Writer's Workbench Tips and Tricks

If you are having problems with Writer's Workbench that are not covered here, please let us know by filling out our
Feedback Form with as much detail as possible.  We'll get the fix posted here as soon as possible.

Please read through our "Symptoms" or "Situations" or "Questions" to find that which most accurately describes your problem.

1. Situation: I would like to know how the folks at Writer's Workbench recommend setting options when using WWB with Microsoft Word.
Recommended settings to Microsoft Word 2003 and earlier versions

2. Situation: I am installing Writer's Workbench in a writing lab and would like to learn more about configuration, temporary file, and how to implement the Writer's Workbench "log analysis" feature.
Technical details about Writer's Workbench setup, operation, and how to implement the "Log Analysis" feature

3. Situation: I would like the Writer's Workbench Toolbar to be available whenever I invoke Microsoft Word.
Changing Word's Startup location to point at wwb.dot

4. Situation: I am now using Word 2007 and would like to learn about the differences in using WWB in this new version of Word.
Using Writer's Workbench in Word 2007

5. Situation: I am interested in learning about the formulas that Writer's Workbench Style Sheet uses in calculating the readability scores.
Writer's Workbench Readability Scores' Formulae

6. Situation: I am a technician in charge of a writing lab.  When new students use Writer's Workbench on a given computer, they are prompted to enable macros.  As this step can be confusing to students (and teachers), I would like to eliminate the need for students to enable Word Macros.
Using Writer's Workbench in writing labs where mandatory profiles are enforced

7. Symptom: Using Word 2007, when I exit Word, with or without entering through the WWB icon, I get an error message, "Microsoft Word has stopped working" - "Windows is checking for a solution to the problem..."
Corrupted Registry Setting for Word 2007

8. Symptom: I get strange results when I first click on the "Writer's Workbench icon or try to analyze some of the analyses."
The Windows Indexing is turned off on the wwbtmp folder (Tutorial included)

9. Symptom: A "Cannot Find Microsoft Word" error message is displayed when double-clicking on the Writer's Workbench icon.
Modify our sample shortcut to point to WinWord.exe installed in non-standard location (Tutorial included)

10. Symptom: Word never returns when I analyze my documents with 1.1 Organization and Development.  I have one or more tables in the composition that I am analyzing. 
Organization and Development problems with Word tables

11. Symptom: I am using Word 2003 and the analysis is occasionally displayed behind the composition.
Analysis displayed behind composition

12. Symptom: The Writer's Workbench Toolbar is no longer displayed when I double-click on the WWB icon (Word 2003 or earlier) or the "Add-Ins" tab is no longer displayed (Word 2007)
Recovering Templates and Add-Ins after Word crashes

13. Symptom: When I insert the Writer's Workbench CD, I get a "Class not registered" error.
Microsoft Word (or Microsoft Office) is not installed

14. Symptom: I get a Run-time error 5560 message when I try to analyze my composition.  I am using Windows with a language other than U.S. English
Regional Settings for U.S. English

15. Situation: I upgraded to Windows 7 and am using Word 2007 and the Writer's Workbench is no longer available
How to enable Writer's Workbench with an upgraded version of Windows to Windows 7

16. Symptom: When I open the Writer's Workbench video tutorials, I get an Active Content warning in Internet Explorer..
Active Content disabled in Internet Explorer

17. Symptom: I get an incomplete Style sheet in the "Characteristics - Style Statistics" analysis and nonsense in the "Punctuation - Possible Fragments and Long Sentences" analysis.
"Characteristics - Style Statistics" and Punctuation - "Possible Fragments and Long Sentences" Problem

18. Symptom: Organization doesn't print the first and last sentences of the first paragraphs in my document.
Organization Displays Erroneous Results

19. Symptom: I have compressed my hard drive to save space and some of the Writer's Workbench analyses do not run properly.
Using Writer's Workbench on a compressed hard drive

20. Symptom: I am using Windows XP and Writer's Workbench works fine when logged in as Administrator but when other users without administrative rights log in, some of the Writer's Workbench analyses do not run properly.
Using Writer's Workbench as a mortal on a Windows XP system

21. Symptom: When I run the "Organization and Development" analysis set, it does not find any of my paragraphs.  Certain other Writer's Workbench programs are not accurately analyzing my paper.
Using Word Wrap in Microsoft Word

22. Situation: I'm writing a book or thesis paper that has more that 100 paragraphs and would like to use Writer's Workbench to analyze my work.
Using Writer's Workbench to analyze large documents

23. Symptom: The spell check will not show misspelled words as you type or when spell check is run. (Courtesy of Professor James Boyer, Glenbard West High School) 
  Word's Spell Checker is not working properly

24. Symptom: I'm using Writer's Workbench on a system that has Norton Anti-Virus and analyses are painfully slow; some even timeout.
Slow performance using Writer's Workbench on systems with Norton Anti-Virus

25. Symptom: After I load Writer's Workbench, I see the WWB Toolbar, but when I press a button on the WWB Toolbar, I get a Visual Basic error stating "Cannot Open Macro Storage."
Corrupted normal.dot or no available disk space or memory

26. Symptom: Some analyses will not run.  After a while, I get a "system is busy" message.  I have Fortress, Fool Proof, or some other security software running on my computer.
Using Writer's Workbench with security software

27. Symptom: Some analyses will not run.  After a while, I get a "system is busy" message.  I have a TSR program loaded from my autoexec.bat or config.sys file.
Using Writer's Workbench "Terminate and Stay Resident" (TSR) Programs

28. Symptom: Some analyses will not run.  After a while, I get a "system is busy" message.  I am running Novell Netware.
Using Writer's Workbench with Novell Netware Login Scripts

29. Symptom: I get an error message and/or strange things happen when I try to analyze a composition.
WRITER'S WORKBENCH VERSION 8.0 or earlier
Wrong Version of Microsoft Word chosen during installation

30. Symptom: I'm using Writer's Workbench on a Windows 2000 with Word 2000 and get a Visual Basic error when I try to run analyses.
WRITER'S WORKBENCH 2000 (7.0)  (RELEASED 12/99) ONLY!
  Writer's Workbench with Windows 2000

31. Symptom: I'm using Writer's Workbench on a system with FoolProof turned on and get an error in the "Grammar Capitalization and Punctuation" analysis, toward the end of the Punctuation section, "WWB: PWWBInput.tmp: Cannot Open"
WRITER'S WORKBENCH 2000 (7.0) (RELEASED 12/99) ONLY!
  Writer's Workbench Foolproof & Grammar Capitalization and Punctuation

32. Symptom: I'm using Writer's Workbench on a Windows 2000 with Word '97 and get a Visual Basic error when I try to run analyses.
FIX: We have not provided a fix for this problem because we believe this is an unlikely environment.  If you are using Windows 2000 and Word '97, and would like to use Writer's Workbench, please let us know.  We'll provide a "patch" within a few days.
WRITER'S WORKBENCH 2000 (7.0)  (RELEASED 12/99) ONLY!
  Request Windows 2000 / Word '97 Patch for Writer's Workbench

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Last modified 08/30/09.