The Look Up Reference menu item now appears on the Tools menu.
"

I assume that doing the same procedure in Excel 97 makes is directly accessible there.

Better study the help-files on the Office 97 CD, or do a partial re-install from the CD.

Hope this helps.


Kees

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Re: Bookshelf Basics
Jun 21, 2004 5:08PM PDT

As I remember installing it just gave you the ability to run it from within Microsoft Office but unfortunately the cd still had to be in the drive. I can run it even without Office installed simply by dragging a shortcut to it to anywhere onto my hard drive and clicking it, but again the cd still has to be in the drive. What I need is a way to copy all of the Bookshelf Basics files onto my hard drive and be able to run the program from there so I don't have to keep the cd in the cd rom drive.

Thanks for your help.

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Re: Bookshelf Basics
Jun 21, 2004 6:49PM PDT

I've only installed Office 97 (without Bookshelf Basic, because it isn't on the Dutch cd) on my home computer.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;q161819 tells network administrators how to install it from a network. That was when 270 Mb on a users computer was considered 'too much'. It's way beyond me, but it makes clear that it can be run without a cd, by installing 'enough' on the hard disk. The essence of the network, of course, is that users don't have access to the CD.

So I stick to my opinion: it can be done, and it should be documentented in the resource kit how it must be done. This article is only intended as an appendix for an automatic install from a network, as used by companies.

Sorry I can't be of more help. I'm afraid you're on your own. Keep researching. Don't trust your memories.
Hope you succeed.

Kees

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The 'I give up' solution:
Jun 21, 2004 9:29PM PDT
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(NT) (NT) Re: Thanks. I'll look into these .
Jun 22, 2004 4:12PM PDT
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Re: Bookshelf Basics
Nov 20, 2004 8:54AM PST

Scott, mybe you have already found it by now... But
I had the same problem and found the solution. You may find it at support.microsoft.com. Article number 175221 Title OFF(& Running Bookshelf Basics without the CD. Let me know if you have any problem. It worked great for me. I am using Win XP Home.
Rod w8rdg@starband.net

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bookshelf basics
Feb 16, 2005 10:13AM PST

go to the "books" folder on the office cd (find it if u dont no where it is) and copy it to where you want. open the exe but leave the cd out of the rom. it will ask you to specify where the files are so type it in eg c:\program files\bookshelf basics\*.* and it should be all good. email me at jezza333@hotmail.com if there is trouble.