/ Dialog Box Interferes with Command

Dialog Box Interferes with Command

Whenever I go into my email and click on a document to open I get a popup that says, “The command cannot be performed because a dialog box is open”. What is a dialog box? And how can I bypass this? I need help?! Kate Dubensky

Command Cannot be Performed Dialog Box Open Error Message

This is an error message related to Microsoft Word - part of the Office Suite - versions 2003 and 2007. When you click twice to open a document and this message appears, it means that there is a Word document template in your Start Up folder with a macro link that opens a dialog box. If that didn’t make sense, what this message means is that there is a file in your Start Up folder that is interfering with your ability to open documents. While this explanation may sound complicated, the remedy is straightforward.

About Dialog Boxes

A dialog box is the name used to refer to the small text or option boxes that appear on your computer when you are communicating with a program. For example, if you are using Word and click the open icon and a small screen appears on the desktop with a selection of files to open, this is called an Open dialog box. As in, a box in which you dialog with your computer programs. You usually have to click Close, OK or Cancel or Apply to exit a dialog box.

Open the File Directly

If you know the document that the message is referring to, you can open it directly, using the Word program the way you would open any file. Open Word, click either the Microsoft Office button or the File menu, depending on your version, then choose Open. From the Open box, choose the file that you want to open and click Open. Once opened, you can either delete the link, delete the file, or make sure the link is disabled and the dialog box closed.

Remove the File from the Start Up Folder

Since it’s unlikely that you know the file that is causing the problem, you can try to get around it by removing the template from the Start Up folder. If you don’t know what these templates are, you can follow these same instructions and open the files to view them before deleting. The file with the problem contains a link that opens a dialog box. Follow these instructions.

Close and quit Word
Click Start, then Programs, then Accessories, and then Windows Explorer
Look for a folder called either
1. 1. C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Microsoft\Word\STARTUP
  2. C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE12\STARTUP
  3. Or, in Vista: C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Word\STARTUP
Click twice on the Start Up folder to open it
On the right side of the Windows Explorer pane, click to chose the template to remove, then Delete.