OFF97: Default Documents Folder Is Not Changed by NIW (164536)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Office 97 for Windows
  • Microsoft PowerPoint 97 for Windows
  • Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
  • Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
  • Microsoft Access 97
  • Microsoft Office Binder 97
  • Microsoft Office 97 Professional Edition for Windows
This article was previously published under Q164536
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.

SYMPTOMS

When you run the Microsoft Office 97 Setup program, the default folder that is used to store your documents is not changed. This is true even when you change the default folder for documents in the Microsoft Office Network Installation Wizard (NIW).

CAUSE

This problem occurs because the Microsoft Office 97 Setup program does not change the default folder for documents if the folder already exists on the computer or if a registry entry refers to a default documents folder.

For example, if the current default folder for documents is already set to C:\My Documents, changing the default folder to C:\Data in the Network Installation Wizard, and then running Microsoft Office 97 Setup does NOT change the default folder to C:\Data.

WORKAROUND

To work around this behavior, use version 2.1 of the Network Installation Wizard and the method that applies to your configuration. To determine which method to use, see the "Determining Which Method to Use" section. If you're still unsure of the method to use, use method 1.

IMPORTANT: Use version 2.1 of the Network Installation Wizard to modify the Microsoft Office Setup files.

For more information about obtaining the Network Installation Wizard, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

232967 OFF: How to Obtain the Network Installation Wizard

DETERMINING WHICH METHOD TO USE

When to Use Method 1

Use method 1 if the following conditions are true:
  • You are using Microsoft Windows 95 with or without user profiles.

    -and-

  • The person who uses the Microsoft Office programs is not necessarily the same person who runs the Office Setup program.
-or-
  • You are using Microsoft Windows NT versions 3.51 or 4.0.

    -and-

  • The person who uses the Microsoft Office programs is not necessarily the same person who logs on to the workstation and runs the Office Setup program.

    NOTE: The previous statement applies to the following scenarios:

    • The person who logs on to the workstation as Local Administrator to install Microsoft Office is not the person who will use Microsoft Office on the workstation.

    • The person logs on to the workstation as Local Administrator to install Microsoft Office is not necessarily the ONLY person who will use Microsoft Office on the workstation.

    • Microsoft Office was installed by a service that logs on to the workstation as Local Administrator and runs in background mode. For example, Package Command Manager (PCM) in Microsoft System Management Server does this.

When to Use Method 2

Use method 2 if the following conditions are true:
  • You are using Microsoft Windows 95 without user profiles.

    -and-

  • You want all the Office programs to use the same default documents folder.

METHOD 1: YOU ARE USING WINDOWS 95 WITH USER PROFILES OR WINDOWS NT

WARNING: This modification may not be supported by Microsoft. Microsoft support professionals will support some modifications to a BACKUP copy of the Setup.stf file. Note also that while support professionals may help customers modify specific lines of an STF, we will not rewrite the entire file in order to achieve a desired configuration. As a general rule, support is limited to options that can normally be changed by a user during a standard installation of the application.

NOTE: The following steps work only if you first perform an administrative installation (setup /a) of Office 97 to a server on your network. If you are performing a stand-alone installation using the Office 97 compact disc, you cannot use the steps in this article.

Before you perform the following steps, make a backup copy of the Off97pro.stf or Off97std.stf file on your server. Rename the file to Backup.stf and do not open or edit it for any reason.

To use method 1, follow these steps:
  1. Start the Network Installation Wizard. Open the LST file that you want to use.

    NOTE: The Network Installation Wizard opens the appropriate STF and INF files for editing.
  2. Click Next to continue through the wizard until you reach the Add Registry Entries dialog box.
  3. Add the following six keys and the associated values to the registry. 
          Key 1
      -----

         Item           Value
         ---------------------------------------------------------------

         Root:          HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE

         Data type:     SZ

         Key:           Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\New User Settings
                   Excel\Microsoft Excel

         Value name:    DefaultPath

         Value data:    <folder you want to use for documents>

      Key 2
      -----

         Item           Value
         ---------------------------------------------------------------

         Root:          HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE

         Data type:     SZ

         Key:           Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\New User Settings
                   Word\Options

         Value name:    DOC-PATH

         Value data:    <folder you want to use for documents>

      Key 3
      -----

         Item           Value
         ---------------------------------------------------------------

         Root:          HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE

         Data type:     SZ

         Key:           Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\New User Settings
                   PowerPoint\Recent Folder List\Default

         Value name:    DefaultPath

         Value data:    <folder you want to use for documents>

      Key 4
      -----

         Item           Value
         ---------------------------------------------------------------

         Root:          HKEY_CURRENT_USER

         Data type:     SZ

         Key:           Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Excel\Microsoft Excel

         Value name:    DefaultPath

         Value data:    <folder you want to use for documents>

      Key 5
      -----

         Item           Value
         ---------------------------------------------------------------

         Root:          HKEY_CURRENT_USER

         Data type:     SZ

         Key:           Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Word\Options

         Value name:    DOC-PATH

         Value data:    <folder you want to use for documents>

      Key 6
      -----

         Item           Value
         ---------------------------------------------------------------

         Root:          HKEY_CURRENT_USER

         Data type:     SZ

         Key:           Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\PowerPoint
            Recent Folder List\Default

         Value name:    DefaultPath

         Value data:    <folder you want to use for documents>

    NOTE: All settings can use the same folder name for "Value data" (for example, H:\Data or H:\Data\Word).
  4. After you add the entries to the registry, click Next.
  5. In the Select Quiet Mode dialog box, select the Quiet Level that you want, and then click Next.
  6. In the Save Changes dialog box, enter the file names for your customized Setup files, and then click Finish.

Additional Steps for PowerPoint

Changing the PowerPoint default documents location requires that you make additional modifications to the STF file. Before you continue with the steps in this section, see the "Opening the STF for Editing" section in this article for instructions for opening the STF file.

To modify the STF file and change the PowerPoint default documents location, follow these steps:
  1. Use the steps in the "Opening the STF for Editing" section to open the STF file.
  2. Scroll to the end of the worksheet to the custom entries you added. Search column C for the PowerPoint entry for the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE entry. Change the entry in column F to the following: 
       "LOCAL", "Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\New User Settings\PowerPoint
Recent Folder List\Default", "", <Documents Folder>

    including the quotations marks. Note that <Documents Folder> is the disk drive and folder name. For example, type the following

    "H:\Data"

    -or-

    "H:\Data\PowerPoint"

  3. Search column E for the PowerPoint entry for the HKEY_CURRENT_USER entry. Change the entry in column F to the following 
          "CURRENT", "Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\PowerPoint\Recent Folder
      List\Default", "", <Documents Folder>

    including the quotations marks. Note that <Documents Folder> is the disk drive and folder name. For example, type the following

    "H:\Data"

    -or-

    "H:\Data\PowerPoint"

  4. On the File menu, click Save.
After you save the changes in the custom STF file, you can use the STF file by using the command line parameters in the last dialog box of the Network Installation Wizard.

When you run Microsoft Office 97 Setup by using the modified STF file, the default folder for documents is automatically changed.

METHOD 2: USING WINDOWS 95 WITHOUT USER PROFILES

WARNING: This modification may not be supported by Microsoft. Microsoft support professionals will support some modifications to a BACKUP copy of the Setup.stf file. Note also that while support professionals may help customers modify specific lines of an STF, we will not rewrite the entire file in order to achieve a desired configuration. As a general rule, support is limited to options that can normally be changed by a user during a standard installation of the application.

NOTE: The following steps work only if you first perform an administrative installation (setup /a) of Office 97 to a server on your network. If you are performing a stand-alone installation using the Office 97 compact disc, you cannot use the steps in this article.

Before you perform the following steps, make a backup copy of the Off97pro.stf or Off97std.stf file on your server. Rename the file to Backup.stf and do not open or edit it for any reason.

To use method 2, follow these steps:
  1. Start the Network Installation Wizard. Open the LST file or STF file that you want to modify.
  2. In the Primary Location dialog box, specify the primary location for Microsoft Office 97. Note that it is not necessary to change anything in this dialog box. Click Next.
  3. In the Documents Folder dialog box, type the name of the default folder that you want to use to store documents (for example, C:\Data). Then, click Next.
  4. Proceed through the rest of the Network Installation Wizard until you reach the Add Registry Entries dialog box.
  5. Add the following three registry keys and the associated values to the registry. To add a key, click Add. In the Add dialog box, specify the values, and then click OK. 
          Key 1
      -----

         Item           Value
         ---------------------------------------------------------------

         Root:          HKEY_CURRENT_USER

         Data type:     SZ

         Key:           Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
                      Shell Folders

         Value name:    Personal

         Value data:    <folder you want to use for documents>

      Key 2
      -----

         Item           Value
         ---------------------------------------------------------------

         Root:          HKEY_CURRENT_USER

         Data type:     SZ


         Key:           Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
                      User Shell Folders

         Value name:    Personal

         Value data:    <folder you want to use for documents>

      Key 3
      -----

         Item           Value
         ---------------------------------------------------------------

         Root:          HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE

         Data type:     SZ

         Key:           SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer
                      User Shell Folders

         Value name:    Personal

         Value data:    <folder you want to use for documents>
    Note that all three keys must use the same folder name for "Value data" (for example, C:\Data). This is the same name you specify in step 3.
  6. After you add the three keys to the registry, click Next.
  7. In the Select Quiet Mode dialog box, select the Quiet Level that you want, and then click Next.
  8. In the Save Changes dialog box, enter the file names for your customized setup files, and then click Finish.
After you save the changes in the custom STF file, you can use the STF file by using the command line parameters provided in the last dialog box of the Network Installation Wizard.

Steps for Setting Default User Locations for Access 97 and Binder 97

Method 1

  1. Open Access 97.
    1. On the Tools menu click Options and click the General Tab.
    2. Set the Default Database Folder option to the desired setting.
    3. Exit Access 97.
  2. Open Binder 97.
    1. On the File menu, click Binder Options
    2. Set the Default Binder File Location field to the desired location.
    3. Exit Binder 97.
  3. Export registry keys by doing the following:
    1. On the Start menu, click Run.
    2. In the "Open" box, type Regedit and then click OK.
    3. In the Registry Editor, select the following keys:
      1. On the Start menu, click Run.
      2. In the "Open" box, type Regedit and then click OK.
      3. In the Registry Editor, select the following keys: 
              [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Binder]

      [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Access\Settings]
    4. Click "Export Registry File", on the Registry menu and verify that you have selected the correct branch by checking the "Selected Branch" box in the "Export Range" section of the dialog.
    5. Select a folder to save the Registry Key to.
    6. Type a name for the file that will hold the Registry Key in the File Name box and then click Save.
  4. Run the Network Installation Wizard version 2.1.
  5. In the "Add Registry Keys" dialog box choose the Add button.
  6. For Binder do the following: 
             Item           Value
         ---------------------------------------------------------------

         Root:          HKEY_CURRENT_USER

         Data type:     SZ


         Key:           Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Binder

         Value name:    Default Directory

         Value data:    <folder you want to use for documents>
  7. For Access, do the following: 
             Item           Value
         ---------------------------------------------------------------

         Root:          HKEY_CURRENT_USER

         Data type:     SZ


         Key:           Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Access\Settings

         Value name:    Default Database Directory

         Value data:    <folder you want to use for documents>
  8. Office 97 setup will automatically write the registry keys above so that once you launch Binder 97 and Access 97 they will both default to their respective locations.

Method 2

  1. Run the Network Installation Wizard version 2.1.
  2. In the "Add Registry Keys" dialog box choose the Add button.
    1. For Binder do the following: 
               Item           Value
         ---------------------------------------------------------------

         Root:          HKEY_CURRENT_USER

         Data type:     SZ


         Key:           Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Binder

         Value name:    Default Directory

         Value data:    <folder you want to use for documents>
    2. For Access 97, in the "Add Registry Keys" dialog box, choose the Add button and input the following values: 
               Item           Value
         ---------------------------------------------------------------

         Root:          HKEY_CURRENT_USER

         Data type:     SZ


         Key:           Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Access\Settings

         Value name:    Default Database Directory

         Value data:    <folder you want to use for documents>
  3. Office 97 setup will automatically write the registry keys above so that once you launch Binder 97 and Access 97 they will both default to their respective locations.

    Note: Information applies to default users only.

MORE INFORMATION

The Microsoft Office Network Installation Wizard version 2.1 allows you to modify the Setup files (.lst, .stf, and .inf files) that are used in an administrative installation of Microsoft Office. You can customize many aspects of the Microsoft Office installation process, including the name of the default folder that you want to use to store your documents. In Microsoft Windows 95, the default folder for storing documents is the My Documents folder. If this folder exists on the computer or a Microsoft Windows registry key exists that points to a default documents folder, the Microsoft Office 97 Setup program does not change the setting unless you use one of the workarounds in this article.

Opening the STF for Editing

When you open the Microsoft Office Setup Table File (STF), you must use a certain process to avoid damaging the integrity of the file. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Make a backup copy of the original .stf file.
  2. Open the document in Microsoft Word.
  3. On the Edit menu, click Replace. In the Find What box, type the following:

    ^t

    Note that there is a space after the letter "t."

    In the Replace With box, type the following:

    ^t

    Click Replace All. Click Close.

    NOTE: You cannot use ^t^w in the Find What box because ^w replaces a tab followed by second tab as well as a tab followed by a space. You want to replace only tabs followed by spaces (<tab><space>).
  4. On the File menu, click Save As. In the Save As Type box, select Text Only (*.txt). The File Name box should contain either:

    Off97Pro.stf.txt for the Office 97 Professional Edition

    -or-

    Off97Std.stf.txt for the Office 97 Standard Edition

    Click Save, and then Quit Microsoft Word.

  5. Click Start, point to Programs, and then click Windows Explorer.
  6. On the View menu, click Options, and then click the View tab.
  7. Clear the "Hide file extensions for known file types" box. Click OK.
  8. In the folder in which you saved the .stf file, rename the file to its original file name of:

    Off97Pro.stf (for the Office 97 Professional Edition)

    -or-

    Off97Std.stf (for the Office 97 Standard Edition)

  9. In Microsoft Excel, open the .stf file you want to edit.
  10. In the Text Import Wizard dialog box, click Next twice to proceed to the Step 3 of 3 dialog box.
  11. In the Text Import Wizard - Step 3 Of 3 dialog box, under Data Preview, drag the vertical scroll box all the way down and drag the horizontal scroll box all the way to the right. Hold the SHIFT key down, and then click the last column. All of the columns should be selected.
  12. Under Column Data Format, click Text, and then click Finish.
For more information about editing the STF file in Microsoft Excel, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

162796 OFF97: Setup Error 932 After Modifying STF File

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:5/13/2003
Keywords:kbprb kbsetup KB164536
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