Can't use Activex Controls

Question

Using Excel 2010.  Multipage spreadsheet with VBA code to import, combine, sort and graphically display data contained in *.cvs files.  All is working fine except:

I started getting xml errors when opening the file.  Excel "repaired" the error and the VBA code and the data handling work.  What no longer works are the Activex command buttons (they originally worked fine).  They act as if they don't exist.  In the Developer mode/Design mode I can select the object but when I look a the properties, I get the worksheet properties rather than the control properties.  I've tried adding another control and I get an Excel error message: "Can't insert object".

I copied this spreadsheet to another computer also using Excel 2010 and it works fine. I removed MS Office from the main computer and re-installed it.  Don't seem to get the xml errors but the controls still do not work.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

JL

Answer 1

Update: https://support.microsoft.com/kb/3025036 now has a 'Microsoft Fix it' that should solve part of the problems.

Answer 2

If the steps from the article mentioned by Teylyn don't help, you can uninstall the update. For Excel 2010 it is KB2553154.

Answer 3

HansV,

Thanks for the quick response.

Assuming by the "address bar", you mean the URL line, %temp% activates a google search that has little to do with the temp files.  I tried turning off google, but got pretty much the same results.

I deleted the temp files by using the control panel/network & internet/internet Options/General tab/Browsing history.  (Using Windows 8 or 8.1, not sure which but the computer is only a month old so I guessing 8.1)

Unfortunately this didn't resolve my problem with the ActiveX controls.

I then did a search for *.exd files and there were none.  I also did a search for Temp and was unable to find any folder with that name.  Am I missing something here?

The December 9, 2014 date is about when I first started to have issues.  Was this a Microsoft update?

If there are any other suggestions (or corrections to my attempts)  I'd really appreciate hearing them.

Thanks,

JL

Answer 4

For the official Microsoft statement see:  http://blogs.technet.com/b/

Answer 5

This may be caused by a faulty update released on December 9, 2014.

Quit all Office applications.

Start Windows Explorer.

Enter %temp% in the address bar, then press Enter.

Use the Search box to search for *.exd

Delete all found files.

You can also open the following folders within the Temp folder and delete the .exd files in them:

• Excel8.0
• VBE
• Word8.0

Restart Windows.

(Thanks to Excel MVP Rory Archibald for pointing to the .exd files)