The Control Fails to Load in Latest Office Version (Version 1803 Build 9126.2116 March 27, 2018)

iGrid Version: 3

To fix temporarily roll back office build:

Follow these instructions:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-ca/kb/2770432 

Open an elevated Command Prompt window. To do this, click Start, type cmd in the Start Search box, right-click cmd.exe, and then click Run as administrator.

cd %programfiles%\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\ClickToRun

officec2rclient.exe /update user updatetoversion=16.0.9001.2138

I have just tried to reproduce the problem on a dev pc with Windows 10 Pro 64-bit (Version 1709, Build 16299.309). I opened Excel 2016 32-bit from the active Office 365 subscription (the same version number and build you mentioned), then opened VBA IDE, added a new UserForm to the project and placed iGrid on it. No problems. I can launch this form and see iGrid in action. Tried this with the latest iGrid 6.5, iGrid 6.0 and iGrid 3.0 (the latest released build 225).

Can you give us more info how this problem appears on your pc? Tell us also what the version of your OS. If possible, post some accompanying screenshots too.

In any case, your solution will be useful information for other developer who may experience the same problem.

Thanks for the quick response.

The error is in Microsoft Word (office 365), I had assumed it was all office versions. Sorry for leaving that out.

We were able to reproduce error for our client and fix by rolling back office and are waiting to hear back from another client on fix also. It looks like the office update came out on the 28th of March.

Windows 10 64bit version 1709

In the vba environment the control just becomes a transparent rectangle and you can draw it on the form and all the properties appear intact for the control but it never renders in dev. While running it locks up/freezing Word showing nothing on userform but a blank space.

Just in case, I tried that in MS Word (though the VBA environment is the same). Again - no problems. And I imply we are talking about 32-bit versions of the Office apps, right?

I am also seeing this issue with Visio 2016. My application is a mixture of VBA in Visio and VB6 and some IGrids work and others don't. Most notably, if I create a new user account and run my application then all the IGrids work. When I restart my application some do and some don't. Just trying reverting the office version. IGrid ActiveX 3.00.0220

32 bit Office, windows 10 64bit

I have reverted office back to version 16.0.9029.2054 and the IGrid now works as expected.

I have reverted office back to version 16.0.9029.2054 and the IGrid now works as expected.

We are getting almost daily support requests about it now and rolling back office version does fix it every time.

We are able to draw control on form and it seems fine until saved and reopened... then control is still there but transparent and unusable.

As I wrote in our private email correspondence, we couldn't reproduce this issue on our side. I strongly recommend that you contact Microsoft's support service and report this problem. As you wrote, some years ago you also faced a [similar] problem with ActiveX's in VBA, and reporting that issue to Microsoft helped to fix the problem in the future releases of Office. I would be glad to report the problem myself, but I can't provide my environment in which the support staff can see the problem remotely.

In my letters I also asked about the way you use to redistribute the iGrid OCX to the computers of your clients but have not received any answer. Do you copy the control to Windows\System32, use the regsvr32 Windows utility to register the OCX in the registry or use another way of redistributing the OCX? Not that there are several possible ways of doing this like the following ones:

Redistributing the iGrid OCX / Registering in the Windows registry 

Registering iGrid without admin rights 

In my case I register the OCX with regsvr32

Andy, what folder do you place the OCX in? Can you experiment by moving and registering the iGrid OCX into various folders?

As I wrote in our private email correspondence, we couldn't reproduce this issue on our side. I strongly recommend that you contact Microsoft's support service and report this problem. As you wrote, some years ago you also faced a [similar] problem with ActiveX's in VBA, and reporting that issue to Microsoft helped to fix the problem in the future releases of Office. I would be glad to report the problem myself, but I can't provide my environment in which the support staff can see the problem remotely.

In my letters I also asked about the way you use to redistribute the iGrid OCX to the computers of your clients but have not received any answer. Do you copy the control to Windows\System32, use the regsvr32 Windows utility to register the OCX in the registry or use another way of redistributing the OCX? Not that there are several possible ways of doing this like the following ones:

The previous issue we mentioned years ago had nothing to do with activex and was related only to Microsoft's update and vba forms. It caused many issues and was easy to reproduce and many reported it... it was fixed about a month later in the next update from Microsoft.

We add the control to Windows\System32 and register with the Microsoft installer (msi).

If we talk about 64-bit Windows, the right system folder for 32-bit OCXs is \windows\syswow64. Or even better, try to place the iGrid OCX in a folder outside of the Windows folder you create with the user rights. For example, try C:\10Tec\OCX or something like that.

BTW, my Office 365 has been recently updated to Version 1804 (Build 9226.2114). Try to update your Office too and tell us whether the problem still appears in the latest version.

In my case the OCX lives in the folder containing my application, so is under Program Files (x86).

Unfortunately I am unable to try a different folder as this happens on a customer pc and a consultants pc to which I don't currently have access. I will attempt to get another machine running Visio and Office 2016 (365).

I've created a VM with Windows 10, Office 2016 and Visio 2016. These have been updated to Version 1804 16.0.9226.2126 and the issue still exists.

The IGrid appears very briefly, looks like the words 'Take a tour' appear and then the grid vanishes.

The IGrid appears very briefly, looks like the words 'Take a tour' appear and then the grid vanishes.

Strange, The 'Take a tour' string is definitely not a string from iGrid...

It looks like a system problem in MS Office.

Can you contact the Office technical support service and show them this problem?

If we talk about 64-bit Windows, the right system folder for 32-bit OCXs is \windows\syswow64.

Yes that's where we put it.

Or even better, try to place the iGrid OCX in a folder outside of the Windows folder you create with the user rights. For example, try C:\10Tec\OCX or something like that.

Have not tried that.

BTW, my Office 365 has been recently updated to Version 1804 (Build 9226.2114). Try to update your Office too and tell us whether the problem still appears in the latest version.

Yes problem still exists in latest update. We have many more experiencing the problem.

Will notify Microsoft of problem. It looks like similar problems with activex have happened in past with office updates.

answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/msoffice_excel-mso_win10-mso_2013_release/active-x-controls-not-working/3f3694f0-f95d-4f8e-b514-a35806e05408

support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/2920754/march-10-2015-update-for-office-2013-kb2920754

I have attempted to raise with MS support, but just told to wait and see if fixed in future build as their are known issues.

I have tried Version 1806 (Build 10205.20008), but no change.

So they know about this issue and promise they'll fix it later??