Clip2002: Word Stops Responding When You Use "Open Clip In" to Open a WMF File (285629)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Clip Organizer 2002
  • Microsoft Word 2002
This article was previously published under Q285629

SYMPTOMS

When you right-click a Windows Metafile (WMF) in the Insert Clip Art task pane, and then click Open Clip In, Microsoft Word stops responding for a long time, and then the Word File Conversion dialog box appears.

CAUSE

This behavior can occur if the computer's file associations have been changed so that Word is the default program for opening WMF files. This behavior occurs because Word cannot open the WMF file. The delay may be longer if the WMF file is located on a network (for example, in Web Collections), and if the computer is using a slow modem to connect to the network.

NOTE: You experience a delay any time a picture file is incorrectly associated with a program that is not designed to open the picture. The length of the delay depends on which program is associated with the picture file type, and on how the program handles errors. The delay in Word is rather lengthy, depending on the location of the picture file.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, change the association for WMF files so that a graphics program is the default program for opening this type of files.

To change the association for WMF files, follow these steps:
  1. Double-click My Computer.
  2. On the View menu, click Options (or on the Tools menu, click Folder Options).
  3. On the File Types tab, click WMF Windows Media File in the Registered File Types box, and then click Remove (or Delete).
  4. When you are prompted to confirm the change, click Yes, and then click OK.
  5. Double-click a WMF file in My Computer or Windows Explorer. When you are prompted for the program to use to open the file, select the program that you want (for example, select Microsoft PhotoDraw).

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

How to Change File Types

A file type's default action is the action that occurs when you double-click (or just click, if you have set up your system for single-click file launching) a file of that type in Windows Explorer or on your desktop. If you right-click a file in Windows Explorer or on your desktop, the file type's default action appears in boldface type on the shortcut menu. Most commonly, the default action is to open a program or to open a document in its associated program.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:7/3/2001
Keywords:kbbug KB285629
©2002 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.