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A template in the startup folder is not the only cause of this error. I have no templates in my startup folder (nor any other user’s startup folder on this machine) and still receive this error.

Another Cause of Dialog Box Interruption Errors

While a template located in the Startup folder can cause a “The command cannot be performed because a dialog box is open” error, it’s not the only reason. In researching this error message, it turns out that an outdated or corrupt DLL file, Officeav.dll (the Norton Antivirus Office plugin), can also trigger this message.

According to Microsoft’s Knowledge Base article #891986, the solution is to rename the Officeav.dll file to Officeav.old and then reboot your computer. A new DLL file will be generated upon reboot. In order to do this, you will need to search your computer for “officeav.dll,” note the file’s path, navigate to the file via Windows Explorer, and then right-click it, choose Rename, and rename the file with the “.old” file extension. Reboot your computer and the error message should be a problem of the past.

Template in Microsoft Office Startup Folder

For those who missed the original dialog box interference discussion, this error can also be caused when a Microsoft Word template containing an autoexec macro is stored in the Office Startup folder. When this happens, the macro within the template is prompting the user to take action of some sort by generating a dialog box. By removing the template from Office’s startup folder, the template and its autoexec macro will not be loaded each time Office loads. Thus, the macro won’t generate a dialog box that interferes with operations.

Tabbing through Windows in Search of Dialog Boxes

When a dialog box is open, it’s not always apparent as other Windows may be covering it. Closing the dialog box should allow you to continue with whatever process you were trying to carry out, regardless of the cause. In order to find the open dialog box, press and hold the Alt key while quickly tapping the Tab key. Keep Alt held in place and tap the Tab key to cycle through the open windows on your computer. Once you come to a dialog box, release the Alt key and read the dialog box. Click the appropriate button in response to the dialog box’s prompt. Once you’ve answered the dialog box, close it and Alt + Tab your way back to your original program. Now that the dialog box has been taken care of, you should be able to resume operations without interference.

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?!

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.

1. Close and quit Word
2. Click Start, then Programs, then Accessories, and then Windows Explorer
3. 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
4. Click twice on the Start Up folder to open it
5. On the right side of the Windows Explorer pane, click to chose the template to remove, then Delete.