PERSONAL TECH

Microsoft won the OLE vs OpenDoc wars. Now it's saying OLE dependencies don't matter

Microsoft's June Windows update has upset some third-party applications that use Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) automation to open or control Office apps, leaving users with failed document launches and, in some cases, no error message to explain what went wrong.

According to Microsoft, "reports indicate that this issue may affect applications such as CCH Engagement, Workpaper Manager, dental software (such as Dentrix and Softdent), and Zotero; other similar applications might also be impacted."

The workaround is to "open the application or document directly instead of launching it from the affected third-party application."

Microsoft was quick to point out that this wasn't its problem. The third parties concerned are "independent of Microsoft."

"We make no warranty, implied or otherwise, about the performance or reliability of these products."

That would be fair enough were it not for the fact that these third parties are relying on Windows plumbing that has been around since the 1990s, and abruptly breaking or changing something in a Windows release doesn't give those vendors much time to deal with the problem.

OLE allows one application to control another – for example, firing up a Word document or Excel spreadsheet from an accounting application. When it works properly, users don't need to switch between applications. The process should be seamless.

If opening the file directly, which somewhat defeats the point of OLE, doesn't help, ordinary users will have to wait for a fix in "a future Windows update." There is a mitigation for affected devices within organizations, though obtaining it requires contacting Microsoft support for business customers.

Veteran techies may find this mess ironic, given that in the 1990s Microsoft went all-in on OLE and ultimately saw off the rival OpenDoc tech backed by Apple and IBM.

The issue is the first that Microsoft has acknowledged in the patch, although the company's forums are full of users complaining about other difficulties, including OneDrive and BitLocker problems. ®