Handwriting recognition

[Paul]

Hi all,
the handwriting recognition has stopped working. I have not used it for a
long while, but now I need it.
I select "Handwriting" from the language bar, select "Writing pad" or "Write
anywhere" and nothing happens. Select Drawing pad and I do get a drawing pad
which works.
I have so far tried repairing the Office 2003pro using original disc, to no
avail.
I have also ensured that handwriting is enabled "Run from my computer" in
the custom set up screen via the Add or remove programmes route.

Any ideas folks?

 

[Terry Farrell]

Run Office Setup and choose Change, select Custom and go to Alternative
Inputs and select them to Run From My Computer.

 

[Paul]

Cheers Terry.
The Help files told me to do that...it didn't work. I figured that cab
files must be missing,(I tried repairing earlier and although new files were
added it still didn't work) so I bit the bullet and took Office off the PC,
reloaded completely from my disc. I didn't want to do this, as now I will
have a few years of security/other updates to download. Anyway, problem
appears solved.
All I have done (In terms of major change to PC) since I last used the
handwriting is (1) IE7 (2) Partitioned the HDD to have files on another
location....but all s/w stayed on C:\ (3) Added 2 DVD burners.
One of those must have corrupted something.....but I can't see how. Thanks
again.

 

[Paul]

Terry....nope, that didn't actually work.
After reinstalling from disc, it worked.
As soon as I download updates, including Office SP3, the handwriting fails.
Same thing.....drawing pad OK but not writing pad or write anywhere.

 

[Terry Farrell]

Paul

You should Microsoft and report this as an Update Bug. Explain to them
clearly that this worked until you installed SP3. All call relating to
update bugs (both Windows and Office) are free of charge.

Thanks for the information: it useful to know that SP3 breaks the
Handwriting Recognition for future postings.

Terry

 

[Paul]

Terry, I will call or Email MS, but don't forget, the fault was there before
I updated SP3.....I presume SP3 only came out last week. I check MS update
site weekly.

 

[Bob Buckland ?:-\)]

Hi Paul,

Your previous reply indicated that the problem seemed to 'turn off' when you installed updates? What updates MS or others have you
applied and did you test the handwriting feature after each one?

Did you restart the PC before or after applying updates?

========
Terry, I will call or Email MS, but don't forget, the fault was there before
I updated SP3.....I presume SP3 only came out last week. I check MS update
site weekly. <<
--

Bob Buckland ?
MS Office System Products MVP

*Courtesy is not expensive and can pay big dividends*

 

[Paul]

Bob, I think the SP3 route will lead everyone down the wrong path. Following
SP3 load, I had the same problem as before, in SP2 days.

If I remove Office, reinstall from disc, it is all fine. What I intend to
do maybe tomorrow evening (It's 1am here) is unload office, reinstall, select
downloads but NOT sp3.....that will illiminate or prove it.

I have not used the Handwriting recognition in a year, but I need it now,
that's when I noticed it had stopped working.
As for Updates..all I update is MS (Weekly), AVG free (Daily), AVG anti
spyware (Daily) and CCleaner about every 3 months. These have been my
downloads for years and the HW recog. worked with these in the past.

I always restart PC after updates from MS.

 

[Terry Farrell]

Have you run CCLeaner since reinstalling Office as it is a known problem
with some versions?

Terry

 

[Paul]

Terry, no.
I run CCleaner at the end of every evening after Internet use.

 

[Paul]

Terry / Bob,
as promised I went thru this sequence tonight: -
Offloaded Office
Reloaded from Disc...result = working Writing Pad. And Icon for it appears
on the language bar.
Cold booted out, restarted & relaunched Word...result OK.

Went to MS site, downloaded a Junk Email filter.
Writing pad still working.
Cold booted out, restarted & relaunched Word, still working.

Back to MS site, downloaded Office SP3.
As the language bar remains on my desktop, I could see the Icon for writing
pad stayed there all through the installation.
When asked to restart the Computer, clicked yes.
After restart, no Icon on the bar....and you guessed, relaunched Word and no
icon nor did it work.
So, it's an SP3 problem. It may also have been an SP2 problem. Did SP2
come out in the last year?......it's been about a year since I used
Handwriting recognition. The fault could have been there without me noticing
it.

I have also just gone via Control Panel and add/remove programmes etc,
changed the Alternative user.....and set Handwriting to "Run from my
computer". I was prompted for the disc, and some cabinet files were
loaded...the first one being SKU011.cab. The remainder shot past too quickly.

So, now I'm going to repeat the above but not download SP3! Tiresome!