This is what I have been able to gather about which extensions and control panels Microsoft Office 4.2.1 and Office 98 install.

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OFFICE 4.2.1

• Microsoft Component Lib (68k): ?

• Microsoft Dialog Library (vSDM3.02): provides code for the Mac version of the Windows dialog manager; specifically, supports the new "tabbed" dialogs introduced in Office 4.2. Supposedly this file is needed since Word 6 is really Word 6 for Windows ported to the Mac.

• MS Find File Library (v1.0a): provides support for the "Find File" option from within Office applications.

• Microsoft Mail Library (v1.0): provides support for Microsoft Mail when using applications which support OLE. Only necessary if you are using Microsoft Mail.

• Microsoft Office Manager (v4.2.1c): if you have it installed, you'll see the MOM menu in your menu bar. Supposedly, v4.2.1c fixes several problems. NOTE: I have heard quite a few reports of conflicts with this file. Personally, I would trash it; IMHO the functionality isn't worth the "crash risk factor"). NOTE: Microsoft has updated the entire "Office" package to v4.2.1b. To update, you need to reinstall the entire package off the new 4.2.1b CD-ROM. According to Microsoft, if you are using v4.2.1b, you do not need the Microsoft Office Manager Patch or version 4.2.1c "unless you have crashes."

• Microsoft OLE Automation (v2.06): enables OLE scripting between applications.

• Microsoft OLE Extension (v2.07): enables "Object Linking and Embedding" (OLE). Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) allows users to import objects from a document in the source application (such as Excel) into a document in the destination application (such as Word). When changes are made to the source document, they are reflected in the destination document. OLE is platform-and application-independent, meaning you can use OLE between applications and on both the Macintosh and Windows platforms. It is functionally similar to publish and subscribe, but much more elegant in use (but a memory hog)... Some people say it's actually closer to the idea of OpenDoc. This file performs 680x0 routines, and makes OLE compatible with applications written in 680x0 code (non-PowerPC-native), and is run in emulation on PowerMacs. Supposedly it is not needed on PowerMacs (which use the Microsoft OLE Library, below), but I have not verified this myself. It is also needed when using the new Word and Word Perfect filters for QuarkXPress. These filters import Word and WordPerfect for DOS/Windows as well as their Macintosh versions. OLE is also required to run PageMaker versions prior to 6.0.1 (6.0.1 will run without it, but linking and embedding features will not function). It is also used by Timbuktu Pro 3.0 to implement the "Timbuktu Sender" feature.

• Microsoft OLE Library (v2.0.6): PowerPC version of the Microsoft OLE Extension (above).

• Microsoft Tool Editor (v1.2): provides support for toolbar creation and editing in Office applications.

• Microsoft Tool Editor Library: necessary for creating custom button icons and tools.

• ODBC files: ODBC stands for Open Database Connectivity, a protocol which allows users to access central databases stored on ODBC servers. The following files are part of the ODBC system:

     o ODBC Configuration Manager (v1.0): shared library which provides support for access to 
        ODBC server-client databases.
     o ODBC Driver Manager (v1.0): shared library which provides support for access to ODBC 
        server-client databases.
     o ODBC Setup: ?
     o ODBC SQL Server ADSP Netlib (v1.0.2): shared library which provides support for connecting 
        to an SQL database server using the AppleTalk Data Stream Protocol (ADSP).
     o ODBC SQL Server Driver (v1.02.07): shared library which provides support for access to an 
        SQL server.
     o ODBC SQL Server Setup (v1.02.07): shared library which provides support for configuring an 
        SQL server.
     o ODBC SQL Server TCP/IP Netlib (v1.02.05): shared library which provides support for 
        TCP/IP access to an SQL server.

• Office 4.2.x Update for PowerMac (v1.0.1) [2/0]: fixes certain crashes on PowerMacs using the different Microsoft Office applications. Specifically, this extension contains the following fixes:
     o A fix to prevent hanging or type 11 errors when printing using QuickDraw GX
     o A fix to prevent hanging or type 11 errors when launching a PPC-native application after 
         quitting out of Word. 
This extension is necessary even if you have updated the "Office" package to v4.2.1b. However, according to Microsoft, if you have updated Word to v6.0.1 and aren't using Excel and QuickDraw GX together you do not need this extension, as the fixes it provides were rolled into the application itself. They even go so far as to say that you should delete this extension before installing System 7.5 Update 2.0 or later. The version (v1.0) of Office 4.2.x Update for PowerMac released with Office 4.2.1a conflicts with even the newest version of Apple Menu Options. If you want to use Apple Menu Options, you should update to v1.0.1. If you think this is confusing, try calling Microsoft and see what they say! :-) If you are using QuickDraw GX, Microsoft suggests downloading the "extension to prevent hanging power mac apps" version 1.0.1 from:
           <http://www.microsoft.com/kb/softlib/mslfiles/MC1164.HQX>
 
NOTE: GX printing is not supported under OS 8 and later. NOTE: Microsoft has also reported a conflict between v1.0 of this file and the Global Village TelePort and PowerPort software or PopUp Folder. Version 1.0.1 fixes this conflict.

• Q+E ODBC FoxPro Driver (v1.2.0): shared library which provides support for access to FoxPro server-client databases using the ODBC protocol.

• Shared Code: this is actually a folder which is located in the "Extensions" folder. It contains the OLE code files (OLE Reg Dll, OLE Server Dll, Ole Client Dl) used by the "Shared Code Manager" of the Microsoft OLE system.

• Shared Code Manager: lets programs share common code. Provides Microsoft's object linking and embedding (OLE) system. It is similar to the Shared Library Manager for the shared libraries. Installed by Microsoft office along with the shared code modules Ole Client DLL, OLE Reg DLL and OLE Server DLL (in a the above "Shared Code" folder in the Extensions folder). This extension is also supposedly installed by PageMaker 5.0. This file isn't necessary for MS applications to run, but OLE will not function without it. The "Shared Code" folder must be present for the system to run.

• Visual Basic for Applications (v1.01): provides support for the "Visual Basic for Applications" scripting language for Microsoft Office applications.

OFFICE 4.2.1 NOTES:

I have been told that you can run Microsoft Office v4.2.1 fine with only these files installed:

     • Office 4.2.x Update for Power Mac
     • Shared Code Manager" installed (along with the "Shared Code" folder in the extensions folder)
     • Microsoft Dialog Library
     • Microsoft OLE Library
     • Visual Basic for Applications

This means that the following files can be "disabled." Note that with this setup, OLE, ODBC Databases, and the full Visual Basic package will be inoperable:

     • Microsoft Office Manager
     • Office Manager Patch
     • Microsoft Find File Library
     • Microsoft Mail Library
     • Microsoft OLE Automation
     • Microsoft OLE Extension
     • Microsoft OLE Library
     • Microsoft Tool Editor Library
     • ODBC Setup
     • ODBC Configuration Manager
     • ODBC Driver Manager
     • ODBC SQL Server ADSP Netlib
     • ODBC SQL Server Driver
     • ODBC SQL Server TCP/IP Netlib
     • ODBC SQL Server Setup
     • Q+E ODBC FoxPro Driver
     • Apple® Event Manager (not needed regardless; see entry in the "Extensions" section)
     • MTExt (a font): supposedly there are actually two of these files, a suitcase and a postscript
        font. The font itself is usually found in the Extensions Folder.

Personally, I only enable the following files, and have extensive functionality and no crashes:

     • Microsoft Dialog Library
     • Microsoft OLE Automation
     • Microsoft OLE Extension
     • Microsoft OLE Library
     • Visual Basic for Applications

To run only Word 6 (no Excel), you only really need these two, although some of the advanced functions may not be fully functional:

     • Microsoft Dialog Library
     • Microsoft OLE Extension
     • Microsoft OLE Library

If you are only running PowerPoint, you reportedly don't need the following:

    • Microsoft OLE Automation
    • Microsoft Tool Editor Library
    • ODBC Configuration Manager
    • ODBC Driver Manager
    • ODBC SQL Server ADSP NetLib
    • ODBC SQL Server Driver
    • ODBC SQL Server Setup
    • ODBC SQL Server TCP/IP NetLib
    • Q+E ODBC FoxPro Driver
    • Type Libraries
    • Visual Basic for Applications

OFFICE 98:

NOTE: several issues have emerged with the Microsoft Office 98. Rather than go into detail about these issues here, I would recommed that anyone using Office 98 visit Ted Landau's MacFixIt web site for his special section on troubleshooting Office 98:
     <http://www.macfixit.com/reports/msoffice98.shtml>
 
or Microsoft's own site covering Office 98 issues:
      <http://www.microsoft.com/macoffice/>

The following files are installed in the Extensions folder by a standard install of Microsoft Office 98. Their descriptions come from the files themselves. They are located in the Extensions folder because older OLE apps like MS Project and previous versions of Microsoft Office look for OLE and related components in the Extensions folder:

• Microsoft Component Library (v2.22): shared library which provides support for Object Linking and Embedding (OLE). It allows Microsoft OLE components to control memory allocations, create objects, track the registration database and share data between OLE-aware applications.

• Microsoft Hyperlink Library (v1.0): shared library which provides support for imbedding Internet "hyperlinks" within Office applications and within documents.

• Microsoft OLE Automation (v2.20.4244): shared library which enables Automated OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) for OLE-aware applications. Enables OLE scripting between applications

• Microsoft OLE Library (v2.22): shared library which enables the OLE system in OLE-aware applications. Provides linking and embedding, drag and drop, backward compatibility and cross-process communication. For more information on OLE, see the entry for this file in the Office 4.2.1 section above.

• Microsoft RPC Runtime Library (v4.0.3): shared library which provides support for hyperlinks within documents and allows users to use such links to open other Office applications and to view HTML pages.

• Microsoft Structured Storage (v2.22): shared library which controls the storage of Microsoft OLE compound documents, OLE initialization, and object naming. This file is required for OLE under Office 98.

• MS Font Embed Library (PPC) (v2.1.3): shared library which allows Word to embed all fonts used in a document within the document itself, so that other users can view the document exactly as you created it.

The following files are installed inside the "MS Library Folder" within the Extensions folder. These files are shared between Internet Explorer and Office 98. They contain "new" code which is not used by older applications, so Microsoft was able to move them to their own folder:

• MS C++ Library (PPC) (v4.0.1): shared component used by Microsoft Office 98 and Microsoft Internet applications such as Microsoft Internet Explorer.

• MS Configuration Lib PPC: shared component used by Microsoft Office 98 and Microsoft Internet applications such as Microsoft Internet Explorer. Provides added support for the Configuration manager.

• MS Container Lib (PPC) (v4.0.1): shared component which provides extended preferences capabilities from within Office 98 applications.

• MS Favorites Library (PPC) (v4.0.1): shared component used by Microsoft Office 98 and Microsoft Internet applications such as Microsoft Internet Explorer. Provides information for extended preferences.

• MS Internet Library (PPC) (v4.0.1): shared component used by Microsoft Office 98 and Microsoft Internet applications such as Microsoft Internet Explorer. Provides support for Internet security and authorization, certificates, URL "auto-expand," browser errors, and access to the Microsoft Network.

• MS Parser Library (PPC) (v4.0.1): shared component used by Microsoft Office 98 and Microsoft Internet applications such as Microsoft Internet Explorer.

• MS Preferences Library PPC (v4.0.1): shared component used by Microsoft Office 98 and Microsoft Internet applications such as Microsoft Internet Explorer. Provides support for preferences, security, and Internet Config.

• MS Variant Lib (PPC) (v4.0.1): shared component used by Microsoft Office 98 and Microsoft Internet applications such as Microsoft Internet Explorer. 

PROGRAMMING FILES:

The following files are only installed by the "portability" toolkit used to convert Windows applications written with MFC (Microsoft Foundation Classes) to the Mac:

• Microsoft C Runtime Library: provides support for low-level shared functions written in C.

• Microsoft Controls Library: Mac versions of the Windows custom controls (i.e. pop-ups, tree control etc.)

• Microsoft MFC 4.0 Library: shared library which provides a Mac version of the Microsoft Foundation Classes. Uses the Portability library to convert Windows calls to the Mac OS.

• Microsoft MFC 4.0 ODBC Library: shared library which provides Mac support for the ODBC MFC classes.

• Microsoft MFC 4.0 OLE Library: shared library which provides Mac support for the OLE MFC classes

• Microsoft Portability Library: shared library which provides support for direct Windows to Macintosh system level porting. It implements most of the Windows API's on the Mac.

• Microsoft RichEdit Library: shared library which implements Windows' RichEdit control on the Mac. RichEdit is the Windows version of the Mac's "TexEdit" routines, but also includes RTF support.