Software Inputlog - problems with MS Word

Question

Hello,
I'm having problems with the software Inputlog (https://www.inputlog.net/) which I need to use for the data collection in a scientific study. Inputlog records the participants' keystrokes when they write a text on Microsoft Word. I was able to download and install the software without problems, but when I try to record my keystrokes, I get an error message. I have been in contact with one of the developers of Inputlog but they could not help me. They said that the problem seems to be related to MS Word. Inputlog should automatically open a Word document and then record the cursor movements and the keystrokes in the Word document. For some reason, it's not working on my computer. I'm using MS Office provided my my university (Microsoft 365). My university's IT support couldn't help me either.

I have installed Inputlog on three other computers - it worked on two of them and didn't work on one. They have all got Office but from different sources (two work accounts, one private account, and one school account - mine). I haven't found out why it works on some computers and doesn't on others. I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling the Office suite, deactivating Microsoft Defender Smartscreen, and enabling macros. Do you have suggestions what to try next? Thank you!

Answer 1

The explanation gets a little complicated, but the fix should be simple.

The clue is in the first error message: It says that the interface (the definition of how Inputlog can talk to Word) with the identifier {0002096B-0000-0000-C000-000000000046} is not registered. Windows is looking for a registry key named Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface{0002096B-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}, but it doesn't exist. (It evidently does exist on the computers where Inputlog works correctly.)

On my PC, that entry has a subentry named ProxyStubClsid32, which has the value {00020424-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}. When Windows finds that value, it looks for a key named Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID{00020424-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}. ("CLSID" is an abbreviation for "Class Identifier".) That key has a subentry named InprocServer32 that identifies the code file that provides the interface, and its value is C:\Windows\System32\oleaut32.dll.

Having followed the trail of breadcrumbs, the solution should be to register (or re-register) the oleaut32.dll file. To do that on a computer where Inputlog isn't working, start an Administrator session of the Command Prompt -- in the Windows Start menu, expand the Windows System item, right-click the Command Prompt entry, click More, click Run As Administrator, and enter the Administrator password.

When the Command Prompt window opens, if the left side of the command line doesn't say "C:\Windows\system32", enter the command

cd \windows\system32

and press the Enter key. Once the correct folder is selected, enter the command

regsvr32 oleaut32.dll

and press the Enter key. You should see the following message:

That should cause oleaut32.dll to create the correct registry entries. Now try Inputlog again.

Answer 2

I'm sorry to hear that, but at least you've eliminated the possibility of a damaged system file.

It may be useful to compare the version and build numbers of Word and Windows on your PC to those on the other PCs. There may have been an update that broke something Inputlog depends on.

I'm still hoping for a diagnosis from the Inputlog developer.

Answer 3

I think the next step is to use the Windows System File Checker (sfc.exe) on the computer that gets an error, to verify that the system files are OK. The Microsoft instructions are at

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/use-the-system-file-checker-tool-to-repair-missing-or-corrupted-system-files-79aa86cb-ca52-166a-92a3-966e85d4094e 

There are lots of other articles and videos with instructions that may be more helpful, such as

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-use-sfc-scannow-command-fix-problems-windows-10 

If you haven't already done so, give a copy of the error messages to the developers at Inputlog. The information in them is a clue to what's going wrong, but it may need their access to the program's code to turn that clue into a "whodunit" cause.

Answer 4

What does the error message say?

If you contact me via the email address in my signature, I will try to help you.

Answer 5

These are the error messages.