Working with Office components on the web server

Anyone who has tried using office components in a web application can testify that it’s a pain setting it up.

Just recently we ran into an issue setting it up on a Win2k8 R2 server. Just to ensure I can fall back upon something if I ever get caught out again, I am listing the steps here.

If the application Pool is running under a service account, then it needs to have access on the following:

1. The following registry keys:

a.       HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Wow6432Node\CLSID\{000xxx-xxx-xxx}

b.      HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{000xxx-xxx-xxx }

2.       This folder:

 %windir%\SysWoW64\config\systemprofile\Desktop

This folder no longer exists in Win2k8 – not sure why it was taken out but it is something that the office components need to create the files.

3.       Permissions in Component Services

a.       The permissions added in both section were as below:

·         Under Access Permissions à Edit Default à Add service account and check "Local Access" checkbox

·         Under "Launch and Activation permissions" à Edit Default à Add service account and check "Local Launch" and "Local activation" checkboxes