1001 Secrets for Windows NT Registry
(Publisher: 29th Street Press)
Author(s): Tim Daniels
ISBN: 1882419685
Publication Date: 12/01/97

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Section IV
Microsoft Office

Microsoft Assistant for Office 97

By now you’ve seen the paper clip that helps you through the trials and tribulations of using Office 97. You can add extra features to this little critter and bend his will to your own with these registry entries.

IV-1 Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Key: Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Common\Assistant
Value Name: AsstPath
Data Type: REG_SZ
Value: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Actors

This value contains the path where the actor files are stored. It is almost certain that Microsoft and third-party vendors will make new actors available. This path lets you add new actor files as they become available. These files are the Office Assistant actor (. act) and preview (.acp) files that are located on your system.

IV-2 Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Key: Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Common\Assistant
Value Name: AsstSourcePath
Data Type: REG_SZ
Value: E:\Office\Actors

This value stores the source path for the support files Office 97 needs for the actor files.

IV-3 Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Key: Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Common\Assistant
Value Name: AsstFile
Data Type: REG_SZ
Value: Clippit.act

This key is handy if you don’t want to dig out your Office 97 CD every time you change the assistant. This value is the name of the file that Office 97 uses for the assistant. Note that this value is just the filename, not the full path to the file. Valid values include

Clippit.act Clippit Paper Clip
Dot.act The Dot (Bouncing Ball)
Genius.act The Genius (Einstein)
Hoverbot.act Hover Bot
Logo.act Office Logo
Mnature.act Mother Nature
Powerpup.act Power Pup (The Power Dog)
Scribble.act Scribble (The Paper Cat)
Will.act Will (William Shakespeare)

IV-4 These next two registry entries control the location of the Office Assistant on the screen.

Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Key: Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Common\Assistant
Value Name: AsstTop
Data Type: REG_DWORD
Value:

IV-5 Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Key: Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Common\Assistant
Value Name: AsstLeft
Data Type: REG_DWORD
Value:

For each of these keys, the value is the location where the Assistant appears on the screen, given in pixels. Set these values to determine the location of the top left corner of the Assistant.

IV-6 Would you like to stop the Assistant from moving around on you while you’re working on something?

Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Key: Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Common\Assistant
Value Name: AsstMoveWhenInTheWay
Data Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 1

Set this value to 0 to keep the Assistant from moving.

IV-7 The noises the Office Assistant makes are fun, but after hearing them about a thousand times, you want it to just shut up. This registry entry lets you do just that.

Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Key: Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Common\Assistant
Value Name: AsstSounds
Data Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 1

Setting this value to 0 disables sound for the Assistant.

IV-8 Hive: HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Key: Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Common\Assistant
Value Name: AsstState
Data Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 0x5 (5)

This value lets you control the size of the Assistant window. Valid values are

0x5 Large and Visible
0x9 Small and Visible
0x6 Large but Hidden
0xa Small but Hidden


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