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General discussion

Can't print in Microsoft Word '03

Sep 18, 2007 6:25AM PDT

When I try to print any document from Microsoft Word 2003 I receive an error that says: Object doesn't support this property or method (Error 43Cool. I cannot even get to the print menu. The details of the error say the following:
Not all objects support all properties and methods. This error has the following cause and solution:
You specified a method or property that doesn't exist for this Automation object. See the object's documentation for more information on the object and check the spellings of properties and methods
You specified a Friend procedure to be called late bound
The name of a Friend procedure must be know at compile time. It can't appear in a later-bound call.

Does anyone know what any of this means?? I have no problem printing from other Microsoft Office programs. Help!!

Discussion is locked

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This means a bug in your VBA code.
Sep 18, 2007 7:10AM PDT
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Doesn't stick
Sep 18, 2007 10:47PM PDT

Thank you, that worked! But when I closed and reopened Word, it went back to the problem. So will I have to do Start-Run-winword.exe /a every time I open the program? Hopefully there is a way to make it "stick".

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It means your VBA code is buggy.
Sep 19, 2007 12:19AM PDT

I don't run your PC so I can't know what addins you have for Word. I can only offer a way to turn off those for a test.

If you don't know what addins are or VBA code then you need to tell us. All levels of users come here. Some get upset if I use baby steps and they are experts. And the beginners get irate when I use simple one liner answers.

Bob

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Novice
Sep 19, 2007 12:42AM PDT

I won't get irate if you take "baby steps". I would consider myself a novice and I do not know what addins/VBA codes are.

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Baby step #1.
Sep 19, 2007 1:09AM PDT

Find your default template (a file called normal.dot) and rename it. See if that solves the problem.

- If it doesn't help, you can rename it back, so you keep your own personal Word settings in stead of having to reenter them. Then come back for step #1a (and please tell what version of Word you have).
- If it does solve the problem and you don't like the default setting, come back for step #1b (and please tell what version of Word you have).
- If it does solve the problem, and you don't mind the default settings, come back for step #1c (which is: saying 'thank you').

In Windows XP, the file most likely is in the c:\documents and settings\<your username>\application data\microsoft\templates folder. You might need to change some settings in Control Panel>Folder Options to be able to browse to it (hidden files, hidden folders, file extensions). But it surely is SOMEWHERE.

Kees

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Normal
Sep 19, 2007 3:42AM PDT

I have Word 2003. I found my Normal template but it is just called Normal (no .dot). I tried renaming it and I still receive the error. Also, there was a second template called ~$Normal and I deleted it.

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Step #2 and #3.
Sep 19, 2007 5:16AM PDT

It's normal.dot. You should have set the Folder Option to show file extensions (that's the .dot part). Anyway, if you found and renamed it and the problem persisted it's not the cause. So you might rename it back to it's original name if you like (check the setting I mentioned to be sure it's normal.dot again). It's all in the link Bob gave.

Step #2. Check the Startup folder. Move everything out of it. If it works then, one of them is the culprit. Find it by elimination. Details in Bob's link.

Step #3. If still no luck, we assume it's an add-in. To diagnose that, type winword /safe in the Start>Run box. That way, word is loaded in socalled safe mode, with a lot of potential sources of troubles disabled. See if that helps.

Kees

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Safemode
Sep 19, 2007 11:21PM PDT

My startup folder is empty. It works fine in the safemode. I still hope to fix the problem and use it in regular mode.

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Some links to research.
Sep 20, 2007 12:20AM PDT
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me too- but get hourglass and no print
Sep 28, 2010 11:02PM PDT

Me too. I tried all your fixes (except the link to the MS troubleshooters- will do that tonight) but I get my doc in the printer queue; spools for about an hour, then says printing for about another hour and never prints out. Meanwhile, the doc shows (not responding) and an hour glass.

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Re: printing problems
Sep 28, 2010 11:47PM PDT

Better make this a new thread.

Kees

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Let's try the most common fix. Rename NORMAL.DOT
Sep 19, 2007 1:12AM PDT

First many can't find NORMAL.DOT since EXPLORER (words in all capital letters can be further researched on google.com or your favorite site) hides extensions of many filenames by default.

Here's an article showing how to find and rename that file. For me I just delete it since I don't need it to collect stuff for me.

http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/LPMArticle.asp?ID=282 shows how to tell Explore to show those extensions so you can search for and rename all the NORMAL.DOT files

Bob

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can't print using word 03
Aug 30, 2009 10:14AM PDT

need help! i can't print using word, i keep on getting a error message that says "printer has not yet responded" it takes forever to print a document. but if i try excel it works! i've uninstalled and reinstalled the printer driver and microsoft office as well. i'm using epson stylus C90. help!

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Did you try the solutions offered above?
Aug 30, 2009 8:14PM PDT

Such as:
1. Deleting normal.dot
2. Running Word in safe mode (winword /safe) to- eliminate the influence of add-ons

Kees

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can't print using word 03
Aug 31, 2009 2:29PM PDT

hi kees..i haven't tried running word in safe mode but i can not find normal.dot...i even tried deleting the registry (i found that out on microsoft website) but it won't work..even if i try to print using notepad. any ideas?

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Re: can't print
Aug 31, 2009 5:15PM PDT

Some of our members indeed have some difficulty finding normal.dot. They don't know about showing file extensions and hidden files and folders in Control Panel>Folder Options. And then they can't see it.

You shouldn't delete the registry. Never. In fact, you can't delete the registry, because it's in use normally. So whatever you deleted, it wasn't the registry.
What we find is that registry cleaners (both programs and humans) do more bad than good). So maybe you can give the link to the page on the microsoft website describing what you did.

But your last sentence changes the issue. That currently is that you can't print from Notepad and Word 2003. Time for a more systematic investigation. Try Wordpad, Excel, Internet Explorer, Paint. Which work, which don't work? Maybe, just maybe, your issue is you can't print AT ALL. That can have many causes (including your cleaning the registry), and all are totally unrelated to office software. So, if that's the case, better turn to our Computer Help forum. Also tell what happens if you try to print, and what the printer troubleshooting wizard told you.

Kees

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can't print using word 03
Sep 1, 2009 3:59AM PDT

thanks kees..few updates..stupid me, i forgot to check the show hidden files box when i did the search..updates:
- i found the normal.dot changed it to normal.old..result: same thing
- i can print using excel no problems with that..looks like i need to try running word in safe mode first and see what happens there

this is getting frustrating! a little background..i got a blue screen of death a few weeks back, found out that there's bad sectors on my hard drive..changed my hard drive installed everything back but lowered my version of office from '07 to '03 that's when i it happened.

thanks for the help kees really appreciate it!