ActiveX controls in MS Office (Windows 7)

Question

I encounter a problem when I try to load a custom ActiveX Control in MS Office on Windows 7 platforms.

First, I use regsrv32 to register the control.

In order to test that the control is registered successfully I loaded an Html file, which has the control embedded, in Internet Explorer. The control was loaded successfully.

Then, I tried to load it in MS Office 2007 (Windows 7 - Service Pack 1). Although the control is included in the list with the available controls, the control failed to load. Word prompts the error message "The program used to create this object is {D574A747-8016-46DB-A07C-B2B4854EE75C}. That program is not installed on your computer. To edit this object, you must install a program that can open the object." whereas Powerpoint's error is "Object library not registered".
I also tried to load the control in MS Office 2010 (Window 7 - Service Pack 1) but I got the same errors.


I also tried to load the same control in an installation of MS Office 2007 and MS Office 2010 - 32bit on a Windows XP (Service Pack 3) platform. The control could be loaded on both versions of MS Office.

I would be grateful if anyone could provide any help.

Answer 1

So it sounds like you're trying to load a x32 bit control, and even though you've stated your o2007 and o2010 service packs you haven't said what version they are running at (x64 ?).

al

---

If this answer solves your problem, please check Mark as Answered. If this answer helps, please click the Vote as Helpful button. Al Edlund Visio MVP

Answer 2

Thanks for your response.

I understand that a 32-bit control can only be loaded on a 32bit version of MS Office and a 64bit control can be loaded only on a 64-bit version of MS-Office. So, both 2007 and 2010 MS Office versions are 32-bit (and the control is 32-bit as well). Windows 7 are 64-bit whereas Windows XP are 32-bit.

I also tried to load a 64-bit version of  the control on a 64-bit version of MS-Office 2010 on a Windows 7 - 64bit platform but it failed.

Answer 3

A major (IMHO) difficulty with office products is you cannot mix platforms on a system (i.e. you cannot have both the x32 and x64 versions on the same system). This means that the developer that wants to work on both platforms has to test before starting the application to make sure the correct version of their program is being called.

The second part is (I do Visio not Office) that some activex controls require that the full product be installed on the system to be usable. i.e. the Visio activex control will only run on a system that has Visio installed, it is not standalone.

al

---

If this answer solves your problem, please check Mark as Answered. If this answer helps, please click the Vote as Helpful button. Al Edlund Visio MVP

Answer 4

Thanks,

I also tried it on a 64-bit platform that had a 64-bit version (full product) of MS Office 2010 installed but the problem remains.

If I find out what is going wrong I'll post it.

Answer 5

Hi Perifato,

Thank you for posting.

I am afraid that ActiveX control can't work with the 64-bit version of Office. Fore more details, please refer to this article:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word-help/choose-the-32-bit-or-64-bit-version-of-microsoft-office-HA010369476.aspx
which describes like this:

"Third-party ActiveX controls and add-ins    None of these work with the 64-bit version of Office."

I think this can explain your scenario.

Best Regards,

---

Bruce Song [MSFT]
MSDN Community Support | Feedback to us

Answer 6

Hi Bruce,

thanks for your response.

Indeed, that's explains why the custom ActiveX control can't be loaded on the 64-bit version of MS-Office 2010.

However, I created a very simple ActiveX control in MSVC 2010 (MFC ActiveX type - just the default project) and I managed to load it in MS-Office 2010 (64-bit version).

It seems to me that it has also to do with the version of windows. For instance, on Windows XP platforms almost all custom controls that I tried were successfully loaded on MS-Office (both 2007 and 2010 versions). On Windows 7 I encountered several problems (that is, the same control was successfully loaded on one platform, but it failed to load on another similar platform).

Best regards,

Perifato

Answer 7

Perifato, I think the statement of the article means that the 32-bit version ActiveX control can't be loaded on the 64-bit Office.

I tested it according to your description, just as you said, the 64-bit version ActiveX can be loaded to MS Office 64bit. And my OS is Windows 7.

<<On Windows 7 I encountered several problems (that is, the same control was successfully loaded on one platform, but it failed to load on another similar platform).>>

We should make sure that the ActiveX control was built as 64-bit if the target Office application is 64-bit version, otherwise it can't be loaded successfully. Please see the settings in VS on my side:

Hope this can help you.

Best Regards,

---

Bruce Song [MSFT]
MSDN Community Support | Feedback to us

Answer 8

Thanks Bruce,

What I meant was that although I was able to load a custom control on one platform, I couldn't load it on another similar one (e.g. a 32-bit version of the control on MS-Office 2010 - 32-bit, Windows7 - 64bit).

I am still investigating what is going wrong.

Answer 9

Perifato, I also tested on windows 7 64bit, but the 32-bit version of the control can work on Office 2010 32bit.

I am not sure why it can't work on your side. If you find the cause of the problem or any update, just fee free to let us know.

Best Regards,

---

Bruce Song [MSFT]
MSDN Community Support | Feedback to us

Answer 10

Yes, if I find out what the problem is I will post it.