1.1. The digital signature has been tampered with after the content was signed. This content cannot be trusted

Applies to: @RISK 8.x 

Also available in Spanish: La firma digital ha sido alterada después de que se firmó el contenido. Este contenido no es de confianza.

Issue: When running @RISK or other Palisade add-ins I get this error "Microsoft Office has identified a potential security concern"

Warning: "The digital signature has been tampered with after the content was signed. This content cannot be trusted" File path C:\Programs Files (x86)\Palisade\(Add-in folder name)\(add-in name).xla

Our development team is working on a fix for this error (expected to be solved in our new release soon). A workaround that we have seen success with is to add the Palisade folder in Program Files to the trusted locations in the Trust Center in Excel. To do this, follow these recommended steps: 

• In Excel go to File > Options > Click Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Click Trusted Locations > Add new location.
• A dialog window will display and enter the folder location as listed in this image (Make sure to enable "Subfolders of this location are also trusted")

• Restart Excel and try again.

If you still experience issues, please contact tech-support@palisade.com including your license serial number to get personalized assistance.

 

Last Update: 2021-11-15

1.2. .NET on 64-bit Systems

I'm trying to install your software, but I get a message from the .NET portion of the install that it's a 32-bit program and is incompatible with my 64-bit Windows system. Help!

Please install .NET yourself, then re-run our installer. It will sense that the .NET components are installed and will not try to install them again.

• If you have a 8.x Palisade product, please see Microsoft Components Required for Palisade 8.x Software Install.

• If you have a 7.x Palisade product, please see Microsoft Components Required for Palisade 7.x Software Install.

• If you have a 6.x Palisade product under Windows 8, please see Microsoft Components Required for Palisade 6.x Software Install.

• If you have a 6.x Palisade product under Windows 7, Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003 R2, the required .NET 2.0 should already be installed as part of Windows.

• If you have a 6.x Palisade product under an earlier version of Windows, you may need to install .NET 2.0. Please download it from Microsoft's Download Center and install it.

• If you have a 5.x Palisade product, please see Microsoft Components Required for Palisade 5.x Software Install for .NET installation instructions, including the required version.

last edited: 2020-04-06

1.3. Install Failure: .NET 1.1

Applies to:
The DecisionTools Suite 5.0 through 5.5.1
NeuralTools 5.0 through 5.5.1

Problem:
My install fails because it can't download and install Microsoft .NET 1.1.

Response:
Do you have Vista Home Premium? Customers have reported that the Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 bundled with Vista Home Premium will not allow Microsoft .NET 1.1 to download and install.

The solution in this case is to use a different browser if you already have one installed, or to download and install Internet Explorer 8.

last edited: 2012-02-07

1.4. Installer Freezes at 100%

The installer seems to run, but when the progress bar is completely full (100% complete) the installer just hangs.

When the installer hangs with a full progress bar, that usually means that the installer doesn't have sufficient privilege.

• If you have Windows 7, 8, 10, or Vista, log on to Windows as a full administrator, right-click the installer, and select Run As Administrator. (Both you and the installer program must have full privilege.)
• If you have Windows XP, log on to Windows as a full administrator and repeat the install.

If that doesn't solve the problem, please look for any security software you might have that could be interfering. We know our installer works just fine on an out-of-the-box Windows PC, and we know also that the well-known antivirus and firewall programs are not an issue. But if you have some less common security software, try disabling it and repeating the install.

The Microsoft tool Fix problems that programs cannot be installed or uninstalled fixes some common installation problems, such as an installer hanging at 100% complete.

If that also fails, please contact Palisade Technical Support. We have a license repair tool that may solve the problem.

Last edited: 2015-09-30

1.5. EXE Installer Rolls Back without Explanation

Applies to: Installers for 6.x/7.x/8.x

I have full administrative rights. I right-clicked the installer and selected Run as administrator. There are no error messages, but then at the end of the install I get a message like this one:

Setup Completed
The installer was interrupted before DecisionTools Suite 7.0 could be completely installed.
Your system has not been modified. To complete installation at another time, please run setup again.

But I didn't interrupt the installer; it just decided on its own to roll back the install. How do I install the software?

It looks like one or more of your C++ runtimes is not working correctly.

For some customers, the solution is as follows:

1. See Microsoft Components Required for Palisade 8.x Software Install, Microsoft Components Required for Palisade 7.x Software Install or Microsoft Components Required for Palisade 6.x Software Install and manually install the necessary components directly from Microsoft's site. If you have issues with those installs, including error messages of any kind, please contact Microsoft support.
2. After you have installed all the required components without any kind of error message, rerun Palisade's installer. It will not try to reinstall the components that you installed separately, and this should be enough to let the installation finish normally.

If the installation still has the same problem, something more serious is going on. Please follow this procedure:

3. Uninstall all versions of Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable, from highest to lowest, making note of each one as you go.
4. Restart Windows.
5. Reinstall them, from lowest to highest, using the links you find at The Latest Supported Visual C++ Downloads. (There's no need to install any that you didn't uninstall.) If one of the versions you're installing is 2010, also install the Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Service Pack 1 Redistributable Package MFC Security Update.
6. Rerun Palisade's installer. If it needs any versions of Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable that you don't already have, it will reinstall them, but it won't reinstall any that you've already installed.

If the problem still remains, manually replace the DLLs in the System32 folder, as explained in solution 10 of 0xc00007b Error Fix. (Solutions 1–9 are general solutions which may not necessarily apply to the Visual C++ Redistributable issues specifically.)

Last edited: 2020-04-03

1.6. MSI Installer Runs, Then Rolls Back

Applies to: All products, releases 6.x/7.x/8.x (MSI installers)

I ran the MSI installer for one of your products. It seemed to get close to completion, but then started rolling back. There was no explanation or error message.

You must install certain Microsoft components before running one of our MSI installers. (Our EXE installers install these prerequisites automatically, if they are not automatically installed.) Please select the article for the software version you are installing:

• Microsoft Components Required for Palisade 8.x Software Install
  
• Microsoft Components Required for Palisade 7.x Software Install
• Microsoft Components Required for Palisade 6.x Software Install

Whether you are scripting the install or running the MSI by double-clicking, those Microsoft components must be installed first.

Last edited: 2020-04-06

1.7. Installer Just Shows a Windows Installer Help Message

Applies to:  All products, releases 6.x/7.x

When I run the installer, after the "extracting MSI" phase it just pops up a Windows Installer help message, like this:

Most occurrences of this problem are due to insufficient permissions, either running the installer within your browser or not running it as administrator. When you download the installer, and your browser prompts you for what to do, be sure to choose Save, not Run or Open. Then right-click the saved file and select Run As Administrator.

If that doesn't solve the problem, then something in your Windows setup is preventing the downloaded EXE-type installer from launching the extracted MSI-type installer. (Unfortunately, we have not been able to reproduce the problem here, so we're not sure just which setting is the problem.) Here is the workaround:

1. Install the prerequisites listed in Microsoft Components Required for Palisade 7.x Software Install or Microsoft Components Required for Palisade 6.x Software Install. The instructions indicate which components should or should not be installed in your particular flavor of Windows.

2. Open your temporary folder. Locate the extracted MSI-type installer file, right-click it, and select Run as administrator.

   TIP: To make the extracted installer easier to find, switch to Details view and sort by date modified. The file name is DTS63.msi, RISK63.msi, or similar. You may not be able to see the ".msi" part, but the file type is Windows Installer Package.

   If you can't find it, please contact Technical Support with your serial number and ask for a link to download the MSI installer for your product. When you download the link, select Save, not Run or Open; right-click the saved file and select Run as administrator.

Last edited: 2015-09-28

1.8. Antivirus Software Has Blocked The Installer

One method antivirus/antimalware software products use to flag malware is heuristic analyses, which examine a file’s binary contents and estimates, or guesses based on internal metrics whether the file is likely to contain malware.  Palisade software runs alongside and as an add-in to Microsoft Excel, and sometimes can be misidentified as malware, for example the @RISK launcher Risk.exe that starts Microsoft Excel.

Occasionally antivirus products will falsely identify Palisade products and interfere with its usage.  When this occurs, Palisade works with these companies to improve their heuristic methods and resolve the conflicts with our products.

If you are receiving a notification from your antivirus product or you suspect your antivirus product has quarantined a Palisade file, preventing either the installation or running the Palisade product:

• Make sure your antivirus product is up to date.  Check for any updates.
  
  
• In your antivirus product, whitelist or allow the Palisade file or files.  You may have to go into a quarantine area of the antivirus product.  If the antivirus product deleted the files, then uninstall and reinstall the Palisade product and during any notification in the antivirus product, allow the Palisade file(s).
  
  
• Report the behavior to Palisade: report the following:  Palisade product and version number, antivirus product name, version and database definitions version.  Include a list of Palisade file(s) affected, and if possible, screen captures of the false positive notification and resulting behavior in running the Palisade product.

Sample false positive submission:

Product:
Version:
Serial number or Activation ID:

Antivirus Product:
Antivirus Version:
Database Version:
Palisade Files Affected:
Screenshots of Notification:

Submit to support@palisade.com with subject heading “Antivirus False Positive”.  We will contact the antivirus manufacturer and follow up with you, however it may take several days for the antivirus product manufacturer to issue a corrected update.

Last edited: 2020-07-24

1.9. Problems in Silent Install

A few users have had problems with the silent install of 5.x, 6.x, or 7.x. We have not been able to reproduce them here, but as a service we pass on solutions that worked for those users.

PalFlex5 error:
Certain computers get a PalFlex5 error with the silent install of 5.7. If you get that error during silent install, please see this article: "PalFlex5.dll" during silent install of 5.7

Error in MSVC++ Redistributable install:
Some customers have reported that during a silent install with the /qb or /qn switch, they get a popup message "Another program is being installed. Please wait until that installation is complete, and then try installing this software again." If that happens to you, try replacing /qb or /qn with /qr (reduced interface). We are grateful to the customer who found this workaround.

We had one customer report that just replacing /qb or /qn with /qr did not work for him. After experimentation, he shared this additional possible solution with us:
"The program install works, using the command line 'setupprogram.exe /S /V/qr/NORESTART' from SCCM (Microsoft's Systems Centre Configuration Manager) if we tick the box to 'Allow users to interact with this program' and configure the advert to run 'whether or not a user is logged on'."

You may find it more convenient to install the prerequisites yourself in your script before running our installer. For the prerequisites, please see Microsoft Components Required for Palisade 7.x Software Install, Microsoft Components Required for Palisade 6.x Software Install, or Microsoft Components Required for Palisade 5.x Software Install.

last edited: 2015-09-28

1.10. Need 64-bit Version of Palisade Software

Applies to:
@RISK 5,7 and newer
BigPicture, all releases
Evolver 5.7 and newer
NeuralTools 5.7 and newer
PrecisionTree 5.7 and newer
StatTools 5.7 and newer
TopRank 5.7 and newer

I have 64-bit Excel, but @RISK installed in C:\Program Files (x86). I must have received the 32-bit version by mistake. How do I get the 64-bit version?

We have just the one version, and it works with both 32-bit and 64-bit Excel. Our software always installs in C:\Program Files (x86) because the code is mixed 32-bit and 64-bit. When our software runs as an add-in to 64-bit Excel, an "out-of-process server" runs automatically and makes the connection between 32-bit and 64-bit code. You don't have to set any options in the software to help it work with 64-bit Excel.

If your system is set up so that only specified .EXE files can run, you should add permission for the OutOfProcessServer files that you find in subfolders under C:\Program Files (x86)\Palisade.

See also: Should I Install 64-bit Excel?

Last edited: 2016-04-15

1.11. Textbook Software Installs as Trial Version

Applies to:
DecisionTools Suite, textbook edition

Problem:
I installed the textbook edition of the software, but when I launch it it tells me that it is a trial version, or License Manager says "There is no available license". What Activation ID should I use?

Response:
The textbook software does not require activation, if installed correctly. During installation, you need to extract all files from the .ZIP file to your desktop, and then run the installer. If you run the installer from within the .ZIP file (compressed folder), it will not find your textbook license and will install itself as a trial.

To solve this problem, simply reinstall the software correctly.  After installing, you can delete the files that you extracted to your desktop.

Additional keywords: No license available

last edited: 2017-02-03

1.12. "Another installation is in progress."

Applies to:  All products

You try to install Palisade software, and you get this message:

Error 1500. Another installation is in progress.

Maybe a previous installer crashed, maybe it didn't. What should you do?

First, try using Task Manager » Processes to end the msiexec.exe process, or just restart Windows. (Don't simply log off and on, but actually restart Windows.)

If that doesn't let you install, there are one or more System Registry keys telling Windows that an install is in progress. To fix this, please follow the procedure in Microsoft's Fix problems that programs cannot be installed or uninstalled.

We have also had customers tell us that they cleared the error condition as follows: run services.msc, change the Windows Installer service to Disabled, reboot, and then change Windows Installer service to Manual.  (This was suggested by Another Installation Already in Progress (But it's Not).  Please observe the usual caveats, as this is not a Microsoft site.)

Last edited: 2016-06-16

1.13. "Could not access network location"

I bought a textbook, and I'm trying to install the software that comes with the textbook. During install, I get this message:

Error 1606. Could not access network location http://download.palisade.com/....cab

The textbook installer first creates a license and then downloads the main software installer as a CAB-type file. Something on your system is preventing that second download. Please contact Palisade Technical Support for assistance. To avoid delays, please include a screen shot of the error message, plus the title and edition of your textbook and the ISBN.

I'm trying to install Palisade software in a virtual machine. During install, I get this message:

Error 1606. Could not access network location \\vmware-host\Shared Folders\...

This is usually a VMWare issue. Please follow these procedures from the VMWare Knowledge Base and VMWare users:

• Troubleshooting access to shared and mirrored folders in Fusion and Workstation (1027646)
• Could not access to Network Location after Windows 8.1 Update

If you need further assistance, please contact VMWare for support, or if possible install the software in your real machine. Palisade Technical Support is unable to troubleshoot issues with VMWare's shared folders.

Last edited: 2016-03-31

1.14. "Could not access VBScript run time for custom action"

Applies to:
@RISK 5.0 installer under Windows Vista only

Problem:
When installing @RISK in my Windows Vista system, I got the error message

Error 2738. Could not access VBScript run time for custom action

Response:
There are a few different issues involved here, all unique to Windows Vista:

• Make sure to "Run as Administrator". Even when you are logged in as the Administrator, you may not be actually executing programs as an Administrator. When launching the @RISK for Excel installation file (or doing many other tasks, for that matter), make sure to right-click on the file and choose "Run as Administrator" (second item in the list). If you don't, then you are most likely running the program with limited permissions, and things such as registry keys and system files will not be created or updated properly.

• Register the VBSCRIPT.DLL file. Vista does not register this file by default. To register this file manually, click Start » Run, or Start » All Programs » Accessories » Run. Type

  regsvr32 vbscript.dll

  into the box and press Enter. You should see a dialog indicating that registration of the file succeeded. If that fails, click Start » All Programs » Accessories, right-click on Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator. Type in

  regsvr32 vbscript.dll

  and press Enter. You should get a dialog stating that the registration succeeded.

  NOTE: If you are running a 64-bit version of Windows Vista, register the VBSCRIPT.DLL file by running C:\windows\syswow64 instead of the system command prompt.

• Once you have the VBSCRIPT.DLL file registered, launch the @RISK for Excel installer. Again, make sure you are using the "Run as administrator" option to launch the installer.

last edited: 2012-11-17

1.15. "Could not open key" during install of 5.5

Applies to:
Palisade software version 5.5 installers

Problem:
When I try to run the installer, I get the message

Error 1402. Could not open key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE32\Software\Wow6432Node\FLEXlm License Manager. Verify that you have sufficient access to that key, or contact your support personnel.

Response:
Our software is compatible with 64-bit Windows, but a small number of users have experienced this problem on install.

The first thing to check is that you have truly extracted all of the ZIP file components from the archive into an empty directory. Attempting to run the installer from within the ZIP file -- even if the ZIP file appears to open in a separate window -- will not actually extract all of the files or make use of them properly.

If the problem persists, please contact Palisade Technical Support for an alternative installer that will work around the problem. Please include your Activation ID or the details of your course license.

last edited: 2010-01-12

1.16. "Error 1304. Error writing to file OptQuestNET.dll."

Applies to: All products, releases 7.x

My installation fails with his message:

Error 1304. Error writing to file OptQuestNET.dll. Verify that you have access to that directory.

What directory is it talking about?

The error message is unfortunately misleading. The real problem is that our 7.x releases require .NET 4.0 or 4.5, and it is not installed on this computer. Our EXE installer installs it automatically, but if you're using an MSI installer you need to install .NET and other prerequisites before running our installer. Please see Microsoft Components Required for Palisade 7.x Software Install.

Last edited: 2015-07-22

1.17. "Error 1316. A network error occurred" in a 6.x/7.x install

Applies to: All products, 6.x/7.x, standalone or network client

While installing an upgrade of @RISK or other software, I get this error message or a similar one:

Error 1316. A network error occurred while attempting to read from the file C:\Windows\Installer\DTS62.msi

Error 1316 doesn't actually have anything to do with networking.  It seems to occur during the upgrade process of many vendors' products, but not many users of any one product. We at Palisade have seen this problem only rarely.

The simplest solution for a standalone version is:

1. Uninstall your existing version of the software, in Control Panel » Programs and Features. You'll be asked whether to deactivate the license; answer No.
2. Install the new version. (The upgrade installer also functions as a full installer.) During install, on the Customer Information screen, be sure to select "I am upgrading" in the bottom section, so that the upgrade will carry your license forward.

The simplest solution for a Concurrent Network client is:

1. Uninstall your existing version of the software, in Control Panel » Programs and Features.
2. Install the new version. (The upgrade installer also functions as a full installer.)

Last edited: 2015-09-14

1.18. "Error 1316. A network error occurred" in StatTools 5.5 install

Applies to: StatTools 5.5
(For a similar error with any 5.7 network installer, please see Server Install (5.7): "A network error occurred while attempting to read from the file ...". For this error with 6.x, please see "A network error occurred" in a 6.x/7.x install.)

Problem:
While installing StatTools, I get this error message:

Error 1316. A network error occurred while attempting to read from the file C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Local Cache\...\StatTools 5.0 for Excel, Industrial Edition.msi

Solution:
The Microsoft Windows Installer Cleanup Utility may be able to repair this condition; please contact Technical Support at support@palisade.com for a download link and instructions.

last edited: 2009-12-31

1.19. "Error 1316. The specified account already exists."

Applies to: All products

During install, I get this message:

Error 1316. the specified account already exists.

Are you installing with full administrative rights? To make certain that you are, right-click the installer and select Run as administrator.

The next most likely explanation is some bad registry entries. Microsoft offers a tool to solve these sorts of install and uninstall problems; please see Fix problems that block programs from being installed or removed. When the fix-it tool asks what you're trying to install, select "not listed" unless you're installing the exact same version that was previously installed. For example, both 7.5.0 and 7.5.1 would show up as 7.5 in the list in the fix-it tool, but they are different installers so you would select "not listed" if you're installing 7.5.1 over 7.5.0.

Last edited: 2017-01-20

1.20. "Error 1324. The path My Documents contains an invalid character."

When I run your installer, I get the message

Error 1324.
The path My Documents contains an invalid character.

or

Error 1324.
The path My Pictures contains an invalid character.

Is your My Pictures or My Documents folder actually on a remote computer on your local network? Just disconnect from the network temporarily to do the install.

If the folder is not on your own computer or your LAN, or if it is but the above doesn't work for you, please contact Palisade Technical Support for assistance.

Last edited: 2017-06-09

1.21. "Error 1325: Documents is not a valid short file name"

Last Update: 2020-02-11

1.22. "Error 1327: Invalid Drive (I:\ F:\ D:\ H:\)"

Disponible tambien en Español: Error 1327: Unidad no Válida (I:\ F:\ D:\ H:\)

Applies to: Version 7.x

Issue: When Downloading @RISK and running the software, during installation there's a pop-up message saying: "Error 1327: Invalid Drive" 

This error you're making reference is not related to our software at all, it looks like the system registry contains references to a hard drive or network drive that is no longer connected, generating this error code at the end.

The instructions below include making changes to essential parts of your operating system. It is recommended that you backup your operating system and files, including the registry, before proceeding.

Navigate to Start > Run, type Regedit and click OK.

In the Windows Registry Editor, expand the following node:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders

In the right pane, look for any value that contains a drive that is not correct or currently connected. Right-click the entry and select Modify.

Type C:\My Documents in the Value data box, and click OK.

Repeat step 3 and 4 for each of the following registry keys:

• HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders
  
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
  
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders
  
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders

Close the Registry Editor and install @RISK once again. 

Last Update: 2020-01-27

1.23. "Error 1606. Could not access network location %HOMESHARE%\My Documents\"

The installer fails with the message

"Error 1606. Could not access network location %HOMESHARE%\My Documents\"

What can I do to allow the install to proceed?

It seems you have the HOMESHARE environment variable set to a network location, and there's a permissions problem. To check this, open a command prompt and execute this command:

echo %HOMESHARE%

Suppose the response is \\ASERVER1\Users\ABCXYZ. The user doing the install must have at least read access to ABCXYZ, or the lowest-level folder, and all users must have at least read access to Users, or the folder one level up. This is necessary only during the install, not when running the Palisade software after installation.

See also: Environment variables in Windows NT

Last edited: 2017-06-28

1.24. "Error 1905. Module ... failed to unregister."

Applies to:
All products, releases 5.x and newer

While reinstalling Palisade software, I get the error message

Error 1905. Module C:\Program Files\ ... failed to unregister. HRESULT -2147220472. Contact your support personnel.

The error message could mention any file name. Here are a few that we have in tickets in the Tech Support database: AtRiskOL.dll, PalGraph7Server.exe, PTreeOutOfProcessServer.exe, RiskOpt6DE.dll, StatTools5_EN.dll. But you could get this message with any file in our software.

For some reason, the installer is having trouble getting access to files that are already installed, possibly because something is still running. This procedure seems to work:

1. Restart your computer — not just logging off and on, but a full restart.
2. Save your license file, if you have a .LIC file in C:\Program Files (x86)\Palisade\System or C:\Program Files (x86)\Palisade\System.
3. Delete the folder C:\Program Files (x86)\Palisade folder or C:\Program Files\Palisade.
4. Run REGEDIT, and go to to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\WOW6432Node in 64-bit Windows, or HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Palisade in 32-bit Windows. Under that key, delete the Palisade subkey.

This should let you reinstall the software.

Last edited: 2016-11-04

1.25. "Error 1935. An error occurred during the installation of assembly ..."

Disponible en español: "Error 1935. Ocurrió un error durante la instalación del ensamblado ..."

Applies to: All releases 6.x/7.x

When I try to install Palisade software, I get the error message

Error 1935. An error occurred during the installation of assembly component

followed by a long code in { } braces, or

Error 1935. An error occurred during the installation of assembly

followed by a Microsoft product name, such as Microsoft VC80.CRT.

This happens occasionally, and for most people the cure is simple:

Try installing Microsoft components manually:

Windows Insider:

Last edited: 2018-11-27

1.26. "Error 1940: Module ... PalGraph5Server failed to register"

Applies to:
@RISK 5.x

While installing the 5.x software, I get this message:

Error 1940: Module C:\Program Files (x86)\Palisade\System\PalGraph5Server failed to register. HRESULT -2147220473. Contact your support personnel.

After the install, when I try to launch the software I get "Permission denied."

The cure for this is a clean uninstall and reinstall of the Palisade software.

Last edited: 2018-07-25

1.27. "Error 2908. Could not register component"

Applies to: All Palisade software, releases 5.x/6.x

When I try to install Palisade software, I get the error message

Error 2908. Could not register component

followed by a long code in { } braces.

It looks like your .NET 2.0 installation is damaged. The solution is to uninstall and reinstall .NET 2.0, which our software uses. However, there may be higher versions of . NET on your computer, and those will also need to be uninstalled and reinstalled in a particular order.

Important: If you log in to your Windows computer using a nonstandard method (e.g., fingerprint reader, face recognition device, or voice recognition tool), turn off or uninstall the tool BEFORE you uninstall .NET. That way, if your tool requires .NET Framework, it won't prevent you from logging back in to your Windows computer.

1. It's not required, but you may want to run the .NET Framework Setup Verification Tool first. If .NET passes verification, then it's not likely that uninstalling and reinstalling .NET will accomplish anything.

2. Open Control Panel » Programs and Features, or click the Start button and enter programs and features in the search window. (In Windows XP, open Control Panel and then Add or Remove Programs.)

3. Uninstall everything that starts with "Microsoft .NET", from highest version number down to lowest version number.

4. Download and install all of the following that pertain to your versions of Windows, from lowest to highest number:

   • Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0
   • Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1
   • Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0

5. Install the Palisade software.

Last edited: 2015-02-26

1.28. "Failed to load FNP_Act_Installer.dll"

Applies to: All installers for 5.x releases

Near the end of the install, I get the message

Error: -1
Failed to load FNP_Act_Installer.dll

and then the install fails.

Try a repair install of the product, using the instructions in Repair of Palisade Software.

Last edited: 2008-11-11

1.29. "Invalid Key Code" (Releases 1.x and 4.x)

Applies to:
All products, versions 1.x and 4.x

Problem:
While installing Palisade software, I type my serial number and key code when prompted, but I get the message "invalid key code".

Solution:
There are several possible causes and cures:

• Make sure you're using the right code. If it has dashes or hyphens in it, it's an ID code or an authorization code, not a key code. Your installation key code was provided when you bought the software. If you can't locate it, call or email Palisade with the serial number and we will help you.

• Check the code carefully. It contains only the digits 0 (zero) through 9 and the letters A through F. If you see something that looks like a letter I or L or O, it's actually the digit 1 or 0 (zero). If you see a dash or hyphen, it's not a key code at all.

• If you're copy/pasting the code from an email, make sure you have all the characters but no spaces or tabs. The installers consider every character, even a space, as an intended part of the key code.

• If you downloaded the installer, make sure you have the right product, the right version, and the right language.

  • @RISK for Excel is sold separately and also as part of The DecisionTools Suite, but they have completely separate installers. The installer for @RISK for Excel sold separately begins with RSK; the installer for the DecisionTools Suite begin with DTS.
  • A standard edition contains the letters STD, a professional edition contains the letters PRO, and an industrial edition contains the letters IND.
  • Non-English versions will have a two-letter suffix, such as _ES for Spanish.

  If you're not sure you have the right installer, please call or email Palisade Technical Support with the file name and your serial number and we will help you.

• Make sure you have the right key code for this serial number. Sometimes a company will buy a block of serial numbers but mix up which key code goes with which serial number. Again, if you can't sort this out we will be happy to help you.

last edited: 2011-01-24

1.30. "Key not valid for use in specified state."

Applies to: All release 6.x products

During install, I get this message:

Key not valid for use in specified state.

First, make sure that your account has full administrative rights. Partial rights, "domain admin", or "local admin" may not be sufficient. In Vista and later, right-click the installer and select Run As Administrator; in Windows XP just double-click the installer.

Based on Internet research in October 2014, another possibility — unconfirmed at this writing — is a failed Windows update, specifically KB2918614. This update is known to cause problems with the Windows installer service, particularly for programs that install Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable (which Palisade does). Please see Microsoft's article KB2918614 breaks Windows Installer Service (accessed 2014-10-27).

Last edited: 2014-10-27

1.31. "Msvcrt40.dll could not be opened"

Applies to: @RISK for Project 4.1

When trying to install @RISK, I get this error message:

The file 'C:\Windows\system32\Msvcrt40.dll' could not be opened. Please check that your disk is not full and that you have access to the destination directory.

This appears to be a Windows permissions problem rather than a problem in @RISK. For the solution, please see Microsoft's article msvcrt40.dll could not be opened, and use Method 2 to take ownership of the file. (Our link to the article was correct as of 2015-09-14. If the link does not work for you, try searching at Microsoft.com for the text "msvcrt40.dll could not be opened", with the quote marks.)

Last edited: 2015-09-14

1.32. "PalFlex5.dll" during silent install of 5.7

Applies to: All products, release 5.7

During a silent install of Palisade software release 5.7, I get an error box with just "PalFlex5.dll" in it, or the install simply hangs.

The PalFlex5.dll file, which is part of the Palisade software, requires a component called
C:\WINDOWS\WinSxS\x86_Microsoft.VC80.MFC_1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b_8.0.50727.4053_x-ww_b77cec8e
The interactive installer installs this component, but the silent installer does not. The silent install works on some PCs but not others, because some PCs already have that component installed.

Before beginning the silent install, run the vcredist_x86.exe update to Visual C++. (Note: The version of this exe is 6.0.2900.2180, but it contains files of the required version, which is 8.0.50727.4053.)

You can download this update from a Web page titled
"Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Service pack 1 redistributable Package ATL security update"
which contains references to KB973544 and MS09-35. As of 2015-09-14, the URL is
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=14431
But if that URL no longer works, use the above information to search for the file.

If the above does not solve the problem, please try what worked for one user: uninstalling and reinstalling the VC++ component.

Last edited: 2015-09-14

1.33. "Setup was unable to activate the Activation ID ..."

Applies to: All products, releases 6.x/7.x/8.x

My install will not finish. I get this message:

Setup was unable to activate the Activation ID activation-ID. The software is currently installed as a fully functional trial. When you run the software, a screen will appear to guide you through the activation process.

Or,

Setup is unable to install Activation ID activation-ID. See product Help Menu / License Manager to view available licenses or information on obtaining a new license.

How can I get past this and finish the install?

The message unfortunately does not give you the key piece of information, which is that this affects just the license, not the actual software install. For some reason, the installer was unable to do an Automatic Activation of your Activation ID. Maybe your firewall prevents the installer from talking to Palisade's license server, maybe the Activation ID is already activated, or maybe it's something else. There's no retry at this stage, but you can activate the software later. For now, click the OK button to let the install finish. Assuming there are no other error messages, the software will be installed as a 15-day trial.

After the installation finishes, your next steps depend on whether the Activation ID is already activated, and where.

If your Activation ID has never been activated ...

1. Run the end-user software. You'll get a pop-up asking you to continue with trial or run License Manager.
2. Select License Manager, click Activate, and enter your Activation ID.
3. Select Manual Activation, not Automatic, and follow the instructions on your screen.

If your Activation ID is already activated on another computer, please follow the directions in Transferring Standalone Software 6.x/7.x/8.x to a New Computer.

If your Activation ID is already activated on this computer ...

1. Launch the software. You should see a prompt with a License Manager button at the bottom. Click that button.
2. In License Manager, click Select License.
3. If your license appears on the Select License screen, click it and click OK. The software will remember to use the license in the future.
4. If your license doesn't appear, but there's an Unusable Licenses button, click it. If your license appears there, and it's broken, follow the instructions for your software version in "FAILURE: License is broken."
5. If your license appears with some other status on the Unusable Licenses screen, please send a screen shot to Palisade Technical Support.
6. If your license doesn't appear on the Select License screen or the Unusable Licenses screen, either the license is activated on some other computer or the Activation ID is not valid. Please contact Palisade Technical Support and include your Activation ID.

Last edited: 2020-04-06

1.34. "This app can't run on your PC" (at install time)

Applies to:
All products, during install on Windows 10

If your software was previously installed and running, see "This app can't run on your PC" (at run time).

I'm trying to install Palisade software, but I get this pop-up from Windows 10:

This app can't run on your PC.

To find a version for your PC, check with the software publisher.

All our software versions 6.0 and newer run on Windows 10. This is a false message produced by erroneous code in Windows 10 or an update to Windows 10.

Disabling SmartScreen should remove this false positive message. To disable SmartScreen:

1. If you have a Windows logo key on your keyboard, press it and the S key together and type smartscreen — otherwise, right-click the Start button and select Control Panel » System and Security » Security and Maintenance.
2. On the dialog that appears, click Change SmartScreen Settings.
3. Select Don't do anything (turn off Windows SmartScreen), and click OK.

Restart the install, and it should succeed, assuming you have administrative rights on your computer.

After the install, you may or may not want to continue with SmartScreen disabled. Some would say it's a bit drastic because it will also inhibit legitimate warnings. Whether this is suitable for you depends on your browsing and downloading habits, and how you use your computer. If you want to re-enable SmartScreen, follow the same menu path and then select either Warn before running or Get administrator approval.

Last edited: 2017-10-03

1.35. "This installation package could not be opened."

I'm trying to download and install your software, but the installer puts up this message and refuses to run:

This installation package could not be opened. Verify that the package exists and that you can access it, or contact the application vendor to verify that this is a valid Windows Installer package.

Please verify that your browser considers the download 100% complete before you start the install. 

If the download is 100% complete and you get this message, most likely there is a problem with the Windows Installer Service on your computer.  Either the service is disabled (blocked from running), or one or more of its files are corrupted.  Please visit Microsoft's article How to Troubleshoot Windows Installer Errors and follow the instructions there.  If you're unable to complete the instructions there, you may need to have your IT department run the procedure for you or unblock the Windows Installer Service.

If you have successfully repaired the Windows Installer Service and still have a problem with the install, please contact Palisade Technical Support.

Last edited: 2016-08-23

1.36. "This installer requires a certificate license ..."

Disponible en español: El instalador requiere una licencia basada en certificado...

Applies to: All Palisade software, release 6.x/7.x/8.x

When I try to install a network client, course workstation version, or textbook version, I get this error message:

This installer requires a certificate license (.lic) or network license (.ini) file in the same folder as setup.exe

If you are installing a commercial or academic network client:  During installation, a Palisade_NetworkClient.ini file must be in the same folder as the installer executable.  This file tells the installer how to find your server that holds the license information.  For instructions on creating and using this file, please see the Network Guide, specifically Server Step 4 and Concurrent Network Client Setup.

If you are installing a course license on a standalone workstation:  With your software you received a .lic file containing the license information.  You must have that file in the same folder as the installer during installation. The license file must be named Palisade_Course.lic; if you rename it the installer may fail to find it.

IT personnel:  If you are installing an MSI version of the installer, it may need help in finding your .lic or .ini file.  Use the SETUPEXEDIR keyword to identify the location of the .lic or .ini file.  Please see Scripting the Client Install.

Additional keywords: SETUPEXEDIR, MSI install

Last edited: 2020-04-06

2.1. Running DecisionTools Add-in “as Administrator” Can Block Future Access to Registry Keys that Store Preferences and Other Information

Symptoms

@RISK 8.0-8.1.1: “Access to the registry key… is denied” when changing preferences or other defaults.

All other add-ins, and @RISK version 7.6.1 or earlier: Changes to preferences and applications settings sometime not being remembered.

Applies to:

All Products Version 8.1.1 or earlier.

Description

All the DecisionTools add-in products (version 8.1.1 or earlier) have a flaw that occurs if the very first time you run any DecisionTools add-in, you choose to run it and/or Microsoft Excel “as administrator.”  (Running a product as administrator is often referred to as running “with elevation” or “with elevated privileges” and those terms will be used in this document.)  In that situation, subsequent use of the add-ins without those same elevated privileges can result in the add-in being unable to retain changes of different preferences and settings to the system registry where they are stored.  In @RISK versions 8.0 – 8.1.1, you’ll get warning messages telling you that “access to the registry key” is denied.  In earlier versions of @RISK, and all the other DecisionTools add-ins, the problem will occur silently.  No error message will indicate the problem, but changes to the add-in preferences or other permanent settings may not hold when the add-in is restarted.

The problem occurs because when various registry keys were created with elevated privileges, they were incorrectly restricted from being changed by software that didn’t have those elevated privileges.

Please note: This is not a problem if you are running on an administrator account.  The problem only manifests itself when running with administrator elevation.

 

Fix in Version 8.2

This issue will be fixed for all products in version 8.2.   

However, if your registry is already in the bad state from a previous version of the software, you still may want to follow the steps below to reset the registry.

 

Workarounds:

 

Option 1: Continue to Run as Administrator

A simple workaround for this issue is to continue to run as administrator.  However, this might not be convenient or desirable.

 

Option 2: Reset the Registry

A more comprehensive solution is to remove the portion of the registry that was created with incorrectly elevated privilege requirements and then rerun the software without elevation.  This allows those keys to be recreated with the correct non-elevated privileges.  There are two side effects to this approach:

• It will cause you to lose any preferences, defaults, and application settings that you have configured previously.
• The software may forget what license you are using. This, however, is easily corrected by going to the product’s License Manager, clicking the “Select License” button, and choosing your license from the list.

To reset the registry:

• Close Excel and all Palisade software.
• Click » Start » Run, enter the command REGEDIT and click OK.
• Locate the key “\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Palisade”
• Right-click on the “Palisade” key and choose the Rename command.
• Rename the key “Palisade-Old”

Here we have renamed the bad key as “Palisade-Old” instead of deleting it.  This gives you the option of restoring this key if things do not work correctly.

If you have questions, feel free to reach out to support@palisade.com and don't forget to include your serial number in your request. 

Note: A valid and current maintenance plan is needed for you to get our assistance, if it's expired, feel free to contact sales@palisade.com to renew it.

 

Last Update: June 6th, 2023

2.2. I've installed the software. Why don't I see it in Excel?

Applies to:
The DecisionTools Suite, all releases
BigPicture, all releases
Evolver, all releases
NeuralTools, all releases
PrecisionTree, all releases
@RISK for Excel and RISKOptimizer, all releases
StatTools, all releases
TopRank, all releases

I installed the software, and the install ran to completion, but when I open Excel I don't see @RISK (BigPicture, Evolver, NeuralTools, PrecisionTree, StatTools, TopRank). What is wrong?

Nothing is wrong. By default, our software does not load automatically in Excel.

To launch the software: Either double-click the desktop icon (if you selected desktop icons during install), or click the Start Button and select the Palisade DecisionTools program group. If Excel is already running, the software will attach to the running copy; otherwise the software will launch Excel for you. (If Excel is already running and the software doesn't attach to it, look up the error message in this Knowledge Base or if appropriate see Nothing Happens When I Launch the Software.)

To make the software run automatically every time you run Excel: Please see Opening Palisade Software Automatically Whenever Excel Opens. That article lists some specific add-ins; please don't make any other Palisade add-ins active. Also, please don't manually add any toolbars. That is not necessary to make the software run, and it may actually cause the software to malfunction.

TIP: You can make it easier to launch @RISK without necessarily starting it every time you start Excel. In the Start menu, in the Palisade DecisionTools program group, right-click any of our icons and select Pin to Taskbar or perhaps Pin to Start Menu. Then you always have the software handy, without drilling down into the Start menu or moving windows that are covering a desktop icon.

But shouldn't it be in Excel's add-ins list?

Our software may appear in Excel's list of inactive add-ins. This is normal, not a sign of trouble. It doesn't need to be in Excel's list of active add-ins unless you want it to launch with Excel every time, as mentioned above.

Last edited: 2017-04-04

2.3. Nothing Happens When I Launch the Software

Disponible tambien en Español: Nada sucede cuando inicio el Software

Applies to: @RISK and all other Palisade add-ins for Excel, all releases

I double-click the desktop icon for @RISK (StatTools, PrecisionTree, ...) and it seems like nothing happens. (A message "initializing Microsoft Excel" appears briefly, but that's all.) If I go through the Palisade DecisionTools group in the Windows Start menu, it's the same story.

The cause could be any of these issues.  From most common to most unusual:

A. Excel running but not visible

B. Disabled add-in (Excel 2007 and newer)

C. Antivirus

D. Policy setting

A few IT departments may unintentionally set Windows group policies that interfere with running Palisade software.  If @RISK can't add its tab to the Excel ribbon, please see @RISK Initializes, But No Tab Appears in Ribbon and @RISK Creates Empty Add-Ins Tab in Ribbon.

 

E. Microsoft Office 2016 

Last edited: 2021-06-11

2.4. Excel Closes after the Software Loads

Applies to:
@RISK, NeuralTools, StatTools

Does not apply to:
BigPicture, Evolver, PrecisionTree, TopRank

When I launch @RISK, NeuralTools, or StatTools, Excel opens, and a series of messages in the Excel status line shows components of the Palisade software loading. But at the end of that, instead of displaying the READY status, Excel closes without displaying any error message. The other tools in the Suite load and run normally.

The customer who reported this problem had the DecisionTools Suite 7.5.1. Most likely the same would happen with some other releases of the software, but we don't know which ones. This is an unusual problem, and we've had only one case of this specific issue so far. The customer actually found the solution, after we and they spent considerable time troubleshooting. We're recording it here to save time for others with a similar security suite.

The issue was some high-security software, specifically HBSS (Host-Based Security Solution) and HIPS (Host Intrusion Prevention System) within McAfee. HBSS was blocking Excel when the @RISK, NeuralTools, or StatTools add-ins loaded within Excel. The solution was to capture the software fingerprints of those three add-ins from ePo and add them to the whitelist exemptions list.

Last edited: 2018-02-23

2.5. Find and Fix Startup Conflicts (Excel 2007 and Newer)

Disponible en español: Buscar y corregir Conflictos de Inicio (Excel 2007 y Posteriores)
Disponível em português: Procurando e reparando conflitos na inicialização (Excel 2007–2013)

Applies to: All Palisade products running as add-ins to Excel 2007 or newer.
If you have Excel 2000 through 2003, please see Find and Fix Startup Conflicts (Excel 2003 and Earlier).

Palisade software is not behaving correctly, and I think the problem may be a conflict with something else loaded in Excel. Do you have any kind of checklist for diagnosis?

If you have Excel 2013 or 2016, do this first: Open Excel and click File » Options » General. Remove the check mark from the last entry, "Show the Start screen when this application starts". Close Excel and reopen the Palisade software. (Why? One class of add-ins conflicts with some Palisade add-ins only when the Excel Start screen is enabled.) If that solves your issue, you can skip the rest of this article.

There are four potential sources of conflict: Excel add-ins, COM add-ins (two groups in separate lists), and your own automatic startup files.  When there's a startup conflict, turn off all the possible sources at once, then turn them back on again one at a time.  The Excel settings for this are scattered in several places in Excel and even in the System Registry.  We have tried to provide a step-by-step procedure to cover all the cases:

1. Excel 2010 and later: click the File tab in the ribbon and then Options.
   Excel 2007: click the round Office button, then Excel Options.
   (If you can't even launch Excel, see Removing Excel Add-Ins if Excel Won't Start, below.)

2. In the options list, click Add-Ins » Manage: Excel Add-Ins » Go. Remove the check marks from all third-party add-ins.

   If you have any Palisade add-ins checked (ticked), remove the check marks.  Our add-ins are designed to run without the check marks, except as explained in Opening Palisade Software Automatically Whenever Excel Opens.

   Excel's own add-ins such as Analysis Toolpak, Conditional Sum Wizard, Internet Assistant, Lookup Wizard, and Solver are not a problem.

   Get back to Options and click Add-Ins again. In the list of Active Add-ins at the top of the right-hand panel, are there any COM add-ins? If so, at the bottom click Manage: COM And-Ins » Go. Remove the check marks from all third-party add-ins. Caution: Some COM add-ins add themselves back if you disable them, either right away or the next time you open Excel. The next time you reopen Excel, verify that your COM add-ins have not re-enabled themselves.

3. Get back to Options again and click Advanced, then scroll down to the General section. Look at the box labeled "At startup, open all files in". If there is anything in the box, make a note of it, temporarily clear the box, and click OK. (You will put that setting back later, in step 6.)

4. Close Excel, open My Computer, and do a file search for XLSTART. There will probably be more than one folder with that name. Remove everything from every XLSTART folder. (You will put them back later, in step 7.)

5. Now, run the Palisade software that was having a problem. If it now behaves correctly, then a startup conflict was responsible for the problem. But if the problem still occurs, please go to step 8.

6. If Palisade software is now running okay, you can determine which item(s) provided the conflicts. Restore the setting of "At startup, open all files in", close Excel, and reopen our software. If the problem returns, you will have to eliminate items from that folder one by one, closing Excel and reopening our software each time, till the problem no longer occurs.

7. Close Excel and restore one item to your XLSTART folders, then test our software. Repeat, closing Excel each time, till you've eliminated every conflict and added back every safe item.

8. Some third-party COM add-ins don't appear in Excel's list, so you can't disable them there but must do it in the System Registry.  With Excel closed, click Start » Run, enter the REGEDIT command, and click OK.  Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Excel\Addins.  If it exists, right-click Addins and export it as a .REG file so that you can restore the settings later.  Then expand Addins and click on each subentry in turn, but not the "BigPicture Support Add-in", which comes from Palisade.  For each subentry, look at LoadBehavior in the right-hand panel and if it is 3 change it to 0.

   Repeat for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\Excel\Addins or HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Office\Excel\Addins, whichever one exists.

9. You might not actually have a startup conflict, but rather an outdated or unstable version of Excel. It's very important to make sure you have the latest Service Pack installed.

   • Excel 2016 is too new for Service Packs, but verify that you have a released copy, not a prebuild.
   • Excel 2013: Click FILE » Account » About Excel. You should have at least Service Pack 1 (SP1), which was released in October 2015.
   • Excel 2010: Click File » Help and then in the right-hand pane click "Additional version and copyright information". A new window will open, and the first line in that window will show the installed Service Pack (SP), if any. As of October  2015, the latest Service Pack is SP2, but if you're reading this article later, please check at Microsoft's site to make sure you aren't missing a new Service Pack.
   • Excel 2007: Click the round Office button, then Excel Options » Resources. Look at the last line in the right-hand panel to make sure Excel has at least SP2 (Service Pack 2) installed. If not, go to Microsoft's site to download the latest (SP3), then install it.

10. Office 2007 only: We have found that a repair install (not a reinstall) of Office 2007 cures many problems, even right after you have installed an Office 2007 service pack. The procedure for the repair install is explained in Repair of Excel or Project.

Removing Excel Add-Ins if Excel Won't Start:

1. Click Start » Run, type REGEDIT, and press the Enter key.  (You will probably need administrative rights for this.  If your IT department does this for you, they must log in as you with administrative rights, because this procedure must be performed within your user profile.)

2. In the left-hand panel, navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office.

3. Under Office, navigate to 12.0\Excel\Options for Excel 2007, 14.0\Excel\Options for Excel 2010, 15.0\Excel\Options for Excel 2013, or 16.0\Excel\Options for Excel 2016.

4. For safety, make a backup copy of this entry, by right-clicking Options and selecting Export.  Chose any file name and location, but keep the file type as .REG.

5. In the right-hand panel, right-click on each OPEN value and select Delete.  Answer Yes to the confirming prompt.

6. Go back to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office in the left panel, then down to Excel\Addins under Office. Right-click Addins, select Export, and pick a file name and location. Then, right-click the Addins key and select Delete.

7. Now, go all the way back to the root of the Registry, then select HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Office\Excel\Addins or HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Office\Excel\Addins, whichever exists. Right-click Addins, select Export, and pick a file name and location. Then, right-click the Addins key and select Delete.

8. Click File » Exit to close Registry Editor. 

Excel should now start without add-ins.  (Any startup files in your XLSTART folders are still loaded when Excel starts up, so be sure that you've already moved them.)

You can restore the previous values of those keys by double-clicking the .REG files that you saved.

Additional keywords: start up conflicts, conflicts at start up, conflicts at startup

Last edited: 2019-02-05

2.6. Find and Fix Startup Conflicts (Excel 2003 and Earlier)

Disponible en español: Buscar y corregir Conflictos de inicio (Excel 2003 y anteriores)
Disponível em português: Procurando e reparando conflitos na inicialização (Excel 2003 e anteriores)

Applies to:
All Palisade products running as add-ins to Excel 2003 or earlier
If you have Excel 2007 or later, please see Find and Fix Startup Conflicts (Excel 2007–2016).

Problem:
If you get an error message or a series of error messages when starting the software, you may have a conflict with one of your add-ins or startup files. Some possible messages include "Palgraph5 server error" or a runtime error with a long number.

Solution:
First try searching for the particular message in the Knowledge Books, but if you don't find it then you may be able to diagnose any conflicts by starting Excel in Safe Mode. (Excel Safe Mode is different from Windows Safe Mode.  You do not need to restart your computer.)

This procedure applies to Excel 2000 through Excel 2003, but not Excel 2007 or later.

1. Close Excel if it's already running.

2. Press and hold the Ctrl key, then click the Windows Start button and select Programs or All Programs » Microsoft Office » Microsoft Excel. Continue holding the Ctrl key down.

3. When the prompt appears asking whether you want to start Excel in Safe Mode, release the Ctrl key and answer Yes.

   If the above doesn't open Excel in Safe Mode, please see Microsoft's Knowledge Base article How to troubleshoot startup problems in Excel (accessed 2014-01-08) and scroll down to "Let me start it myself".

4. When Excel has loaded, click Tools » Add-ins. Remove the check marks from all third-party add-ins.

   If you have any Palisade add-ins checked (ticked), remove the check marks.  Our add-ins are designed to run without the check marks, except as explained in Opening Palisade Software Automatically Whenever Excel Opens.

   Excel's own add-ins such as Analysis Toolpak, Conditional Sum Wizard, Internet Assistant, Lookup Wizard, and Solver are not a problem.

5. Click the Windows Start button, then Programs or All Programs, then Palisade DecisionTools, then the shortcut for the Palisade software tool you are having trouble with.

If the Palisade software now functions correctly, there was a conflict with another add-in or one of your own startup files. These can be specified in several places, so find them all and then eliminate them one by one till you find the conflict:

• Click Tools » Add-ins. Uncheck all third-party add-ins. (Excel's own add-ins such as Analysis Toolpak, Conditional Sum Wizard, Internet Assistant, Lookup Wizard, and Solver are not a problem.) Then try loading and running the Palisade software.

• Do a search on your disk for folders named XLSTART. (There will probably be more than one.)  With Excel not running, move all items from each XLSTART folder to another location. Then start the Palisade software and try to run it.

• Click Tools » Options » General. Look at the box labeled "At startup, open all files in". If the box contains a path, open My Computer and navigate to the path. Close Excel, then move all items from that folder to another location. Try to run the Palisade software.

Removing Excel Add-Ins if Excel 2003 Won't Start:

1. Click Start » Run, type REGEDIT, and press the Enter key.  (You will probably need administrative rights for this.  If your IT department does this for you, they must log in as you with administrative rights, because this procedure must be performed within your user profile.)

2. In the left-hand panel, navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Options.

3. For safety, make a backup copy of this entry:  Right-click Options and select Export.  Chose any file name and location, but keep the file type as .REG.

4. In the right-hand panel, right-click on each OPEN value and select Delete.  Answer Yes to the confirming prompt.

5. Click File » Exit to close Registry Editor.  Excel should now start without add-ins.  (Any COM add-ins, and any startup files in your XLSTART folders, will still be loaded.)

last edited: 2014-01-08

2.7. Palisade Software Loads Whenever You Run Excel

Applies to: All products, releases 5.x–8.x

Whenever I double-click an Excel file, or whenever I run Excel directly, @RISK and/or Evolver, NeuralTools, PrecisionTree, StatTools, or TopRank also runs. Why is this happening, and how can I prevent it?

Response:
Normally you have to launch Palisade software explicitly: either double-click one of our desktop icons (if available), or click Start » All Programs » Palisade DecisionTools and then a product shortcut.  (When you launch our software and Excel is already open, our software will attach itself to the running copy of Excel.  If Excel is not already running, our software will launch it for you.)

However, if you enable one or more of the Palisade add-ins in Excel's add-ins list, then Excel will load that add-in automatically whenever Excel itself loads. If you are seeing @RISK (or Evolver, or ...) every time Excel runs, it is because that add-in was checked (ticked) in Excel's add-ins list.

To restore the ability to launch Excel without Palisade, remove the check mark from the list in Excel.

See also:

• Opening Palisade Software Automatically Whenever Excel Opens
• Palisade Add-Ins in Excel's List

Last edited: 2020-04-07

2.8. Application Settings Don't Persist

Applies to:
All products, releases 5.x–8.x

I made some changes in Application Settings, and clicked OK. Everything was fine until I closed Excel and reopened my Palisade software. Then I saw that the Application Settings had all reverted to their previous values, and my changes were lost.

The permissions in a portion of your System Registry are wrong.

Palisade software stores Application Settings in the System Registry, in subkeys under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Palisade. Somehow, you have write access to the keys where Application Settings are stored, but you don't have read access. You may have privilege to fix this, or you may need to call in your IT department. Here is the procedure:

1. Launch the REGEDIT program. How you do that will vary, depending on your setup:

   • If you have a Windows key on your keyboard, press it and R at the same time, then type REGEDIT in the box and press the Enter key.
   • If you have a start Menu, click Start » Run, type REGEDIT and press the Enter key.
   • In some versions of Windows, bring up a search window and search for the app called REGEDIT.

2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software, and if necessary click the triangle or plus sign to expand it.

3. Right-click on Palisade and select Permissions. In the Permissions dialog, click the Advanced button.

4. In the Advanced Security Settings dialog, click your user name (your Windows login), then click the Edit or View button. In the Permission Entry dialog, you should have Full Control. If you do, click Close and go to the next numbered step.

   • If you don't have Full Control, tick that box and click OK.
   • If you can't edit the permission boxes, permissions are inherited from a parent key. Close the Permission Entry dialog, then in the Advanced Security Settings dialog click Disable inheritance » Convert inherited permissions into explicit permissions. Click your user name and the Edit button. Tick the Full Control box and click OK.

5. Back on the Advanced Security Settings dialog, tick the box Replace all child object permission entries with inheritable permission entries from this object, click Apply, and answer Yes to the confirmation prompt. If you get any kind of failure message, you will need to take ownership of the problem subkey(s). If you're not sure how to do that, do a Web search for "take ownership of registry key".

Last edited: 2020-04-07

2.9. Old Version Appears Even after an Upgrade

Applies to: All Palisade software, version 6.x or later

I upgraded from version 5.x, 6.x, or 7.x to a later release, but when I launch Excel the old software still loads.

You have the old version listed as an active add-in in Excel. The cure is simply to remove it from Excel's list.  Use the instructions below, based on your version of Excel.

There is no need to have any Palisade add-ins checked (ticked) in Excel's add-ins list; they will all run just fine without that.  You would place a check mark in Excel's list for a Palisade add-in only if you want to force that Palisade add-in to start every time Excel starts.  For more, please see Opening Palisade Software Automatically Whenever Excel Opens.

Excel 2010, 2013, and 2016:

1. Click File » Options » Add-Ins.
2. At the bottom of the right-hand pane, click the Go button.
3. Excel's list of add-ins appears. Remove the check marks from old versions of Palisade software.
4. Click OK and close Excel.

Excel 2007:

1. Click the round Office button at the upper left of the Excel window.
2. At the bottom of the left-hand pane, click Excel Options.
3. In the middle of the left-hand pane, click Add-Ins.
4. At the bottom of the right-hand pane, click the Go button.
5. Excel's list of add-ins appears. Remove the check marks from old versions of Palisade software.
6. Click OK and close Excel.

Excel 2003 (compatible with Palisade software releases 6.x and older):

1. Click Tools » Add-Ins.
2. Excel's list of add-ins appears. Remove the check marks from old versions of Palisade software.
3. Click OK and close Excel.

Last edited: 2020-04-07

2.10. License Manager Says Maintenance Has Expired, But We Renewed It

Applies to: All Palisade software, releases 6.x/7.x/8.x

When I try to run @RISK (PrecisionTree, StatTools, etc.), License Manager pops up and says EXPIRED for my maintenance date.  But I know that my company renewed our maintenance.  How can I run the software?

When you renew maintenance, we update information on our server with the new maintenance date.  However, the Palisade software on your computer caches the maintenance expiration date so that it doesn't need to go out on the Internet every time you run.  Usually the software knows when it is necessary to re-query our server, but if you're not on the Internet or your firewall prevents access to our server then the cache may need to be reset manually.

Please contact Technical Support with a screen shot of License Manager, and they will help you reset the cache so that the software knows your correct maintenance date.

Additional keywords: Wrong maintenance expiration date

Last edited: 2020-04-07

2.11. One User Doesn't Get the Activated License

Applies to:  All products, releases 6.x/7.x/8.x

I activated a standalone license on a computer, and it works fine for me, but when another user tries to run on the same computer she still gets the trial license.

The user will need to select the activated license. (If you want to do it for her, you must log in on her Windows account.) Here's the procedure to follow under that user's login:

1. Launch the software.
2. If License Manager doesn't come up by itself, click Help » License Manager. In @RISK version 8.x, click @RISK » License Manager.
3. In License Manager, click Select License, select the activated license, and click OK.

For more information about how the software decides which license to use, please see Which License Gets Used?

Last edited: 2020-04-07

2.12. Concurrent Network Client Takes Very Long to Start

Applies to: Concurrent Network clients, releases 6.x/7.x

When I launch the software, the Excel status line seems stuck at "Authorizing...."  If I wait for a long time, it does eventually find a license.  What is taking so long?

Have you redirected any of the Windows special folders to network drives? Flexera introduced a change between FLEXnet Publisher 11.4 (in Palisade's 5.x releases) and FLEXnet Publisher 11.10 (in Palisade's 6.x and 7x releases). Now, FLEXnet checks dates of files in folders that are listed in subkeys under "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders" in the System Registry.

If you have redirected any of those to a network drive, try making it local and see if that solves the problem.  If you have any UNC paths in those keys, try replacing them with mapped network drives.

Last edited: 2015-10-05

2.13. Concurrent Network Client Requests Activation ID (5.x only)

Applies to: All 5.x network client software (not 6.0 or newer)

I installed the 5.x network client successfully, but when I try to run it, I get a Palisade License Activation screen asking me for an Activation ID.

Releases 5.x unfortunately displayed an activation prompt whenever there was any kind of problem with the network license. This is fixed in releases 6.x and newer. If you have a current maintenance contract, you can upgrade your network at no charge; just contact your Palisade sales office.

But of course you want to solve the individual user's problem right away, even if you intend to upgrade later.  There are several possible causes, but the most likely is incorrect installation. Here are the things to check:

Was the software installed on this workstation as a network client, and not a standalone trial?

Are server and client set up to use the same name and port?

Can the client communicate with the server?

Is the license process running on the server?

Run LMTools and select Server Status » Perform Status Enquiry.  If you do not see "Palisade UP within the display", the process is not running.  Try starting it (on the Start/Stop/Reread tab) and re-check status.  If it still is not running, click Config Server » View Log and look at the end of the log for error messages.  Troubleshooting help is at Network Server Issues.

Is a license available?

If all licenses are currently in use, 5.x will pop up a Palisade License Activation screen without providing an explanation. Please see Monitoring License Use on 5.x Concurrent Network for instructions to check the licenses in use and verify that one is available.

Last edited: 2015-10-05

2.14. @RISK Creates Add-Ins Tab in Ribbon, with Tiny Icons

Applies to: All products, releases 6.3.0 and earlier, running under Excel 2007 or newer
(This article is written in terms of @RISK, but the same problem could happen with any of our add-ins.)

When I launch @RISK, I don't get an @RISK tab in the ribbon. Instead, small versions of the @RISK icons populate an Add-Ins tab in the ribbon.

Or, when I try to launch @RISK, I get a pop-up a message such as:

Cannot run the macro "C:\Program Files\Palisade\RISK6\Risk.xla'!RiskEvent_ExecuteCommand'. The macro may not be available in this workbook or all macros may be disabled.

(The path may vary, but the macro name at the end is always RiskEvent_ExecuteCommand.)

If @RISK creates an Add-Ins tab but doesn't put any icons in it, see @RISK Creates Empty Add-Ins Tab in Ribbon.

Our initial Risk.xla add-in loads helper add-ins. There is a policy setting called "Automation Security". The normal value of this is 1. But if it is set to 3, then Excel will not allow add-ins to load other add-ins. @RISK is unable to load the file that creates the @RISK tab in the ribbon, or @RISK fails with the message above.

You can determine the value of this setting from within Excel, as follows:

1. Press Alt+F11 to open the Visual Basic Editor, then Ctrl+G to open the Immediate Window.

2. Copy/paste the text

   ?Application.AutomationSecurity

   (including question mark) into the Immediate Window and press Enter.

If the value displayed is 1, this setting is not the problem. Please contact Technical Support for assistance.

If the value displayed is 3, this is why @RISK cannot run. Please see "@RISK cannot be started because of the following Office security setting" for permanent and temporary solutions.

See also: Group Policy and Office Customization Tool Settings: Technical Reference

Last edited: 2016-05-02

2.15. @RISK Creates Empty Add-Ins Tab in Ribbon

Applies to: All products, running under Excel 2007 or later
(This article is written in terms of @RISK, but the same problem could happen with any of our add-ins.)

When I launch @RISK, I don't get an @RISK tab in the ribbon. Instead, an Add-Ins tab appears, but there are no icons in it.

If @RISK creates an Add-Ins tab and populates it with miniature versions of the @RISK icons, see @RISK Creates Add-Ins Tab in Ribbon, with Tiny Icons.

Either Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) is not installed, or there's something wrong with the installation. To test this, in Excel press Alt+F11. If the Visual Basic Editor comes up, then VBA is installed, but it may not be installed correctly. Please perform a Repair of Excel.

If the Visual Basic Editor does not appear when you press Alt+F11, then VBA is not installed. Follow these steps to install it:

1. Close all instances of your Microsoft Office applications.
2. In Control Panel » Programs and Features, select your Microsoft Office and click Change or Modify.
3. The Office installer will launch. Select Add or Remove Features and click Continue.
4. The next panel in the dialog shows installation options. In the list, under Microsoft Office, find Office Shared Features and click the + sign at its left.
5. In the sub-list that opens, find Visual Basic for Applications and change it to Run from My Computer. Click Continue, and VBA will be installed.

Last edited: 2015-09-03

2.16. @RISK Initializes, But No Tab Appears in Ribbon

Tambien disponible en Español: @RISK se inicializa, pero no aparece ninguna pestaña en la cinta de opciones

Applies to: All products, running under Excel 2007 or newer
(This article is written in terms of @RISK, but the same problem could happen with any of our add-ins.)

If one of these more accurately describes your situation, please refer to that article instead of this one:

• @RISK Creates Add-Ins Tab in Ribbon, with Tiny Icons
• @RISK Creates Empty Add-Ins Tab in Ribbon
• If you have BigPicture also, please launch it. If you get the error "Initialization Error: Shapes Initialization", the two problems have a common cause. Please refer to that article.

When I launch @RISK, I see the initialization window, and the status messages at the bottom of the Excel window. There's no error message, but the @RISK tab doesn't appear, and there's no Add-Ins tab.

There are several possible causes and cures for this problem. In no particular order:

1. You may simply need to tell Excel to trust our software.
   1. To test this, launch Excel only.
   2. Click File » Open, and navigate to C:\Program Files (x86)\Palisade (if it exists) or C:\Program Files\Palisade.
   3. Under that folder, open the folder for your software, such as RISK7 or StatTools6. If you have the DecisionTools Suite, it doesn't matter which product folder you select.
   4. Then double-click the appropriate add-in, which will be Risk.xla, Evolver.xla, NeuralTools.xla, Ptree.xla, StatTools.xla, TopRank.xla, or BigPicture.xlam.
   5. If you get a security popup, look in the dialog for a check box labeled Trust all from this publisher, and tick it. If the software then opens normally, you have solved the problem and you won't get the security prompt in the future.
   6. Use this Microsoft article to uninstall Office completely. We recommend the easy Fix It in Option 2.
2. Your COM Type Library may have outdated entries, or may not be functioning correctly. To check for outdated entries, see Removing Outdated References to Office from the System Registry. If your COM system is not functioning correctly, a repair of Microsoft Office may or may not fix it, but it's definitely worth a try.
3. Another possibility is a setting in Group Policy or Office Customization Tool, "Disable UI extending from documents and templates" which prevents our software from adding its tab to the Excel ribbon.
   
   • If you have software release 6.3.1 or newer, and this Group Policy setting exists, the software will display the message "@RISK cannot be started because of the following Office security setting ... noextensibilitycustomizationfromdocument=1". Please see that article for the solution.
   • If you have software releases 6.3.0 or older, it will not display a message, even if the condition exists. Therefore, please follow the numbered steps near the bottom of that article to learn whether that Group Policy setting is the problem, and to fix it if it is.

   See also: Group Policy and Office Customization Tool Settings: Technical Reference.

4. Did your antivirus software block a Palisade component based on a false positive? Check your antivirus logs, and unblock the software component. Please report the exact name of the blocked file, and the full name of your antivirus program, to Palisade Technical Support, so that we can contact them to get the false positive corrected.
5. One of the above solutions works for almost everyone with this problem, but for a small minority, they all fail. Two users found that after they uninstall 64-bit Office and install 32-bit Office, @RISK works normally. We don't know why.
   

    If you don't actually need 64-bit Office, and everything else has failed, you might wish to try this option also. Most people need only 32-bit Office; Should I Install 64-bit Excel? can help you decide whether you are one of them.

   We can't guarantee that this "nuclear option" will work for you, but we're not aware of anyone who has tried the other suggestions without success, then switched to 32-bit Office, and not had it solve the problem. If you decide to go this route, then before you uninstall 64-bit Office make sure you have your product key and that it will cover 32-bit Office also. (Most product keys cover both, but we can't help with issues installing or licensing Microsoft software, so check this yourself.)

Last edited: 2019-11-05

2.17. @RISK Turns NumLock Off

Applies to: @RISK 6.x/7.0.0

I have NumLock on, and I'm using Excel 2013 or 2016. When I launch @RISK, NumLock is turned off. What is wrong?

This is actually caused by a bug in Excel. We worked around it beginning with release 7.0.1 of @RISK. If you have current maintenance, your best solution is to upgrade to the current release. Ask Technical Support for an installer. (Include your serial number or Activation ID in your message.)

If you have @RISK 6.x with current maintenance, upgrade to version 8 to resolve this problem (and get great new features). Your Palisade sales office can assist you.

If you have 7.0.0 or older without maintenance, or policy in your organization doesn't allow upgrades, there's an easy fix: in Excel, click File » Options » General and remove the tick mark on the last option, Show the Start screen. Click OK and close Excel.

Last edited: 2020-04-07

2.18. CmdBarData Registry Key

Summary:
A particular key in the Excel Options section of the Windows system registry sometimes grows very long. Excel gets confused, and when you try to run Palisade software you get mysterious run-time error messages. Deleting this key may cure the problem and let Excel interface successfully with Palisade software and other add-ins.

Procedure:

1. Make sure that Excel is not running.
2. Click the Windows Start button, then Run. Enter the command REGEDIT and click OK to open the Registry Editor.
3. Navigate to the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office in the left-hand pane.
4. Within the Office key, double-click to open the subkey 14.0, 12.0, 11.0, 10.0, or 9.0 depending on your version of Excel.
5. Within that numbered key, double-click on Excel, then on Options.
6. Now look at the right-hand pane. Find CmdBarData, right-click on it, and select Delete. When you get the confirming prompt, answer Yes.
7. Close the Registry Editor with File » Exit.

last edited: 2010-01-11

2.19. "... requires Excel 2007 or higher."

Applies to:
All products, release 7.0.0 or newer

I launch my Palisade software, and I get one of these messages:

@RISK requires Excel 2007 or higher.

BigPicture requires Excel 2007 or higher.

Evolver requires Excel 2007 or higher.

NeuralTools requires Excel 2007 or higher.

PrecisionTree requires Excel 2007 or higher.

StatTools requires Excel 2007 or higher.

TopRank requires Excel 2007 or higher.

Beginning with release 7.0.0, @RISK and our other software require an Excel version that uses the ribbon, rather than the older-style menus. If you're actually running Excel 2003 or earlier, you need to upgrade to a more recent Excel. You'll find a full list of compatible versions in Windows and Office Versions Supported by Palisade.

But I actually do have a later version of Excel!

In that case, please work through this checklist:

• Do you have a System Registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\WOW6432Node\Palisade\Excel Path, or HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Palisade\Excel Path, that points to an old or nonexistent version of Excel? If so, right-click Excel Path and select Delete. Then, when you next run our software, it should connect automatically to your recent Excel.

• If that System Registry key doesn't exist, creating it may solve the problem. For instructions, see Which Version of Excel Is Opened by Palisade Software?

• You may be getting a security prompt when Palisade software tries to load itself into Excel. This can occur, for example, when you had two versions of Excel installed, and you uninstalled the one that was previously used with Palisade software. To give you a chance to respond to that prompt, follow this procedure:

  1. Run Excel only, not Palisade software.
  2. Click File » Open. Navigate to C:\Program Files (x86)\Palisade or C:\Program Files\Palisade, whichever exists.
  3. Inside that folder, click the product folder for the product you're trying to run: RISK7, StatTools7, etc.
  4. Double-click the main XLA file for the product you're trying to run: Risk.xla, StatTools.xla, etc. (The .XLA extensions may be visible or hidden, depending on your Windows settings.)
  5. You should now see a permission prompt. Check (tick) the box that says to trust all from this publisher. The software should then finish loading its ribbon.

• Do you open Excel via some sort of redirection software, such as OpenWith? If so, please follow the directions in Which Version of Excel Is Opened by Palisade Software? The System Registry key you create must point to the real Excel, not the redirector, and Excel must be installed locally on this computer.

• If the problem remains after following the bullets above, run a repair of Microsoft Office and restart Windows.

Last edited: 2017-08-31

2.20. "/R .xlsx could not be found."

Applies to: @RISK 6.1.1 (fixed in 6.1.2)

When I launch @RISK, I get the message

/R .xlsx could not be found. Check the spelling of the file name, and verify that the file location is correct. If you are trying to open the file from your list of most recently used files, make sure that the file has not been renamed, moved, or deleted.

or a similar message involving "C:\Program" or "ANALYS32" or some other file name or path.

Unfortunately, there was a problem in @RISK 6.1.1. When simulating with multiple CPUs, it may sometimes corrupt Excel's list of add-ins. Then the next time you open Excel, you get messages like the above. Palisade apologizes for this problem.

This error was fixed in @RISK 6.1.2, released 2013-04-16. You will want to upgrade to the current release, if you are eligible.

To clear the error:

1. Open Excel, if it is not already open.

2. In Excel 2010 or later, click File » Options » Add-Ins. At the bottom of the right-hand panel, select Excel Add-Ins and click Go.

   In Excel 2007, click the round Office button and then Excel Options » Add-Ins. At the bottom of the right-hand panel, select Excel Add-Ins and click Go.

   In Excel 2003, click Tools » Add-Ins.

3. Remove the check mark from @RISK, if there is one. Remove the check marks from Excel's own add-ins, including Analysis Toolpak, Analysis Toolpak VBA, Euro Currency Tools, HTML Assistant, and Solver. If you have any third-party add-ins checked, you do not need to remove those check marks.

4. Click OK. You may see a message telling you that an add-in cannot be located and asking permission to remove it from the list; click Yes.

5. Close Excel.

Many people have some Excel add-ins checked although they don't actually use them. If you don't need Analysis Toolpak or the other Excel add-ins, you can ignore the rest of this article.

But if you need one or more of Excel's own add-ins, before you re-enable them you should upgrade to the current release if you are eligible to upgrade. Otherwise, to prevent a recurrence in @RISK 6.1.1:

6. Launch Excel (not @RISK).

7. In Excel 2010 or later, click File » Options » Add-Ins. At the bottom of the right-hand panel, select Excel Add-Ins and click Go.

   In Excel 2007, click the round Office button and then Excel Options » Add-Ins. At the bottom of the right-hand panel, select Excel Add-Ins and click Go.

   In Excel 2003, click Tools » Add-Ins.

8. Re-enable the Excel add-ins that you need.

9. Close Excel. Important: Complete the following steps before you run @RISK 6.1.1 again.

10. Click Start » Run, enter the command REGEDIT and click OK.

11. Navigate to the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office and double-click the word Office.

12. Double-click the subkey for your version of Office: 15.0 for Office 2013, 14.0 for Office 2010, 12.0 for Office 2007, or 11.0 for Office 2003.

13. Under that subkey, double-click Excel and then single-click Options.

14. In the right-hand panel, you will see an entry OPEN and possibly some additional entries OPEN1, OPEN2, and so on. Look at the ones where the string in the last column begins with /R.

    For each of those, double-click the word OPEN (OPEN1, OPEN2, etc.) in the first column. In the edit window, remove the leading /R and space, then click OK. (You need to double-click the word in the first column, not the text in the third column.)

15. Close the Registry Editor by clicking the X in the upper right corner.

Last edited: 2017-02-17

2.21. "@RISK cannot be started because of the following Office security setting ... automationsecurity=3"

Applies to: All products, releases 7.0.0 and newer

(This article is written in terms of @RISK, but the same problem could happen with any of our add-ins.)

The software installed just fine, but when I launch it I get

product cannot be started because of the following Office security setting in the registry:

software\policies\microsoft\office\common\security!automationsecurity=3

You, or more likely your IT department, have set a Group Policy setting that does not let @RISK or our other software run.

This policy setting called "Automation Security" determines whether an add-in is allowed to add helper add-ins. Our initial Risk.xla add-in loads helper add-ins, and so do our other procducts. The normal value of the "Automation Security" setting, as recommended by Microsoft, is 1. But if it is set to 3, then Excel will not allow add-ins to load other add-ins, and @RISK fails with the message above. (This setting was always a problem, but beginning with release 7.0.0 our software diagnoses it for you.)

The solution depends on whether you're dealing with a Group Policy setting or a direct edit to the System Registry:

• Run Regedit, if your Windows login has permission. Check the two keys HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\Common\Security and HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Common\Security. Under each one, delete AutomationSecurity or change its value to 1.

• If you can't make that change, or if it doesn't stick when you restart Windows, talk to your IT department and get them to make the change for you. They may also need to remove the "Automation Security" policy setting from the Group Policy editor or Office Customization Tool.

As a temporary workaround, you can try enabling @RISK for each session of Excel. Follow this procedure:

1. Close Excel if it's open, to purge the failed @RISK startup.  Reopen Excel.

2. Press Alt+F11 and then Ctrl+G to go to the Immediate Window. Paste

   Application.AutomationSecurity = msoAutomationSecurityLow

   into the Immediate Window and press Enter. (Notice that there is no question mark at the start of this command, as you would use to display values.)

3. Close the Visual Basic Editor but keep Excel open. Launch @RISK from the desktop icon or via Start » Programs » Palisade DecisionTools.

See also: Group Policy and Office Customization Tool Settings: Technical Reference

Last edited: 2016-05-19

2.22. "@RISK cannot be started because of the following Excel security setting ... noextensibilitycustomizationfromdocument=1"

Applies to: All products, releases 7.0.0 and newer

(This article is written in terms of @RISK, but the same problem could happen with any of our add-ins.)

The software installed just fine, but when I launch it I get

product cannot be started because of the following Excel security setting in the registry:

software\policies\microsoft\office\X.0\common\toolbars\excel!noextensibilitycustomizationfromdocument=1

(X is 12 in Excel 2007, 14 in Excel 2010, 15 in Excel 2013, and so on.)

You, or more likely your IT department, have set a Group Policy or Office Customization Tool setting that does not let @RISK or our other software run. "Disable UI extending from documents and templates" prevents our software from adding its tab to the Excel ribbon. (This setting was always a problem, but beginning with release 7.0.0 our software diagnoses it for you.) Please ask your IT department to remove that policy setting.

As a temporary workaround, you can follow this procedure if you have privilege to edit the System Registry. (The problem key is usually under HKEY_CURRENT_USER, but this procedure will find it wherever it is.)

1. Open REGEDIT.
2. Collapse the left-hand panel and click on Computer.
3. Press Ctrl+F, and in the search window enter "NoExtensibilityCustomizationFromDocument" (without quotes, and upper/lower case doesn't matter). Under Look at, select Values and Match whole string, and deselect Keys and Data.
4. Click Find Next. Change the displayed value from 1 to 0.
5. Press F3, and change the value from 1 to 0. Repeat until there are no more hits. (You may find some 0 values along the way. You can ignore those, but keep searching until you've looked at all occurrences.)

Even if you're able to do this edit, you will probably have to do it again after any reboot of Windows. The best procedure is to get your IT department to remove the problem policy setting.

See also: Group Policy and Office Customization Tool Settings: Technical Reference

Last edited: 2017-04-26

2.23. "ActiveX Component Can't Create Object (@RISK)"

Applies to:

@RISK 5.x–8.x

For run-time error 429 in @RISK 4.x, please contact Palisade Technical Support.

For StatTools and NeuralTools, see "ActiveX Component Can't Create Object (StatTools and NeuralTools)".

When I try to launch @RISK, I get

@RISK Launcher
Run-time error 429
ActiveX component can't create object

First, make sure your Excel and Windows support your version of @RISK.  See Windows and Office Versions Supported by Palisade.

If you have compatible Windows and Excel, then one of the components of @RISK, most likely RiskOL or one of its dependents, is unregistered or misregistered in the System Registry.

Please log on to Windows as a full administrator. Then re-run the installer and when prompted for Modify or Repair select Repair. (In Windows 8, Windows 7, and Vista, you need to log on as a full administrator and also right-click the installer and select Run as administrator.)

Textbook users:

2.24. "ActiveX Component Can't Create Object (StatTools and NeuralTools)"

Applies to:
NeuralTools 5.x–8.x
StatTools 5.x–8.x
For @RISK, see "ActiveX Component Can't Create Object (@RISK)".

When I try to launch StatTools or NeuralTools, I get

ActiveX component can't create object

If you get this error the first time you run the Palisade software, make sure it's supported in your Excel and Windows versions.  See Windows and Office Versions Supported by Palisade.

We have seen some cases where this error appears after Windows 10 updates, particularly the Windows 10 Anniversary Update. If your software was previously working in Windows 10, a repair install will fix the problem. Please log on to Windows as a full administrator. Then re-run the installer and when prompted for Modify or Repair select Repair. (In Windows 8, Windows 7, and Vista, you need to log on as a full administrator and also right-click the installer and select Run as administrator.)

Textbook users:

2.25. "Authorization failure ... TransactNamedPipe"

Applies to: Palisade software releases 6.x/7.x/8.x

When I try to run the software, I get this error message:

Authorization failure
Details:
Unexpected status=0, err=109, for kernel function TransactNamedPipe, after calling TransactNamedPipe.

This error (from the FLEXnet licensing system) seems to occur rarely, but for no very clear reason.

First advice: simply close all instances of Excel and try running the software again.  Usually the error does not repeat, which is one reason it's so difficult to pin down.

If the error does repeat, run the software with administrative rights. This resolved it for both users who reported this experience.  One user right-clicked the @RISK icon and selected Run As Administrator; the other logged in to Windows with an administrator account. If running as administrator succeeds, you may want to try running as a regular user after that. (Our end-user software does not normally require administrative rights to run; a Windows "regular user" account should be fine.  But privileges and access control are more complex in every new version of Windows, and it's possible to create an account that shows as regular user in Control Panel even though it does not have the normal permissions of a regular user.  In that case, running as administrator may be a quicker solution than trying to untangle the details of the permissions.)

Last edited: 2020-04-07

2.26. "Automation error: %1 is not a valid Win32 application"

Applies to:
All products

Problem:
I try to start @RISK or another product, and I get the above error message.

Response:
Check in the root folder of your C: drive for a zero-byte file called Program. (You may need to change Explorer options so that you can view hidden files and folders.) If you find that file, delete it.

If the file doesn't exist, or if deleting it doesn't cure the problem, you may have a problem with the path of a service in Windows. For the problem description and solution, please see Event ID 7000 and "%1 Is Not a Valid Win32 Application" Error Message When You Start a Service in Microsoft's Knowledge Base (accessed 2012-11-09).

last edited: 2012-11-09

2.27. "Automation error: A dynamic link library (DLL) initialization routine failed."

Applies to:
@RISK 7.x
BigPicture 1.x or 2016
Evolver 7.x
NeuralTools 7.x
PrecisionTree 7.x
StatTools 7.x

When I try to launch @RISK, or any Palisade tool except TopRank, I get this failure message:

Automation error
A dynamic link library (DLL) initialization routine failed.

It looks like the cause is Bitdefender Total Security. If you turn off Advanced Threat Defense, it will let our software run as normal.

You should be able to turn Advanced Threat Defense back on if you look at the Bitdefender log, find which Palisade file(s) it didn't like, and whitelist those specific files.

Last edited: 2018-12-19

2.28. "Automation Error. Element not found."

Applies to:
Evolver 6.x
NeuralTools 6.x
StatTools 6.x
TopRank 6.x

Problem:
I have 64-bit Excel. When trying to launch one of these tools, I get the above error message.

Response:
This is caused by the Skype toolbar. Please see "Method 'ExecuteCommand' of object '_PalUtil' failed" for more details and a solution.

last edited: 2012-02-02

2.29. "Automation error: Interface not registered"

Applies to: All products

When I try to launch @RISK or another Palisade application, I get this message:

Automation error
Interface not registered

This is actually a problem in your Microsoft Office. Repairing Office should work, or you can reinstall Office.

If this doesn't help, and you are running 64-bit Office, it is possible that switching to 32-bit Office will fix the problem.

Last edited: 2019-09-26

2.30. "Automation error: Library not registered"

Applies to:
All products

When I try to launch the Palisade software, I get the error message

Automation error: Library not registered

or

Method '~' of object '~' failed

I've tried repairing the Palisade software, but that didn't help.

This appears to be due to an error in the System Registry entries for Excel, not Palisade. If you have Excel 2007 and you have the option to upgrade to 2010, several users reported that upgrading fixed their problem.

This error is especially likely if you have multiple versions of Excel and uninstall one of them. In that case, one or more keys in the System Registry are left behind pointing to the version of Excel that no longer exists.  To remove these "orphan" keys, please follow the procedure in Removing Outdated References to Office from the System Registry.

There's a special case, as of 2017-11-30. When you install Skype for Business 2016, it installs this System Registry key:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\{2DF8D04C-5BFA-101B-BDE5-00AA0044DE52}\2.8

That key refers to Office 2016, and if you don't have Office 2016 that's a problem, not just for @RISK but for other programs such as Microsoft Word. If your Palisade software was working, and it stops working when you install Skype for Business 2016, and you don't have Office 2016 installed, remove that key.

See also: "Method '~' of object '~' failed" (at Startup)

Additional keywords: Error 2147319779, -2147319779

last edited: 2018-02-12

2.31. "Automation error: The callee (server [not server application]) is not available:

Problem:
The following error message appears:

Automation error
The callee (server [not server application]) is not available and disappeared; all connections are invalid. The call may have executed.

Response:
This may arise from incompatibility with a third-party add-in. The only one that we know of at this writing is Morningstar Commodity Add-In 3.2.6. It is not necessary to uninstall the add-in, but you will need to disable it while running @RISK.

If you recently installed some other third-party add-in and this message began appearing with @RISK, try disabling that add-in and see if @RISK now runs successfully. If it does, please contact Technical Support so that we may update this article.

last edited: 2014-04-16

2.32. "Automation error: The remote procedure call failed."

Applies to: All products, releases 7.x

When I launch the software, I get a popup with this message:

Automation error:
The remote procedure call failed.

Here are the known possible causes, with their cures:

• Our software can run in a regular user account, but it must be installed with full administrative rights. If that was not done, then right-click the installer and select Run as administrator. You will probably get a prompt asking you whether to modify, repair, or remove; select Repair.

• If you have release 7.5.1 or older, your DEP settings may be stopping our software from running properly. Please see the article Data Execution Prevention. Work through section A, and also if necessary work through section B.

• You may have some orphaned entries in the COM Type Library in your System Registry. See Removing Outdated References to Office from the System Registry.

• Are you missing the required Microsoft Visual C++ runtime or runtimes? See item 2 in Microsoft Components Required for Palisade 7.x Software Install, items 3-4-5 in Microsoft Components Required for Palisade 6.x Software Install, or item 3 in Microsoft Components Required for Palisade 5.x Software Install.

Last edited: 2018-01-17

2.33. "Cannot checkout an uncounted license ..."

Applies to:
All Palisade software releases 5.x

Problem:
When I try to run my software in Terminal Services, Remote Desktop, or similar, I get this error message:

FLEXnet returned error code –103: Cannot checkout an uncounted license within a Windows Terminal Services guest session

Response:
You have a standalone (workstation) copy of the software. Standalone copies are designed to be operated while you are physically present at the computer. By design, it is not possible to remote in and run a standalone copy of the software.

If you wish to use Palisade software with Terminal Services, Remote Desktop, or other forms of remote access, please contact your Palisade sales representative to convert your standalone license to a concurrent network license.

last edited: 2008-10-30

2.34. "ClassFactory cannot supply requested class" (@RISK for Project)

Applies to:
@RISK for Project 4.x
(For this message when starting TopRank, see "ClassFactory cannot supply requested class" (TopRank).)

Problem:
When I try to run @RISK for Project I get this error message:

System Error &H80040111 (-2147221231).
ClassFactory cannot supply requested class

Solution:
Run a repair on Microsoft Project to resolve the issue.

For Microsoft Project 2007 and 2010:

1. Click the Windows Start button, then Control Panel, then Programs and Features (in Windows 7 and Vista) or Add or Remove Programs (in Windows XP).
2. Find Microsoft Project in the list of programs that appears.
3. Highlight Microsoft Project 2007 and select Repair.
   (If Repair does not appear, select Change and in the following dialogs select Repair.)

For Microsoft Project 2003:

1. Start MS Project (but not any Palisade software). If a blank project doesn't open automatically, open one.
2. In the menu, click Help and then Detect and Repair.

last edited: 2012-11-22

2.35. "ClassFactory cannot supply requested class" (TopRank)

Applies to: TopRank 5.5
(For this message when starting @RISK for Project, see "ClassFactory cannot supply requested class" (@RISK for Project).)

When I try to run TopRank I get this error message:

Run-time error '-2147221231 (80040111)'
Automation error
ClassFactory cannot supply requested class

The installer program failed to register the TopRankModel.dll file, but you can do this yourself to solve the problem. Please follow these instructions:

1. Make sure Excel is closed.

2. Open an elevated command prompt (Start » Run may not work). To do this, click the Windows start button and type CMD The first search result is cmd.exe. Right-click it and select Run As Administrator. (Ask your IT people to perform this procedure if you don't have that option.)

3. Copy and paste the appropriate command into the Run window:

   • For 32-bit Windows:
     regsvr32 "C:\Program Files\Palisade\TopRank5\TopRankModel.dll"
   • For 64-bit Windows (regardless of whether Excel is 32 or 64 bit):
     regsvr32 "C:\Program Files (x86)\Palisade\TopRank5\TopRankModel.dll"

4. Click OK.

TopRank should now run normally when you open it.

Last edited: 2015-02-12

2.36. "Compile error in hidden module"

Applies to: All Palisade products that run as Excel add-ins

When I start one of your products, I get "compile error in hidden module".

This is most likely an issue with other software on your computer. Please try these suggestions:

• If you have a beta version of Google Desktop, this is a known issue. To fix the problem, simply download and install a later version of Google Desktop.

• Under certain circumstances, PDFMaker or Norton Antivirus can cause this problem. Please see You receive a 'Compile error in hidden module' error message when you start Word or Excel in the Microsoft Knowledge Base.

• If you have an early version of Excel XP, this is a known issue. Please download and install the service pack for Excel XP from Microsoft's site.

If the above suggestions don't apply to you or don't resolve the problem, please follow the suggestions in Find and Fix Startup Conflicts (Excel 2007–2013) or Find and Fix Startup Conflicts (Excel 2003 and Earlier).

Last edited: 2015-10-05

2.37. "Compile error in hidden module: AddinInitialization"

Applies to: @RISK 5.x

When I try to launch RISK, I get the error message "Compile error in hidden module: AddinInitialization".

Most likely this is a conflict with another add-in or with one of your own startup files. Please see the appropriate article for your version of Excel:

• Find and Fix Startup Conflicts (Excel 2007–2013)
• Find and Fix Startup Conflicts (Excel 2003 and Earlier)

If you have ruled out startup conflicts, it's possible that an Excel or @RISK file has become corrupted. Please repair Excel and @RISK, as follows:

• Repair of Excel or Project
• Repair of Palisade Software

Last edited: 2010-09-24

2.38. "Could not attach to the already running copy of Microsoft Excel"

Applies to: All Palisade add-ins for Excel

I try to launch @RISK (StatTools, PrecisionTree, ...) but I get this message:

Could not attach to the already running copy of Microsoft Excel because it is invisible or unresponsive.

@RISK was able to launch Excel (or Excel was already running), but Excel is not answering messages from @RISK. Here are the two causes and cures.

Most likely, there is an instance of Excel running in the background that needs to be stopped. To do this:

If there was no background process of Excel, then @RISK was able to start Excel but Excel wouldn't answer messages from @RISK. This can happen when another Excel add-in or startup file takes too long to start, so that @RISK eventually gives up waiting for a response from Excel. You can fix this in any of three ways:

Last edited: 2015-08-15

2.39. "Could not contact the Microsoft Excel application"

Applies to:  All Palisade software 5.5.1 and later

Tambien disponible en Español: "No se puede iniciar el programa Microsoft Excel"

When I try to launch @RISK, StatTools, or any of the tools, I get this error message:

Could not contact the Microsoft Excel application

What is wrong?

• If you're getting this message the first time you try to run the Palisade software, your deployment of Microsoft Office may be a problem. The Palisade software must be installed on the same computer as Excel. Deployment as Office Web Apps, Office On Line, Pocket Office, Office Mobile, Office On Demand, or Office 2010 Click-to-Run may be a problem.
• Have you previously run the software successfully with this copy of Excel? If so, Windows may have got into a state where the messages from Palisade software to Excel are not being answered. Restart Windows to clear the problem condition.
• Has Excel disabled one of the Palisade files? (When Excel crashes, it sometimes marks all open add-ins as disabled.) Click File » Options » Add-Ins. Scroll the list at the right to the bottom, and look at Disabled Application Add-Ins. (Important: Disabled, not Inactive.) Something beginning with Pal or Risk is probably one of ours, but not all of our add-ins follow that pattern; if you're not sure about one, please ask Palisade Technical Support. To re-enable a disabled add-in, change Manage: from "Excel Add-ins" to "Disabled Items" and click Go, then select the item and re-enable it. Close the small Disabled Items window, click OK to close Excel Options, then close Excel itself.
• Are there a lot of files in your temporary folder? This sometimes confuses Excel. See Cleaning Your Temp Folder.
• Have you upgraded your Microsoft Office or uninstalled a version of Office? Office may have left one or more "orphan" keys behind. You can delete these keys by following the procedure in Removing Outdated References to Office from the System Registry.

Last edited: 2019-11-18

2.40. "Could not initialize the @RISK-Model application"

Applies to: The DecisionTools Suite 4.0 or 4.5 (CD included in textbook)

I purchased a textbook and installed the software. But when I try to launch it, I get this error message:

Could not initialize the @RISK-Model application

Your textbook software is release 4.5 or older, which is vintage 2005 and is not compatible with recent versions of Excel.  We have released quite a few versions since then, and you need the current release.

1. Uninstall the 4.0 or 4.5 software in Control Panel » Programs and Features.  The DecisionTools Suite may be under T or D, or under P for Palisade, depending on the exact version.

2. Visit our textbook software page and enter your book's 13-digit ISBN. If your book is supported, you will be guided to download and install the current software.

If your book is not supported, and you've carefully verified the ISBN, please send a note to our Academic Sales Manager and explain the situation.  Please include the following:

• Your first and last name
• Your school
• The name and course number of your course
• The title and edition number of the textbook
• The ISBN of the textbook

Additional keywords: Textbook software, Textbook CD

Last edited: 2014-01-19

2.41. "Could not launch the Excel executable"

Applies to: Palisade add-ins for Excel, all releases

When I try to launch one of the Palisade tools I get this error message:

Could not launch the Excel executable

If your maintenance contract is current, make sure that you have applied the latest updates for the Palisade products in which this error is occurring. The Web page http://www.palisade.com/Updates/ shows how to get updates, or your Palisade sales manager can assist you.

After applying the update, re-test the problem. If the problem persists, you can force the Palisade product to launch Excel by specifying the path to the Excel.exe in the Windows Registry as follows Please use the technique in Which Version of Excel Is Opened by Palisade Software? to set the Excel path in the System registry.

If you prefer not to edit the System Registry, you can work around the problem by simply opening Excel before @RISK (StatTools, PrecisionTree, ...).

Last edited: 2015-10-05

2.42. "Could not load ATHLIB32.DLL" (Commercial Software)

Applies to: All products, release 5.0 and newer

When I try to launch my software, I get the message

Could not load ATHLIB32.DLL.

If you have a recent textbook, please see "Could not load ATHLIB32.DLL" (Textbook Software). If you upgraded commercial software from 4.0 or 4.5 to a later version, keep reading the present article.

You previously had a 4.x release of our software installed, and you uninstalled it but the add-in is still enabled in Excel. Since the actual add-in file no longer exists on your computer, you get this error. The solution is to remove the add-in from the list, as follows:

1. Open the Excel add-ins window:

   • Excel 2010: Click File » Options » Add-Ins, then at the bottom of the page select "Manage Excel Add-Ins" and click Go.
   • Excel 2007: Click the round Office button, then Excel Options, then Add-Ins, then at the bottom of the page select "Manage Excel Add-Ins" and click Go.
   • Excel 2003 or below: Click Tools » Add-Ins.

2. Remove the check mark from DTools32.

3. You may see a message similar to this one:

   Cannot find add-in '\DTOOLS\SYSTEM\dtools32.XLL'. Delete from list?

   or

   Cannot find add-in 'C:\Program Files\Palisade\SYSTEM\dtools32.XLL'. Delete from list?

   Click Yes to delete it from the list.

4. Click OK, and close Excel.

Last edited: 2015-09-29

2.43. "Could not load ATHLIB32.DLL" (Textbook Software)

Applies to: DecisionTools and StatTools Suite: Student Edition, a CD bundled with some textbooks

I installed the software from the CD without a problem. But when I try to launch my software, I get the message

Could not load ATHLIB32.DLL.

or some other error message.

The DecisionTools and StatTools Suite: Student Edition is vintage 2004 software and is not compatible with today's versions of Excel and Windows. Any other copy of our software on CD is likely to be several years out of date.

Please follow this procedure to unload the obsolete software and install current software for your course work:

1. In Control Panel, uninstall the old software.

2. Check for a C:\DTools folder, and if it exists delete it.

   If there is no C:\DTools folder, delete the folder C:\Program Files (x86)\Palisade or C:\Program Files\Palisade, whichever one exists.

3. Please follow this link to select your textbook download the software. You will use your textbook to answer a question and unlock the download.

   If your textbook and specific edition are not shown there, please email Palisade Technical Support. Give the full title and edition number of the textbook, and we will send you a download link. Email only, please; we're unable to do this by phone or in live chat.

Last edited: 2018-08-14

2.44. "Could not start the Microsoft Excel application"

Applies to: Palisade add-ins for Excel, releases 5.7.1 and 6.x/7.x

When I try to launch one of the Palisade tools, I get this error message:

Could not start the Microsoft Excel application

@RISK (PrecisionTree, StatTools, ...) can't find Excel.  This can happen after you upgrade Excel or the Palisade software, depending on the exact sequence of events. First, verify that Palisade software is installed on the same computer or server as Excel; you can't run our software on your computer with Excel on the Web or otherwise in the cloud. Then, try double-clicking an .XLSX file to verify that Excel is properly set up to open them. If those checks succeed, then any of the following options will solve "Could not start the Microsoft Excel application":

• If you feel confortable with editing the System Registry, you can add a key to tell Palisade software where to find Excel. Please use the technique in Which Version of Excel Is Opened by Palisade Software? to set the Excel path in the System registry.  (If the path is already set, please verify that it is set correctly.)
• If you prefer not to edit the System Registry, you can work around the problem by simply opening Excel before @RISK (StatTools, PrecisionTree, ...).
• As a variation of the preceding bullet, you can set Excel to open @RISK (PrecisionTree, StattTools, ...) automatically for you, whenever Excel runs. Please see Opening Palisade Software Automatically Whenever Excel Opens for easy directions.

Last edited: 2018-09-06

2.45. "Error accessing file. Network connection may have been lost."

Applies to:
@RISK 6.x/7.x
@RISK for Project 4.1

When I try to open @RISK for Project, this message pops up:

Error accessing file. Network connection may have been lost.

This is actually a problem in Project, not in @RISK. If you Google the error message, you will find numerous references to this message in various Microsoft Office programs. In a Project context, it appears your Global.mpt is corrupt.

Solution Method 1:

Solution Method 2:

Last edited: 2015-10-05

2.46. "Error code 50030 populating a FLEXnet License Specification"

Applies to: Palisade software releases 5.x–8.x

When I try to launch the software, I get the error message

Authorization failure
Details:
Error code 50030 populating a FLEXnet License Specification from Trusted Storage

Something is stopping the license service from running.  If you have a Windows policy setting that allows only specified executables, verify that PalFlexServer5.exe, PalFlexServer6.exe, PalFlexServer7.xe, PalFlexServer8.exe (depending on your software version) has permission to run, and the same for FNPLicensingService.exe.

Click Start » Run, type Services.msc and click OK. FLEXnet Licensing Service should be set to Manual. (FNPLicensingService.exe is the executable for FLEXnet Licensing Service.) If it's Disabled, right-click it, select Properties, and set it to Manual.

Last edited: 2020-04-08

2.47. "Error in loading DLL" (at Startup)

Also available in Spanish: "Error en cargar DLL"

Applies to: All products, releases 6.x-8.x, with 64-bit Excel 2010, any Excel 2013, or any Excel 2016

When I try to launch the software from a desktop icon or start menu shortcut, I get this message:

Error in loading DLL

(Depending on which product you launch, there may be additional text, but "Error in loading DLL" is the key phrase.)

You may unintentionally be loading multiple copies of @RISK. Click File » Options » Add-Ins, then at the bottom of the right-hand panel click Go. In the next dialog, if RISKOptimizer or rpjexcel is checked (ticked), remove the check marks.

If those two don't appear, or they appear but are not ticked, then your Visual Basic 6 Runtime and/or .NET may not be registered properly. Please follow the procedure to re-register Visual Basic 6 Runtime. If the software runs now, you have solved the problem.

If the problem still occurs, your System Registry may contain one or more references to a version of Excel that no longer exists on your computer. To remove these "orphan" keys, please follow the procedure in Removing Outdated References to Office from the System Registry.

See also: Microsoft .NET Framework Repair Tool.

Last edited: 2020-04-08

2.48. "Failed to load ... Palflex5.dll"

Applies to: All Palisade software releases 5.x

When I try to run my Palisade software, I get the message

Failed to load c:\Program Files\Palisade\System\Palflex5.dll

or

Failed to load c:\Program Files (x86)\Palisade\System\Palflex5.dll

The solution requires full administrative rights.

1. In Computer or My Computer, navigate to the Palisade installation folder, then open the System folder under the Palisade folder. (The full path is shown in the error message.)

2. Delete these files:

   Palflex5.dll
   Palflex5_libFNP.dll
   Fnpcommssoap.dll
   Fnp_act_installer.dll

3. Follow the repair procedure in Repair of Palisade Software.

If the above does not work, check your Local Settings folder and make sure that it has not been set to read only.

Last edited: 2012-11-09

2.49. "FAILURE: License is broken."

También disponible en Español: "Error: La Licencia está rota"

Applies to:
All products, releases 5.x–8.x, standalone licenses
All products, releases 5.x–8.x, network server licenses

Everything was working fine, but I upgraded to Windows 8.1 or Windows 10, and now I can't run. Help » License Manager tells me "Failure: License is broken."

Windows 10 updates, or upgrading a computer to Windows 8.1 or Windows 10, may break an activated Palisade license, depending on the exact configuration of your computer. The upgrade should have no effect on certificate licenses, including textbook and course licenses. It should also have no effect on network client licenses, though a network server license may be broken.

First, make sure that your existing software is compatible with your new version of Windows. Please see Windows and Office Versions Supported by Palisade. If they are not compatible, you will need to upgrade your Palisade software. Please contact your Palisade sales manager to enter the order for the upgrade; if you have current maintenance there will be no charge. Contact information for all our sales offices is here.

When you have compatible Palisade software, the fix for a broken license is usually straightforward. Please don't try to reactivate your license. Instead, you have two options.

• If your license is standalone version 6.x-8.x, you can repair it yourself right away. There's one procedure for software releases starting with 7.5.1, and a different procedure for older software releases.

• Otherwise, please email Palisade Technical Support for the license repair procedure, and include your Activation ID or a screen shot of License Manager in your email. Please use email rather than the phone for this issue. We need to send you specific instructions for repairing your license, and while they're not difficult they do include some commands for you to copy and paste.

Last edited: 2020-04-08

2.50. Broken License? Do-It-Yourself Repair (No Repair Button)

Applies to:
All products, releases 6.0 0–7.5.0, standalone licenses
All products, releases 7.5.1 and newer, if you can't get back to the Repair button

If you have release 7.5.1 or newer, with a Repair button, please see Broken License? Do-It-Yourself Repair (7.5.1 or newer).

In the article "FAILURE: License is broken", you suggest emailing Technical Support for customized instructions. Isn't this something I can fix myself?

Yes, you should be able to, if you follow these directions.

1. Open the attached KB1395_RepairLicense file in Notepad, Microsoft Word, Outlook, or your favorite text editor.

2. In License Manager, highlight your Activation ID with your mouse, and press Ctrl+C to copy it.

3. Click Advanced Options (the magnifying glass in v6/v7) at the lower left of the License Manager window. A new dialog will open. Click View.

4. A Notepad window will open. Press Ctrl+F to bring up the Find dialog, then Ctrl+V to paste your Activation ID. Click Find Next to find a line consisting of your Activation ID preceded by "Entitlement ID".

5. Just above that line, you'll see a line consisting of "Fulfillment ID" and your Fulfillment ID, which has the format FID_1f42b49_14edacffcb3__7aea. Highlight just the ID itself, not the words "Fulfillment ID", and press Ctrl+C to copy it.

6. In the KB1395_RepairLicense file, in step (3), highlight xxx and press Ctrl+V to replace it with the Fulfillment ID. Repeat in step (5).

Now follow your customized instructions.

Last edited: 2020-10-23

2.51. Broken License? Do-It-Yourself Repair (7.5.1 or newer)

Applies to:
All products, release 7.5.1 or newer, standalone licenses

In the article "FAILURE: License is broken", you suggest emailing Technical Support for customized instructions. Isn't this something I can fix myself?

Yes, you should be able to. First, try the Repair button in License Manager. It will attempt to communicate with our server to perform an Automatic Repair. If you get a success message, ignore the rest of this article.

If the Repair button fails, please see the attached instructions to perform a manual repair. If you don't have a Repair button, please see Broken License? Do-It-Yourself Repair (No Repair Button).

Last edited: 2019-02-12

2.52. "FAILURE: Unable to reach a network server."

Disponible en español: "FALLO: No se pudo conectar con un servidor de red"

Applies to: All 6.x-8.x network client software

I installed the 6.x, 7.x or 8.x network client successfully, but when I try to run it, I get this error message:

FAILURE: Unable to reach a network server.

followed by

Authorization failure.
Details:
There is no available license for @RISK.

(or whatever product I'm trying to launch).

There are several possible causes. The first thing is to determine whether the problem is on the client or the server, or on your network between them.

Are other clients able to run?

If other clients can run, either this client's settings or network connections are more likely to be the problem. The remainder of this article will help you troubleshoot them.

Are server and client set up to use the same name and LMGRD port?

Are server and client running compatible software versions?

Can the client communicate with the server on the LMGRD port?

Can the client communicate with the server on the vendor daemon port?

Are client and server on different subnets?

Is the client firewall locking out Palisade software?

Does FLEXnet need a longer timeout?

Last edited: 2020-04-08

2.53. "File not found: DTOOLS5.XLL"

Applies to:
TopRank 5.x

Problem:
When I try to start TopRank, I get the message

Run-time error '53':
File not found: DTOOLS5.XLL

Solution:
Although it's a different message, it's the same issue as "Unable to load C:\Program Files\Palisade\System\Dtools5.xll".

Please follow the procedure in "Unable to load ... Dtools5.xll".

last edited: 2012-01-05

2.54. "FLEXnet returned error code –1"

Applies to:
All Palisade software versions 5.x

Explanation of the error:
Code -1 means that a license could not be read for this product. Some of the possible causes:

• A standalone product is installed but you have a network license, or vice versa.
• The wrong product or wrong edition is installed. @RISK as a separate item and @RISK as part of the DecisionTools Suite are two different products, and a license for one doesn't cover the other. Editions could be Industrial, Professional, or Standard.
• You might not have a license for this release number. For example, if you have a valid license for a given release, and you install a later version but your maintenance was not in effect on the release date, the later version will install a 30-day trial. You'll get a FLEXnet error after the 30 days run out.
• You might be running Windows emulation on a non-Windows computer such as a Mac.
• You might be running virtual machine software that does not quite emulate Windows low-level disk reads and writes.
• You might have a RAID (redundant disk array).
• You might have had insufficient permission at install time, so the trial license could not be written to Trusted Storage. (Trusted Storage is a non-file area of the hard drive.)
• You might have had insufficient permission when activating, so the permanent license could not be written to Trusted Storage.
• Your security software or policy settings might prevent writing to Trusted Storage, or allow the write but then undo it.
• You might have ghosted or imaged the workstation, and the ghosting or imaging did not properly copy the non-file area of the disk. (If this is a course license, we have a newer form of the software that does support imaging the workstations.)

last edited: 2010-09-23

2.55. "FLEXnet returned error code –5"

Applies to:
All products, release 5.x

Problem:
I activated successfully, but when I try to run the software again I get the error message

FLEXnet returned error code -5: No such feature exists

Solution:
Your activation ID is for one product, but you have installed a different product. The most common case is installing @RISK instead of the DecisionTools Suite or vice versa, but it could be any wrong product or wrong edition (Industrial, Professional, Standard).

Look at the second line of the message, and the Feature name will tell you what you have actually installed. Compare this with your license and you will see the difference. To solve this problem, follow these steps:

1. In Windows Control Panel, Add or Remove Programs (or Programs and Features), uninstall the incorrect product.
2. Download and install the correct product. You will not need to activate it again.

Or, if you can't figure this out, please send an email to Technical Support with your Activation ID and a screen shot of the error message, and we will help you.

last edited: 2012-11-09

2.56. "FLEXnet returned error code –7" (7.x software)

Applies to:
All products, Concurrent Network client software, release 7.5.2 or newer

I upgraded my @RISK (Evolver, NeuralTools, ...), and now when I launch it I get the message

FLEXnet returned error code –7

Palisade release 7.5.2 changed from FLEXnet 11.10 to 11.14, and it looks like your server is still running an older version. Ask your IT people to check the release number in the title bar of Palisade Server Manager. Client (end user) software releases 7.5.2 and newer will not work with release 7.5.1 and older releases of server software.

If you have an older server release, IT staff should contact Palisade Technical Support for the latest server setup installer. Please include the network software serial number with your request.

Last edited: 2018-10-09

2.57. "FLEXnet returned error code –7" (5.x software)

Applies to:
All products, release 5.x

Problem:
The license process is running on the server, Palisade Server Manager shows that there are licenses available.  But when I try to run the Concurrent Network software on a client, I get the error message

FLEXnet returned error code –7: No socket connection to license server manager.

Response:
Although the text of this message is different, the causes and cures are the same as for "FAILURE: Unable to reach a network server."

last edited: 2014-02-24

2.58. "FLEXnet returned error code –12"

Applies to: Palisade Concurrent Network software, releases 6.x/7.x

When I try to launch my software, I get this message:

Authorization failure.
Details:
FLEXnet returned error code –12: Invalid returned data from license server system.

This is probably a port-number conflict, which must be resolved by your server administrator. There could be a conflict in LMGRD ports between this client and your license server, or one port used two ways on your license server. If you specify a port for any FLEXnet-licensed application, that port must not be used in any other way on the same server.

Client-server port conflicts:

Server-server port conflicts:

Last edited: 2017-11-13

2.59. "FLEXnet returned error code –20"

Applies to:
Palisade software releases 5.x

Problem:
When I try to open the software, I get the error message

FLEXnet returned error code –20: lc_flexinit failed

Solution:
Most likely you did not have sufficient privilege when running the installer. To resolve the problem, do not uninstall the software but repeat the install as follows:

1. Make sure you are logged in to Windows as a full administrator.
2. If you have Windows 7 or Vista, right-click the installer and select Run As Administrator. If you have Windows XP or earlier, double-click the installer.
3. If the installer prompts you for Modify or Repair, select Repair.

last edited: 2012-11-09

2.60. "FLEXnet returned error code –76"

Applies to:
Palisade software releases 6.x/7.x
BigPicture 1.0 and 2016

When I launch the software, it loads Excel but then I get this error:

Authorization failure.

Details:
FLEXnet returned error code -76: Internal Error - Please report to Flexera Software, Inc.

But I have a valid license.

This error is nothing to do with your license; it's a problem in the FLEXnet licensing software itself. Somehow it has been corrupted. This happens rarely, and we're not sure why. It may be certain Windows updates, or it may be something else.

The simplest way to solve the corruption is to uninstall the software and reinstall it. Please follow this procedure—you'll need full administrative rights.

1. In Control Panel » Programs and Features, uninstall the software. @RISK is probably first in the list, but if you have the DecisionTools Suite it will be in the D's. Important: If you get a prompt about deactivating the software, continue the uninstall but do not deactivate.

2. Delete the C:\Program Files (x86)\Palisade or C:\Program Files\Palisade folder.

3. Reinstall the software. If you need a link to the right installer, contact Palisade Technical Support and include your serial number with your request. Important: On the Customer Information screen during install, change "15-day trial" to "I am upgrading or reinstalling."

Last edited: 2017-07-21

2.61. "FLEXnet returned error code –97" (standalone)

Applies to: All products, 6.1 Preview

When I launch @RISK or another one of the Palisade applications, I get this error message:

Authorization failure
Details:
FLEXnet returned error code –97: The desired vendor daemon is down.
Check the lmgrd log file, or try lmreread.

I have a standalone copy of the software, not a network client.

Were you running the 6.1 Preview? It had a special form of license, which expired in March 2013. After that date, you might get this error message when you try to run the software.

To solve this, please go to our Free Trial Versions page and select your product. Download and install it. During install, on the Customer Information screen, select "I am upgrading or reinstalling" and leave the Activation ID box blank. If you have current maintenance, the new install will pick up your activation. Otherwise, it will install as a trial, and if you decide to purchase you will be able to activate it without reinstalling the software.

Last edited: 2015-10-05

2.62. "FLEXnet returned error code –97" (network client)

Disponible en español: "FLEXnet generó un código de error -97" cliente de red simultanea

Applies to: All Concurrent Network products, releases 5.x and later

When I launch @RISK or another one of the Palisade applications, I get this error message:

Authorization failure
Details:
FLEXnet returned error code –97: The desired vendor daemon is down.

What is wrong?

This message means that the client could communicate with an LMGRD program on the server, but could not communicate with the Palisade.exe program (the "vendor daemon") on the server. This could be caused by configuration problems on your server or your clients. Your first question is, does this happen on all clients, or are some clients able to run? A server problem will affect all clients. A client problem could affect all clients or only some clients, depending on whether some clients are configured correctly and some incorrectly.

• (Affects all clients) Port-number conflict among multiple FLEXnet-licensed products. See "Finding and fixing port-number conflicts" in FLEXnet Error: "Exiting due to signal 27".

• (Affects all clients) Misplaced license file. In Palisade Server Manager, click Open LIC Folder. You should have PalisadeNetwork.lic and Server.lic only. If you have other .lic files there, remove them. (Sysadmins sometimes put a Palisade_Course.lic file in this folder on the server. That's a standalone license and will cause your network license to malfunction.) Click Refresh in Server Manager after removing any wrong file.

• (Affects all clients) License process not running on the server. Network Server Issues lists the most common problems and their solutions.

  • In 6.x and newer, launch Palisade Server Manager. If the service is not running, start it, click Refresh, and verify that it is still running. If it stops itself, click Open .LIC folder and examine the contents of the PalisadeService.log file.
  • In 5.x, launch LMTools. On the Server Status tab click Perform Status Enquiry. If the service is not running, on the Start/Stop/Reread tab click Start Service; perform a new Status Enquiry to verify that the service is not running. If it is not, go to the Config Services tab and click View Log. Trouble messages will be near the end of the log.

• (Could affect all clients, or only some clients) Firewall forbidding communications between this client and the server. On the client, either open the appropriate ports or make PalFlexServer8.exe, PalFlexServer7.exe, PalFlexServer6.exe, or PalFlexServer5.exe an exception in the firewall. On the server, list both Palisade.exe and lmgrd.exe as exceptions for send and receive. For more details, see Network Ports and Firewalls.

• (Could affect all clients, or only some clients) Any of the causes listed, with solutions, in "FAILURE: Unable to reach a network server."

Last edited: 2018-06-11

2.63. "FLEXnet returned error code –103"

Applies to:
All Palisade software release 5.5

Problem:
When I try to start my Palisade software, I get the error message

FLEXnet returned error code –103

Response:
You have a standalone (workstation) copy of the software. Standalone copies are designed to be operated while you are physically present at the computer. By design, it is not possible to remote in and run a standalone copy of the software.

Please see Cannot checkout an uncounted license ... for a more detailed explanation.

last edited: 2009-07-20

2.64. "FLEXnet returned error code –157"

Applies to: Palisade software, releases 6.x/7.x

When I try to launch my software, I get this message:

Authorization failure.
Details:
FLEXnet returned error code –157: Trusted Storage compromised, repair needed
Trusted Storage is invalid, and needs to be repaired

The license for your Palisade software has been broken by an upgrade to Windows 10 or Windows 8.1, by a backup/restore operation that was less than perfect, by changing your computer's system date, or through other causes.

If you can get into Help » License Manager, or if License Manager opens spontaneously, please follow the do-it-yourself license repair procedure.

If you can't get into License Manager, please contact Palisade Technical Support to replace your inaccessible activatable license with a certificate license. They will want a screen shot of the error message, along with the appropriate version of Palisade diagnostics for your software:

• PalDiagnostics7 for 7.x software
• PalDiagnostics6 for 6.x software
• PalDiagnostics5 for 5.x software

Last edited: 2018-01-12

2.65. "FLEXnet returned error code –158"

Applies to: Palisade Software, release 7.x

When I try to launch my software, I get this message:

Authorization Failure.
Details:
Flexnet returned error code -158: Trusted Storage open failure
Feature: DecisionTools70_Industrial

It seems like the installation of your software is damaged, probably caused by a Windows upgrade. Please repair the Palisade software by going to Control Panel>> Programs and Features>> Uninstall a Program>> Change or Repair.

Last Edited 2019-04-22

2.66. "Method '~' of object '~' failed" (at Startup)

También disponible en Español: "Method '~' of object '~' failed" (Al Inicio)

Applies to: Palisade software 5.x–7.x

When I launch @RISK (or another Palisade add-in) I get "Method ~ of object ~ failed". What is wrong, and how do I fix it?

There are several possible causes. Here are the ones we know of:

• Check in Excel's Disabled Items, and if the Palisade add-in is listed there, re-enable it. (An item can be marked disabled under some circumstances when Excel crashes.)

  To access disabled items: In Excel 2010 and 2013, select File » Options » Add-Ins » Manage: Disabled Items. In Excel 2003, it's Help » About Microsoft Excel » Disabled Items.

• Verify that "ignore other applications" is not selected (the box is unchecked).

  In Excel 2010 and 2013, select File » Options » Advanced » General options. In Excel 2003, it's Tools » Options » General.

• Verify that Visual Basic for Applications is installed and enabled. The easy test for this is to launch Excel and then press Alt-F11. Visual Basic Editor should appear.

  If VBA is not enabled, go to Control Panel » Programs and Features (or Add or Remove Programs) and modify Microsoft Office. VBA is under "Office shared features", and it must be set to "Run from my computer".

• If you install Skype for Business 2016 and you don't have Office 2016, a bad key gets written to your System Registry. See the Skype for Business 2016 "special case" near the end of "Automation error: Library not registered" to remove that key.

• Run a repair of Microsoft Office to fix any components that may be corrupted.

• Verify that your version of Palisade software is compatible with your version of Office. Please see Windows and Office Versions Supported by Palisade.

• If you have Office 2010 or newer, then deployment as Office Web Apps, Office On Line, Pocket Office, Office Mobile, Office On Demand, or Office 2010 Click-to-Run may be a problem. The key is that your Office needs to be installed on the same computer as the Palisade software, not on a different computer or Web server.

See also: There are other possible causes for this message. See All Articles about "Method '~' of object '~' failed".

Last edited: 2020-01-06

2.67. "Method 'ExecuteCommand' of object '_PalUtil' failed"

Applies to:
NeuralTools 5.x
StatTools 5.x

When I try to open NeuralTools or StatTools, I get the error message

Method 'ExecuteCommand' of object '_PalUtil' failed

The other applications in the DecisionTools Suite seem to run just fine.

The Palisade software uses Microsoft Visual Basic 6 Runtime, and installing Skype Email Toolbar Beta in 64-bit Windows corrupts this component. More specifically, Skype's toolbar install overwrites some information that the VB6 install places in the System Registry. (The issue occurs with the Email Toolbar install; the Skype application's install is not a problem.)

If you have 64-bit Windows, you can repair this information through either of the methods below. Caution: before any procedure that modifies the System Registry, you should make sure that your system has been backed up.

Method 1: Download the attached batch file to your desktop. Right-click it and select Run As Administrator.

Method 2: Open a command prompt as administrator, and execute this command:

regsvr32 %windir%\SysWOW64\msvbvm60.dll

Either way, if the process succeeds you will see the message: "DllRegisterServer in c:\Windows\SysWOW64\msvbvm60.dll succeeded."

It is best to uninstall your Skype toolbar, because this change may make it unstable or prevent your email from working altogether. You do not need to uninstall the main Skype program.

Last edited: 2012-01-17

2.68. "Method 'ExecuteRiskCommand' of object '_RiskOL' failed"

Applies to: @RISK 7.x, in 64-bit Excel 2016

When I launch @RISK, I get the message

Method 'ExecuteRiskCommand' of object '_RiskOL' failed

I tried repairing Office and repairing the Palisade software, but the problem remains.

This problem has affected just a few people out of the thousands using 64-bit Excel 2016. Unfortunately, we have not been able to reproduce this here, and we have not been able to find the cause on customer computers.

Your fastest workaround is to uninstall 64-bit Excel and install 32-bit Excel; all four affected users chose to do this, and it solved the problem.

Odds are pretty good that 32-bit Excel will serve your needs fully; see Should I Install 64-bit Excel? However, if you've got the level of memory use mentioned in that article, 32-bit Excel won't be sufficient for you. If that's the case, or if you can't switch to 32-bit Excel for any other reason, please contact Technical Support. Palisade will work with you to try to find a solution.

Last edited: 2018-02-27

2.69. "Method 'InitializeEx2' of object '_RiskOL' failed"

Applies to:
Palisade software release 5.7

Problem:
@RISK (StatTools, PrecisionTree, etc.) won't start up. It just gives me the message:

Method 'InitializeEx2' of object '_RiskOL' failed

or

Method 'InitializeEx' of object '_OptLibrary' failed

Response:
This message usually means you are trying to run the software via some sort of remote login such as Remote Desktop or terminal services. This is not permitted by the license terms for a standalone license. We apologize for the misdirection given by the error message.

You need to be physically present at the computer and directly logged in.

If running via remote login is a requirement for you, please contact your Palisade sales manager about a network license.

Special note for XP Mode in Windows 7: Microsoft has implemented Windows 7's XP Mode as a form of remote desktop, and therefore you cannot run standalone versions of our software in XP Mode in Windows 7. However, there's no need to do that anyway, because all of our recent releases run just fine in 32-bit or 64-bit Windows 7.

last edited: 2012-05-16

2.70. "Microsoft Excel has identified a potential security concern."

When I try to launch Palisade software, I get a popup saying

Microsoft Excel has identified a potential security concern.

Note: The digital signature is valid, but the signature is from a publisher whom you have not yet chosen to trust.

This popup appears because you have the AutomationSecurity policy set to 2 rather than the normal value of 1, which is recommended by Microsoft.

Without changing that policy, you can simply click Trust all from publisher in the dialog.

You know this is safe, because our code was signed with a certificate valid at the time of signing. And you know the code has not been changed since then, or you would get a message telling you that.

See also:

• "The certificate has expired or is not yet valid."
• Group Policy and Office Customization Tool Settings: Technical Reference

Last edited: 2015-06-01

2.71. "Not enough system resources to display completely."

Applies to: @RISK 6.x/7.x/8.x

When I try to open my model, I get the error message

Not enough system resources to display completely.

Or, I can open the model, but after I run a simulation I get that message.

Your model is too large or too complex, or has features that require more system resources than your computer can provide.  Some suggestions:

• If you are running any memory-hungry or disk-hungry applications, close them before opening your model.
• If you have other workbooks open and they're not required for the simulation, close them before opening this one.
• If you can make your model less complex or trim down redundant calculations, this is always a good idea.
• If the number of iterations is large, try reducing it.  Or use @RISK's convergence monitor to see whether you are specifying more iterations than needed.
• If you're using Color Cells, try disabling them before opening your model.  (Color Cells can take a lot of system resources, depending on your model.)
• If you are collecting all distribution samples (Simulation Settings » Sampling tab), switch to None or Distributions Marked with Collect.

See also: "Not enough memory to run simulation"

Last edited: 2020-04-16

2.72. "Object disposed."

Applies to: @RISK 6.x/7.x (possibly other products also)

When I launch @RISK. I get the message

Object disposed.

How do I fix that?

We see this very infrequently, but for the cases we've seen recently, the fix is simple: Just restart Windows. This should be a full restart of Windows, not just logging off and on again.

If you have RISKOptimizer in Excel's list of active ad-ins (File » Options » Add-ins), click the Go button at the bottom of the list and remove the check mark for RISKOptimizer. RISKOptimizer loads automatically when you load @RISK, but it must not be loaded directly as an Excel add-in.

We've also seen this "Object disposed" message associated with permissions problems. If you installed @RISK by just double-clicking the installer, you might want to retry, right-clicking the installer and selecting Run as Administrator. During the install, you'll probably see a selection Modify/Repair/Remove; select Repair.

If these suggestions don't help, please contact Palisade Technical Support with your serial number and we will try to assist you.

Last edited: 2016-04-28

2.73. "Object doesn't support this property or method"

Applies to: All Palisade software, releases 6.x

When I try to launch my Palisade software, I get this error message:

Object doesn't support this property or method

The toolbars appear as expected. Can I ignore this message?

Palisade software releases 6.x require Excel 2003 or newer, and you are using an older version of Excel.  The software will not function correctly in this version of Excel, and you need to upgrade your Excel to a later version.

When you do upgrade Excel and click the @RISK icon (or PrecisionTree, StatTools, ...), the software might still try to launch the older Excel. If this happens, please see "Which Version of Excel Is Opened by Palisade Software?" for a simple update to the System Registry that will tell the software which version of Excel to open.

Last edited: 2012-12-11

2.74. "Object variable or With block variable not set" (Windows 7 and Vista)

Applies to:
Palisade add-ins 5.x–8.x for Excel, running in Windows 7 or Vista.

This may apply to Windows 8 and Windows 10 also, but we don't have any confirmed cases.

When I launch @RISK, I get

Object variable or With block variable not set
Run-time error '-2147024894(80070002)'

If I try opening Excel and then Risk.xla within Excel, I get the same thing.

@RISK 5.x and 6.x require Microsoft .NET 2.0 to run, and @RISK 7.x and 8.x require .NET 4.x. From the error number, it looks like your copy of .NET is corrupt. If you have .NET 2.0 SP2 or later, or .NET 4.x, you can download and run the Microsoft .NET Framework Repair Tool. 

If you have an earlier build of .NET 2.0, please follow the command-line procedure in How to repair the .NET Framework 2.0 and 3.0 on Windows Vista. (Although the article title says "Vista", the text indicates that the procedure also works for Windows 7.) If that is not sufficient, please follow the additional procedure in that article to repair the registry entries.

See also: There are other possible causes for this message. See All Articles about "Object variable or With block variable not set".

Last edited: 2020-04-16

2.75. "Object variable or With block variable not set" (Windows 8)

Applies to: Palisade add-ins for Excel, releases 5.7 through 6.1, running in Windows 8 or 8.1

When I launch @RISK, I get

Object variable or With block variable not set

followed by

Run-time error '-2146232576 (80131700)':
Automation error

If I try opening Excel and then Risk.xla within Excel, I get the same thing.

@RISK 5.x and 6.x require Microsoft .NET 2.0 to run, but Windows 8 does not include that version. In Windows 8 and 8.1, to get .NET 2.0 it's necessary to install .NET 3.5.

If you have Windows 8.1, the @RISK 6.2.0–6.3.1 installers will install .NET for you; for earlier @RISK installers see Installing Palisade Software 6.0 or 6.1 in Windows 8.1.

If you have Windows 8 (not 8.1), the @RISK 6.1.1–6.3.1 installers will install .NET for you; for earlier @RISK installers see Installing Palisade Software 5.7 or 6.0 in Windows 8.

See also: There are other possible causes for this message. See All Articles about "Object variable or With block variable not set".

Last edited: 2016-02-23

2.76. "PalFlexServer6 Application has encountered a problem and needs to close."

Applies to:
DecisionTools Suite 6.0, textbook version only
(August 2012 downloads only)

Problem:
I installed my textbook version without any error messages. But when I launch any of the tools, immediately after startup it gets the above error message, or the following message:

Authorization failure
Details:
Unexpected status=0, err=109, for kernel function TransactNamedPipe, after calling transactNamedPipe.

Response:
There was a problem with an early release of the textbook install for 6.0, which was corrected at the end of August 2012.

If you downloaded early and are experiencing this problem, we apologize for the inconvenience. Please do not uninstall the software. Just repeat the download and install procedure from the beginning. You will get a new version of the software, which does not have this problem.

last edited: 2013-04-25

2.77. "PalGraph7Server has stopped working"

Applies to: @RISK 7.x

@RISK installed without any error messages, but when I launch it I get the message

PalGraph7Server has stopped working

When I click "Close the program", I get

Automation error
The remote procedure call failed

It looks like your installation of .NET 4 is missing or corrupted. To install or repair it, please see item 1 in Microsoft Components Required for Palisade 7.x Software Install.

Last edited: 2017-06-22

2.78. "PalMemLoadDll exception"

Applies to:
Palisade software version 5.x

Problem:
When I launch the software, I get a small message box with "PalMemLoadDll exception" in the title bar and a four-digit number in the middle of the box, but no other text. What is wrong?

Response:
The software is unable to write to your temporary folder. (The four-digit number is just a process number and has no significance for this problem.) Please make sure that your Local Settings and temporary folders are set for full access, not just read access.

(1) Local Settings is usually at C:\Documents and Settings\(your login name)\Local Settings, though in Windows it's possible to redirect it to a different location. If you can't find it, click Start » Run and enter this command:

%TMP%\..

including the percent signs, backslash, and two dots as shown.

(2) The temporary folder is usually a subfolder TEMP within Local Settings. If you can't find it, click Start » Run and enter this command:

%TMP%

including the punctuation as shown.

last edited: 2010-08-16

2.79. "Problem Event name BEX"

Applies to:
PrecisionTree releases 7.5.1 and older

Does not occur with PrecisionTree 7.5.2 and newer.

When I try to launch PrecisionTree and some other components of the DecisionTools Suite (not @RISK), I get this error:

PrecisionTree Launcher stopped
Problem Event name BEX
Problem Module Name RpcRtRemopte.dll

(Other modules are also identified as problems, such as CFGMGR32.dll.)

This problem relates to Data Execution Prevention (DEP) in Windows. You can disable DEP for the specific applications that have a problem, as explained near the end of Microsoft's TechNet article Data Execution Prevention. (Look near the end of the article, under "Per-application DEP configuration".)

Last edited: 2018-01-17

2.80. "RISKOptimizer initialization failed"

Applies to:
RISKOptimizer 5.0 only

Problem:
When I try to launch RISKOptimizer, I get this message:

RISKOptimizer initialization failed.
A exception has occurred.

Details:
Error 0000007A opening the Registry key at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.

Solution:

1. Close Excel.

2. Start » Run » REGEDIT and click OK.

3. Navigate to the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Palisade\RISKOptimizer\5.0, or HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Palisade\RISKOptimizer\5.0 in 64-bit Windows. Right-click on 5.0 and select Delete.

4. File » Exit to close the Registry Editor.

5. Perform a repair of @RISK or the DecisionTools Suite by following the procedure in Repair of Palisade Software.

RISKOptimizer should now run correctly.

last edited: 2012-11-22

2.81. "The current system code page is incompatible with this program."

Applies to: All Palisade software, releases 6.0–7.0 only

When launching the software, I get the message

The current system code page is incompatible with this program. Please see the readme file for more information.

The program then opens, but the text is unreadable.

Your best solution, if you have a current maintenance contract, is to upgrade to the latest version. Starting with 7.5.0, @RISK has improved Unicode support so that code pages are no longer a concern. However, if you don't have a maintenance contract and don't want to purchase an upgrade, you can use the following solution.

Non-English editions of the Palisade DecisionTools releases through 7.0.1 required the correct Windows "code page". For example, to use the Japanese version, Windows must have the active code page set to Japanese. If you are running on Japanese Windows, this will automatically be set by default. However, if you are running a Japanese Palisade add-in on a non-Japanese machine, you will need to change the default Windows code page.

To change the code page in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista:

1. Open Control Panel » Region and Language. (It's just Region in Windows 8.)
2. Select the Administrative tab.
3. Click the button "Change system locale ..." and select the correct language.

To change the code page in Windows XP:

1. Open Control Panel » Regional and Language Options.
2. Select the Advanced tab.
3. Under "Language for non-Unicode programs", select the correct language.

Additional keywords: Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish

Last edited: 2016-07-12

2.82. "The trial license was not successfully loaded"

Applies to:
All products, release 5.x

Problem:
When I try to start a non-networked version of your software, I get the error message

The trial license was not successfully loaded

Response:
This message appears when the software is unable to write or read a license record. Even if you have a purchased license, the message still refers to a trial license because the software looks for a trial license if it fails to find a purchased license.

There are several possible causes for this error message:

• Insufficient privilege for installation

  Assuming it's a native Windows machine, then most likely the product was not installed with sufficient privilege. While an ordinary user should be able to run our software, it requires full administrative rights at install time.

  Please log on as a full administrator. If you have Windows XP or an earlier Windows, re-run the installer. If you have Windows Vista, please right-click the installer and select Run As Administrator, even though you're already logged on as administrator.

• Imperfect Windows emulation

  If you're running on a Mac with Windows emulation, or in a virtual machine, the Windows emulation may be very good but not perfect. Our licenses, even trial licenses, are written to a non-file area of your hard drive called Trusted Storage. If your Windows emulation or virtual machine can't handle that, you will be unable to run Palisade software.

• Security software

  You may have some security software running that interferes with writing to a non-file area of the disk or reading from it. Either disable this software or, if possible, list Palisade software as a trusted exception. (Please consult the documentation for your security software; we're unable to provide detailed instructions.)

• Course.asr file missing with release 5.5 course license

  If you have a course license, when you install it the Course.asr file must be in the same folder as the installer. If you downloaded a .ZIP file, make sure to extract both the installer and the Course.asr file to your desktop before installing. If you received the course license on a disk, insert the actual disk in your disk drive, or copy all files from it to your desktop.

last edited: 2009-07-10

2.83. "There is no available license" (network client)

Applies to:
All products, Concurrent Network clients, releases 6.x/7.x/8.x

I'm getting the message "There is no available license for" my product. What should I do? Can you give me the Activation ID?

In a Concurrent Network, your organization's license server requires license activation, but clients do not activate. When you launch the software, it gets a license dynamically from your organization's license server. For some reason, this is not working on your computer.

Unfortunately, the cause could be one of many. You will probably need your IT department's help to resolve this. You or they should work methodically through the causes listed in these articles:

• "FAILURE: Unable to reach a network server."
• "FLEXnet returned error code –97" (network client)
• After Upgrading, My Network Client License Is Gone

Last edited: 2020-04-16

2.84. "This add-in requires Excel to use the system separators."

Tambien disponible en Español: Este complemento requiere que Excel use los separadores del sistema

Applies to:  All products, releases 6.x/7.x/8.x

When I launch the software, I get this error message:

Operation failed.
Details:
This add-in requires Excel to use the system separators.

How do I fix this?

The "separators" are the decimal symbol, digit grouping symbol, and so on. You can set them in Windows Control Panel (Region and Language) and they will apply to all programs. You can also set them in Excel (Decimal separator and Thousands separator in the Advanced Options dialog, in the Editing section). Although you can make Excel's thousands separator and decimal separator different from the Windows settings, our software requires that you not do this. 

In Excel 2003, click Tools » Options, select the International tab, and put a check mark in the box labeled Use system separators.

In Excel 2010 and newer, click File » Options » Advanced, and under Editing options put a check mark in the box labeled Use system separators. (Excel 2007 is the same except that you begin with the round Office button and Excel options.) Here's a screen shot:

 

Last edited: 2020-04-16

2.85. "This app can't run on your PC" (at run time)

Applies to:
All products, running on Windows 10

If you're trying to install the software, see "This app can't run on your PC" (at install time).

My software has been running fine, but today when I tried to run it I got this pop-up from Windows 10:

This app can't run on your PC.

To find a version for your PC, check with the software publisher.

All our software versions 6.0 and newer run on Windows 10. This is a false message produced by erroneous code in Windows 10 or an update to Windows 10.

Following are solutions that have worked for various people:

• Try repairing your Palisade software, which will re-register all its components. (The repair is not available with textbook versions of the software. With a textbook version, uninstall the software and then do a fresh install. You will need your textbook for the URL and to answer the challenge question.)

• Try two complete cycles of shutting down your computer and then restarting Windows. Our QA department have found that two shutdown-restart cycles sometimes succeed in clearing flaky problems in Windows 10, where one cycle did not. You may also need to repair Microsoft Office.

• If you can, run our applications as administrator. To do this, right-click the shortcut and select Run as Administrator.

• Disabling SmartScreen will remove this false positive message. See "This app can't run on your PC" (at install time).

Last edited: 2017-10-03

2.86. "This workbook has lost its VBA project."

When I try to launch my Palisade software, I get a pop-up like this one

Repairs to 'Risk.xla'

Excel was able to open the file by repairing or removing the unreadable content.

This workbook has lost its VBA project, ActiveX controls and any other programmability-related features.

You have Visual Basic for Applications disabled, either by a policy setting or because it was disabled during installation of Microsoft Office. Microsoft's articles Some Excel features are unavailable if you disable Visual Basic for Applications and run Excel and Considerations for disabling VBA in Office explain that this makes some Excel features unavailable, including some native Microsoft Excel add-ins and add-ins from third parties.

To solve the problem, re-enable Visual Basic for Applications:

1. Open Control Panel » Programs and Features (in Windows XP, Add or Remove programs).
2. Select Microsoft Office and click Change in the menu at the top, or right-click Microsoft Office and select Change.
3. Select Add or remove features and click Continue.
4. In the list that appears, click the plus sign to expand Office Shared Features.
5. Click the drop-down arrow next to Visual Basic for Applications and change it to Run from My Computer. Click Continue.

If VBA was already set to Run from My Computer, you or your IT department have set a system policy to disable it. This prevents many Excel features from working, as explained in the articles cited above. Please ask your IT department to remove the policy setting Disable VBA for Office applications.

That policy setting assigned a value of 1 to the VBAOFF value in the System Registry, according to Method 3 in How to turn off Visual Basic for Applications when you deploy Office, so you may be able to re-enable VBA by changing the value to 0. The VBAOFF value is located in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\WOW6432Node\Policies\Microsoft\Office\nn.0\Common or HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\nn.0\Common, where nn is 15 for Office 2013, 14 for Office 2010, 12 for Office 2007, or 11 for Office 2013.

Last edited: 2015-06-30

2.87. "Timeout creating the named pipe"

Applies to:
Palisade software, releases 6.x/7.x/8.x

When I try to launch my software, I get this error message:

Authorization failure
Details: Timeout creating the named pipe \\.\pipe\RPC pipe for PalFlexServer(X).exe, processId=0

There are a number of possible causes and cures. Here are the ones we're aware of from customer experiences:

• Have you tried restarting Windows? Sometimes Windows gets itself into a bad state, and when you restart Windows it repairs itself. This is not just a matter of logging off and on, but restarting Windows (rebooting).

• Is the FLEXnet Licensing Service enabled? Click Start » Run, enter the command services.msc and press the Enter key. Scroll down to FLEXnet Licensing Service. Look at Startup Type, which should be Manual. Look also at Status:

  • If Status is Started, the service is installed correctly and running normally.
  • If Status is blank, right-click the service and select Start. If Status changes to Started, the service is installed correctly. If Status does not change, press F5 to refresh the window. If the service cannot start, that's the problem. First try repairing the Palisade software. If that does not solve the issue, either contact Technical Support or try uninstalling and reinstalling the software, making sure to run the installer as administrator.

• Does your installation allow only specified programs to run? Have your administrator specify PalFlexServer6.exe as an allowed program.

• Do you have Excel 2007? Make sure that your Service Packs are up to date, and then run a repair.

• Is your hardware going bad? We have had reports of this error shortly before a hard drive failed. Run the manufacturer's hard-drive checker, and run a good third-party RAM tester.

Last edited: 2020-04-16

2.88. "Timeout error starting ... PalFlexServer.exe"

Applies to: All products, release 6.x/7.x,8.x

While trying to launch @RISK (Evolver, PrecisionTree, etc.), I get this error message:

Authorization failure.
Details: Timeout error starting C:\Program Files (x86)\Palisade\System\PalFlexServer8.exe

Or:

Authorization failure.
Details: Timeout error starting C:\Program Files (x86)\Palisade\System\PalFlexServer7.exe

Or:

Authorization failure.
Details: Timeout error starting C:\Program Files (x86)\Palisade\System\PalFlexServer6.exe

(In 32-bit Windows, "(x86)" is not part of the message.)

PalFlexServer6.exe, PalFlexServer7.exe or PalFlexServer8.exe is the license process, and for some reason it's unable to start. Please follow these steps to verify that the license process is not disabled:

1. Click Start » Run, type services.msc and press the Enter key.
2. Find FLEXnet Licensing Service in the list, and check its status. It should be set for Manual start. If it's set to Disabled, right-click it, select Properties, change Startup type to Manual, and click OK. (There's no benefit to setting Startup type to Automatic.) Close the Services window.

If you change Startup type to Manual, you should be able to launch the software now. If Startup type was already Manual, or if the software still will not run, please check two other possible causes:

• Do you have Windows set up to allow only named executables to run? In that case, add PalFlexServer6.exe, PalFlexServer7.exe or PalFlexServer8.exe to the whitelist.

• Has PalFlexServer6.exe, PalFlexServer7.exe or PalFlexServer8.exe been flagged as a false positive in your antivirus logs? If so, add it to the whitelist in your antivirus program.

Last edited: 2020-04-24

2.89. "Unable to cast COM object"

Applies to: @RISK 7.x

My @RISK was working fine, but some Windows updates ran, and now when I launch @RISK I get this message:

Unable to cast COM object of the type 'System. – Com Object' to interface type'AtRiskOL7.RiskProductionInformation'. This operation failed because the QueryInterface call on the COM component for the interface with IID '{20534293-A49C-4BC4-B89E-3D0FD0CE3184}' failed due to the following error: No such interface supported (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80004002 (E_NOINTERFACE))

Unfortunately, Windows 10 updates in October 2016 and later seem to break @RISK's COM interface for a number of users. We don't yet know if it's just the one mentioned in the error message above, or if other registrations are also broken, and would show up when you access particular features of one or more of the applications.

Therefore, we're presenting two methods to fix the problem. Option A is quicker, but fixes just the COM registrations for the AtRiskOL file listed in the error message. Option B is more work, but should fix any registrations that are broken, even if we don't know about them yet.

Option A — REGSVR32 in Batch File

1. Open an administrative command prompt. You must run this procedure in an administrative command prompt; even if you have administrative privileges, you cannot run this successfully via a Start » Run window.

2. Download the attached KB1484_Reregister_AtRiskOL.bat file to a convenient location—save it, don't run it.

3. Shift-right-click the downloaded file and select Copy as Path.

4. Click into the administrative command window. Right-click and select Paste, then press the Enter key.

5. The pop-up message should be "DllRegisterServer ... succeeded". If you get a different message, follow the instructions in the window.

Option B — Repair or Upgrade

• If you have @RISK 7.5.1 or newer, repair your Palisade software.
• If you have @RISK 7.5.0 or older with current maintenance, upgrade to the latest release.
• If you have @RISK 7.5.0 or older without current maintenance, or if you prefer not to upgrade, repair your Palisade software.

Last edited: 2018-07-08

2.90. "Unable to create reference to RiskModel6.Server"

Applies to: @RISK 6.x/7.x

When I try to launch @RISK, I get this error message:

Operation Failed
Unable to create reference to RiskModel7.Server
Error in loading DLL

Or:

Operation Failed
Unable to create reference to RiskModel6.Server
Error in loading DLL

However, if I start Excel first and then start @RISK, it runs fine.

Please see "Error in loading DLL" (at Startup).

Last edited: 2015-10-07

2.91. "Unable to load ... PalFlex_x86.dll"

Applies to: All Palisade software 5.x–8.x

At startup, the software will not load but displays a message like one of these:

Unable to load DLL: C:\Program Files(x86)\Palisade\System\PalFlex7_x86.dll
Unable to load DLL: C:\Program Files\Palisade\System\PalFlex7_x86.dll
Unable to load DLL: C:\Program Files(x86)\Palisade\System\PalFlex6_x86.dll
Unable to load DLL: C:\Program Files\Palisade\System\PalFlex6_x86.dll

Could not load C:\Program Files(x86)\Palisade\System\PalFlex7_x86.dll
Could not load C:\Program Files\Palisade\System\PalFlex7_x86.dll
Could not load C:\Program Files(x86)\Palisade\System\PalFlex6_x86.dll
Could not load C:\Program Files\Palisade\System\PalFlex6_x86.dll

(The path will vary, depending on where you installed the Palisade software. Depending on your Palisade software release and your version of Windows, the file name may be any of PalFlex5.dll, PalFlex5_x64.dll, PalFlex5_x86.dll, PalFlex6_x64.dll, PalFlex6_x86.dll, PalFlex7_x64.dll, PalFlex7_x86.dll.)

The most common root cause of this error is using our installer without full administrative rights, or using a customer-packaged installer. It may also arise from Windows updates. In any case, the immediate problem is probably a missing or improperly installed prerequisite: a particular version of MSVC++ Redistributable or .NET.

Either log on to Windows with full administrative rights and reinstall the software using our EXE installer, or follow these instructions to install the missing or malfunctioning prerequisites .NET, MSVC++ runtime, and Visual Basic runtime:

• Microsoft Components Required for Palisade 8.x Software Install
• Microsoft Components Required for Palisade 7.x Software Install
• Microsoft Components Required for Palisade 6.x Software Install
• Microsoft Components Required for Palisade 5.x Software Install
• There are separate instructions for the Visual Basic 6 Runtime.

Last edited: 2020-04-16

2.92. "Unable to load ... Dtools5.xll"

Applies to:
@RISK for Excel 5.x
RISKOptimizer 5.x
PrecisionTree 5.x
Evolver 5.x

Problem:
When I try to start @RISK for Excel or one of the other tools mentioned, I get the message

Unable to load C:\Program Files\Palisade\System\Dtools5.xll

or

Unable to load C:\Program Files (x86)\Palisade\System\Dtools5.xll

Response:
You have @RISK 4.x for Project and one or more of our Excel add-ins installed. Normally they coexist peacefully. But when you run @RISK for Project and have it generate reports in Excel, it loads an add-in called Dtools32, and when @RISK for Project closes it leaves that add-in permanently enabled in Excel. Dtools32 conflicts with our add-in called Dtools5, which is used by @RISK, RISKOptimizer, PrecisionTree, and Evolver. Therefore, the next time you try to run one of those Excel add-ins, you get the above error message.

The cure is to disable the older add-in manually. Open Excel (not @RISK), and follow these instructions:

• Excel 2010: Select File » Options » Add-Ins. At the bottom of the right-hand panel, select Manage Excel Add-ins and click Go. Remove the check mark at Dtools32, click OK, and close Excel.
• Excel 2007: Click the round Office button, then select Excel Options » Add-Ins. At the bottom of the right-hand panel, select Manage Excel Add-ins and click Go. Remove the check mark at Dtools32, click OK, and close Excel.
• Excel 2003: Select Tools » Add-Ins. Remove the check mark at Dtools32, click OK, and close Excel.

This will not recur if you open @RISK for Project and run a simulation. But if you generate reports into Excel from @RISK for Project, you will probably need to disable this add-in manually again before running our Excel add-ins.

last edited: 2012-01-05

2.93. "Unable to load ... Dtools6..."

Applies to: All products, release 6.x

When I try to start @RISK for Excel or one of the other Palisade tools, I get one of these messages

Unable to load C:\Program Files\Palisade\System\Dtools6_x86.xll

Unable to load C:\Program Files (x86)\Palisade\System\Dtools6_x64.xll

Unable to load C:\Program Files (x86)\Palisade\System\Dtools6_x86.xll

If Office is not installed locally on your computer, your deployment of Microsoft Office is the problem. Deployment as Office Web Apps, Office On Line, Pocket Office, Office Mobile, Office On Demand, and Office 2010 Click-to-Run are not supported. The key is that your Office needs to be installed on the same computer as the Palisade software, not on a different computer or Web server.

When Office is installed locally on the computer, we have not been able to reproduce this problem here at Palisade. But a couple of customers solved it by uninstalling and reinstalling Office, and one solved it by uninstalling and reinstalling the Palisade software. In each case this was a full uninstall/reinstall, not just a repair.

Last edited: 2018-10-11

2.94. "Unable to load ... Dtools7..."

Applies to: All products, release 7.x

When I try to start @RISK for Excel or one of the other Palisade tools, I get one of these messages

Unable to load C:\Program Files\Palisade\System\Dtools7_x86.xll

Unable to load C:\Program Files (x86)\Palisade\System\Dtools7_x64.xll

Unable to load C:\Program Files (x86)\Palisade\System\Dtools7_x86.xll

The needed versions of the Visual C++ libraries are not installed, or not installed properly. Please see Microsoft Components Required for Palisade 7.x Software Install, and install the needed version or versions.

Last edited: 2016-03-01

2.95. "Unable to read product language"

Applies to:
All products, release 5.x and newer

Problem:
When I try to launch one of the tools, I get the message

Operation failed: unable to read product language

Response:
This message usually points to a permissions problem, possibly at install time. Please run a repair of the software by following the instructions in Repair of Palisade Software.

If that doesn't resolve the issue, please contact Technical Support.

last edited: 2011-06-06

2.96. "Unable to set the installed property ..."

Applies To:
@RISK 4.5 for Excel (not including @RISK 4.5.7)
@RISK for Project 4.1.4
@RISK 4.0 for Excel
Evolver
RISKOptimizer

Problem:
@RISK (Evolver, RISKOptimizer) will not start and returns the error message:

Runtime error 1004: Unable to set the installed property of the add-in class.

or

Runtime error 1004: Unable to get the add property of the add-in class.

(Please contact Technical Support if the message is "That function is not valid".)

Response:
This error message can occur for a couple of different reasons. Here are possible causes and cures.

Reason 1: The Dtools32 add-in, which is used by @RISK, has not been properly added to the Excel Add-In collection.

Reason 2: "Trust all installed add-ins and templates" has been turned off in the Macro Security settings.

last edited: 2013-02-27

2.97. "Using ... via remote access or Terminal Services is not allowed ..."

Applies to: All products, releases 6.x-8.x

When I launch my Palisade software, I get this error message:

Using productname via remote access or Terminal Services is not allowed for this type of license. To run this Excel add-in, you must be physically present at the computer. However, administrators can use remote access to activate or deactivate licenses. Are you an administrator who wants to manage Palisade licenses on this computer?

Or,

Authorization failure.
Details:
Using productname via remote access or Terminal Services is not allowed.

Palisade licenses for standalone workstations, and for Enterprise Network clients, require you to be physically present at the computer where the software is installed. This includes trials downloaded from our public Web site. These license types do not support running the software in a remote-login session such as Remote Desktop or Terminal Services.  When you launch the software in a remote-login session, this message appears.

Click Yes if you want to run License Manager via remote access. The typical use here is for IT people to activate or deactivate licenses on end users' computers. Such licensing actions are allowed for convenience, but you can't run the actual application.

If running via remote login is a requirement for you, please contact your Palisade sales manager about a Concurrent Network license, which will permit remote access.

Special note for XP Mode in Windows 7: Microsoft has implemented Windows 7's XP Mode as a form of remote desktop, and therefore you cannot run standalone versions of our software in XP Mode in Windows 7. However, there's no need to do that anyway, because all of our recent releases run just fine in 32-bit or 64-bit Windows 7.

Last edited: 2023-11-27

2.98. "Versions Allowed with this Maintenance: 7.0.0-7.5.0"

Applies to:
All products, release 7.5.1 only

I've just installed 7.5.1 over 7.5.0 without a problem. But when I run it, I get a message like this one:

FALURE: Maintenance for this license has expired.
Maintenance Expiration: 9/30/2016 (EXPIRED)
Versions Allowed with this Maintenance: 7.0.0 - 7.5.0

If your maintenance contract expired in July, August, or September 2016, you will get this message when you try to run release 7.5.1 of the software as an upgrade to 7.5.0. Please contact Palisade Technical Support, with your serial number or Activation ID, and ask for the 7.5.2 installer. Install it right over 7.5.1, and you will be able to run.

Last edited: 2018-08-03

2.99. "You have one or more open workbooks with associated VBA macros. ..."

Applies to: All Palisade add-ins releases 5.x–8.x, running in Excel 2007 or newer

I'm running Excel 2007–2016. I open @RISK and my workbook. @RISK puts up this message:

You have one or more open workbooks with associated VBA macros. Please ensure these macros are enabled before using Palisade DecisionTools add-ins. Failure to enable these macros can lead to unpredictable behavior.

Why is this message appearing, and how can I prevent it?

Why it happens:

How to prevent the message:

Last edited: 2020-04-16

2.100. Excel prompts for "VBA Project" or "VBA Converter"

Applies to:
The DecisionTools Suite 4.5.6 and earlier
@RISK for Excel 4.5.6 and earlier
BestFit 4.5.6 and earlier
Evolver 4.0.8 and earlier
NeuralTools 1.0.0
PrecisionTree 1.0.8 and earlier
RISKOptimizer 1.0.8 and earlier
RiskView 4.5.6 and earlier
StatTools 1.1.0 and earlier
TopRank 1.5 and earlier

Problem:
When I launch @RISK, PrecisionTree, StatTools, Palisade software in Excel 2007 or newer, I get the message

Opening the VBA Project in this file requires a component that is not currently installed...
Search MS Office online for VBA Converters

Response:
You are running an older version of our software. The versions listed above are not compatible with Excel 2007. For the software version required with your versions of Excel and Windows, please see Windows and Office Versions Supported by Palisade.

Please contact your Palisade sales manager to obtain an upgrade to the current version of your product, which will be compatible with recent versions of Excel. If your maintenance plan is current, there is no charge for the upgrade.

While you're waiting for the activation ID for your upgrade, if you'd like to get started with our current release you can download a trial version. When you get the activation ID for your upgrade, just enter it in the trial version to convert it to a permanent version, with no need to download or install anything else.

last edited: 2018-10-09

2.101. White X in Red Circle, No Error Text

When I launch Excel, I get a dialog box with "Microsoft Visual Basic" in the title bar. There's no text inside the box, just a white X in a red circle. I'm running Excel 2007 in a virtual machine.

You're experiencing a timing problem in Excel 2007. In a virtual machine, Excel 2007 can sometimes be too slow to finish loading before @RISK gives up on it. The simplest solution is to launch Excel, wait for it to load, and then launch @RISK.

Last edited: 2018-07-18

2.102. Updating @RISK 6.x or 7.x Automation Code to Run in @RISK 8.x

Applies to: RDK users 6.x-7.x

Overview

Moving to version 8, Palisade has reviewed and improved the XDK interface, taking into account new features and the needs of .NET programmers. This resulted in some changes to the Object Model, method names and parameters, and names of enumerated constants. The major changes are described here in reference to VBA code, but not every detail is covered. In some cases when code created for earlier versions does not compile in version 8, one may need to review the new interface to identify a new way of accomplishing the same objective. Usually it will be possible to identify a similarly named method or property that accomplishes the same task; or in some cases changes to code will be forced by a modified list of method parameters in version 8. However, every effort was made to not change the interface unless necessary, and over 90% of the interface is the same as in previous versions.

Updating Library References

If you have @RISK automation code written for @RISK 6.x or 7.x, you'll need to change the references as described before in this guide for that code to work with @RISK 8.x.

Changes to the Object Model

• The Risk.Simulation.Results.Reports object has been added, reflecting improved reporting
  functionality in version 8

• The Risk.ApplicationSettings object was replaced by the Risk.Preferences object, corresponding the
  new method of handling user settings in version 8. Some properties may no longer be found in the
  new object, while new ones have been added.

• The Risk.Library object is no longer available, corresponding to the changed form of this functionality in version 8.

New Interface for Generating the Standard Reports

Version 8 improved the reporting functionality significantly, with new report types, the option of generating reports in the PDF format, and flexibility in specifying which inputs/output to include in the reports. Consequently, the single Risk.GenerateExcelReports method in version 7 was replaced by a number of methods in the Risk.Simulation.Results.Reports object.

New Format of Enumerated Constant Names

There is a new format for names of enumerated constants in version 8, requiring some changes in VBA code wherever an enumerated constant was used. It should be straightforward to identify the new name of a constant, particularly that the names of the enumerations generally have not changed. For example, "RiskAutomaticResultsDisplay.RiskNoAutomaticResults" in versions 6/7 became "RiskAutomaticResultsDisplay.RiskAutomaticResultsDisplay_RiskNoAutomaticResults". In general, the names of enumerations are included as prefixes in the names of the constants.

New Method of Returning Arrays

In version 8 arrays are returned differently to client code. For example, in version 7 to obtain all the values an output had during a simulation, one called the GetSampleData method, with the array of values returned in the first parameter. The return value from the method is the length of the array.

New Method of Passing Arrays to the XDK

In a few instances in the XDK interface an array is passed by the client code to the XDK. For example, Figure 28 shows the PredefinedFitsSetList method in version 7 (used to pass a list of theoretical probability distributions to fit to data). In version 8 (Figure 29) this method has been separated into two methods, PredefinedFitList_SetArray and PredefinedFitList_Clear. The second method should be used to clear the array stored by the XDK; as opposed to passing an empty array. Important: passing empty arrays to the XDK _SetArray methods can result in Excel crashes. This is due to a bug involving the interaction between VBA and .NET when handling arrays, and is beyond Palisade’s control.

Changes to Methods for Graphing Results

The interface of methods for graphing sensitivity results has changed. Those methods had long lists of arguments. Now there is a new RiskSensitivitySettings object. A programmer can create one of those objects, specify some properties like GraphMaxTornadoBars, and pass the object as a parameter to the graphing method:

• The GraphTornado and GraphTornadoEx methods have been merged into a single GraphSensitivityTornado method (which takes a RiskSensitivitySettings object as an optional parameter).
• The GraphSpider method has been renamed as GraphSensitivitySpider, and it also takes a RiskSensitivitySettings object as an optional parameter.

Also, the GraphSummary method was replaced by two methods, GraphSummaryBoxPlot and GraphSummaryTrend.

Risk.RefreshUI Method Added

This method was added to address the fact that some XDK calls should update the Excel interface, for example by making changes to the items displayed in the @RISK tab in the ribbon. For instance, setting Risk.Simulation.Settings.NumIterations should update the number of iterations shown on the ribbon.

However, refreshing the interface is time consuming, and setting individual properties no longer refreshes the interface, to avoid multiple unnecessary and time-consuming updates. The RefreshUI method should be called to update the ribbon when needed.

Item no Longer the Default Property

The Item property of collection classes is no longer the default property. So, for example a line deleting a definition of a fit, "Risk.Fits("Costs").Delete" in version 7, becomes "Risk.Fits.Item("Costs").Delete in version 8.

Different Initialization Method with the .NET

Interface See the section of this guide that covers the .NET interface.

Last Update: 2020-04-17

3.1. Repair of Palisade Software

Disponible en español: Reparación del Software de Palisade
Disponível em português: Reparação do Software Palisade

Applies to: All products, release 5.0 and newer

Summary:
Users often try to solve problems by uninstalling and reinstalling the software. That may be appropriate in some cases, but usually it is not the best approach. In many cases it is just as effective to repair the software ("do a repair install").

A repair, as opposed to uninstall/reinstall, has the additional benefit that any activations in place are not disturbed, and a trial version remains usable until its original expiration date.

Procedure:
You must be logged on as a full administrator to install, uninstall, or repair the software.

1. Windows 10: Open Windows Control Panel » Programs and Features.
   Windows 8, 7, Vista: Open Windows Control Panel » Programs » Programs and Features.
   Windows XP: In Control Panel, select Add or Remove Programs.
2. Locate your Palisade software in the list. The DecisionTools Suite might be under D or T; @RISK should be at or near the top. Version 8.0 is listed under P.
3. Windows 10, 8, 7: Click the Palisade software in the list, and select Repair in the menu that appears above the list.
   Older Windows: Right-click on the Palisade software line item, and select Repair. If you click on the Palisade software line item and "Click here for support information" appears, click on it, then click Repair. If Repair does not appear, and the only buttons you have are Change and Remove, click Change to trigger the setup program and then select Repair.

If the repair succeeds, you won't see any success or completion message; the window will simply disappear. It's quite unusual for a repair to fail, but if that happens you'll see an error message.

Alternative procedure:
Note: You must be logged on as a full administrator to install, uninstall, or repair the software.

Simply re-run the installer. When prompted for Modify, Repair, Remove, select Repair. (If you're not sure you have the correct installer, Palisade Technical Support can send you a link. Include your serial number or the name and edition of your textbook in your email.)

Last edited: 2020-04-06

3.2. Repair of Excel or Project

Disponible en español: Reparación de Excel o Project
Disponível em português: Reparando Excel ou Project

Applies to: All Palisade add-ins for Microsoft Excel or Project

If a Palisade representative suggests a repair of Microsoft Office, or if you want to do it on your own, please follow the steps below. (Depending on how your computer is set up, you may need to get an administrator to do this for you.)  There's no need to reinstall your Palisade software unless a Palisade representative specifically suggests it.

Office 2013 and Office 2016:

Office 2010:

Office 2007:

Office 2003:

Last edited: 2018-04-10

3.3. Clean Uninstall and Reinstall of Palisade Software

Disponible en español: Desinstalación y reinstalación del software de Palisade
Disponível em português: Desinstalando e Reinstalando Software da Palisade

Applies to:
All products, all releases

If you have only releases 6.x/7.x, and you want to uninstall/reinstall all Palisade software, use the Shorter Uninstall and Reinstall of Palisade 6.x/7.x Software.

I'm having a problem and I want to solve it by uninstalling and reinstalling the Palisade software. How do I do that?

The first question is not "how?" but "should you?" People often rush to uninstall and reinstall the software when something easier and less disruptive would solve their problem. And the uninstall-reinstall may create new problems or make the original one harder to solve. Please try a repair of your software (releases 5.x and later) or contact Technical Support with details of your problem before taking this drastic step.

If you're reinstalling Windows, don't use this procedure. Deactivate your Palisade software before you reinstall Windows, and then reactivate it again afterward.

But for some problems a clean uninstall and reinstall may be appropriate, and Technical Support will refer you to this article. The procedure below will preserve your license so that you do not need to reactivate or reauthorize your software.

Please perform all of the listed steps in order. This will remove current and old versions of the Palisade software. If you skip steps (except as directed), you may not get the desired benefit. If you get error messages during the install or uninstall steps, please see Fix problems that programs cannot be installed or uninstalled.

Caution: This procedure will wipe all Palisade software off your computer. If you have any Palisade software that you don't want to uninstall, please consult Technical Support before following this procedure.

1. If you don't have an installation CD, obtain the appropriate installer and place it on your desktop. If it is a ZIP file, double-click it, extract all files from it to your desktop, and close the ZIP file.

2. If your software is a network client or a course license, also obtain the appropriate .INI or .LIC file and place it on your desktop.

3. Disconnect from the Internet. (Unplug your Ethernet cable or modem cable, or turn off your wireless connection.) This prevents the uninstall from deactivating your license.

4. Log on to Windows as a full administrator. You need full administrative rights to uninstall and install software. You don't need administrative rights to authorize or run the Palisade software.

5. Make sure that Microsoft Excel and Project are not running.

6. Uninstall all Palisade software using Windows Control Panel » Programs and Features (in Windows XP, Add or Remove Programs). If the uninstaller fails, keep going.

   • @RISK is alphabetized before A.
   • The DecisionTools Suite 5.0 and newer is alphabetized under D, but 4.x is alphabetized under T.
   • A book version might be under D, under T, or under P for Palisade.

   During uninstall, you may be prompted to deactivate a license. You want to uninstall without deactivating the license. (Read the prompt carefully before you click Yes or No.)

7. Delete the DTools.ini text file from your C:\Windows or C:\Winnt folder, if that file exists. (If you have never installed a 1.x or 4.x version of our software, there may not be a DTools.ini file.)

8. Look for a DTOOLS folder in the top level under the C drive, and if it exists delete it. (Again, if you have never installed a 1.x or 4.x version, this folder may not exist.)

9. Look for the folder C:\Program Files (x86)\Palisade or C:\Program Files\Palisade, and if it exists delete it.

10. If (a) you are uninstalling Palisade 7.5.2 or newer, for the purpose of downgrading to 7.5.1 or older, and (b) the Palisade software is a network client, then: Look for the folder C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Macrovision Shared\FLEXnet Publisher (in 32-bit Windows, C:\Program Files\Common Files\Macrovision Shared\FLEXnet Publisher), and if it exists delete it. Skip this step if either condition is not met.

    Caution! This folder is shared among all FLEXnet-licensed applications. If they require a later FLEXnet version than 11.10, they will not work if you install a Palisade software version 7.5.1 or older.

11. If there's any possibility the Palisade software was installed to a non-default location, do a search of your hard disk for file names containing "dtool" and delete the folder that contains those files. Exception: ignore anything under a folder called Recycled.

    Caution: While it's unlikely, it's possible that some non-Palisade files might have "dtool" in their names. If you're not sure about the contents of a folder you find through a search, consult Technical Support before deleting it.

12. Click the Windows Start button, then All Programs or Programs. Look for a Palisade group, and if it's present right-click on it and select Delete. Also delete any desktop shortcuts to Palisade software.

13. Click Start » Run, type Regedit and click OK. Make the following edits:

    1. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\WOW6432Node in 64-bit Windows) and if necessary click the + sign to expand it. Under Software in the left-hand panel, right-click the Palisade subkey and select Delete to delete it and all of its subkeys. (If you have only very old versions, there might not be a Palisade key under Software.)
    2. Still under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\WOW6432Node in 64-bit Windows), look for FLEXlm License Manager. If it exists, click once on it and then look at the right-hand panel. If you have a network license for version 5.0 or newer, right-click on PALISADE_LICENSE_FILE and delete it but don't do anything to any other entries you may see. If you have a standalone license for version 5.0 or newer, double-click on PALISADE_LICENSE_FILE to edit it, and delete all text and punctuation except C:\Program Files\Palisade\System or C:\Program Files (x86)\Palisade\System. (If you have only 1.x and 4.x versions, there might not be a FLEXlm License Manager key.)

14. Reboot your computer.

15. Launch Excel. You might get the Excel error message "Could not find C:\Program Files\Palisade\SYSTEM\DTools32.xll". (A different path might appear on the message.) If you do not get this error message, close Excel and proceed to step 15. If the error message does appear, follow these steps to eliminate the error:

    1. Get into the Excel Add-Ins dialog. To do this, follow the directions for your version of Excel:
       • Excel 2010 or 2013: Click File » Options » Add-Ins. At the bottom of the dialog, next to Manage, select Excel Add-Ins and click Go.
       • Excel 2007: Click once on the round Office button, then Excel Options, then Add-Ins. At the bottom of the dialog, next to Manage, select Excel Add-Ins and click Go.
       • Excel 2003 or below: Choose Tools » Add-Ins.
    2. In the list of Add-Ins, locate DTOOLS32 and remove the check mark beside it.
    3. When you remove the check mark, a message will appear: "Cannot find add-in 'DTools32.XLL'. Delete from list?" Click the Yes button to delete it from the list.
    4. Close Excel.

16. Run the installer program(s): In Windows Vista, Windows 7 or later, right-click the installer and select Run As Administrator. In earlier Windows, double-click the installer.

    With releases 6.x/7.x, on the Customer Information screen, select "I am upgrading or reinstalling". Don't enter your Activation ID and don't select a trial license.

    With releases 5.x, don't enter your Activation ID.

17. If you wish, reconnect to the Internet.

Actions after install:

• Test the software and make sure it opens without error and that the major functions perform correctly.

• There should be no need to reactivate or reauthorize the software.

• If you want shortcuts on your desktop, and the installer did not offer that option, copy the icons from the Start menu, as follows: click the Windows Start button, then All Programs or Programs, then Palisade DecisionTools. Right-click the desired shortcut, drag it to your desktop, and when you release the right mouse button select Copy Here.

• Do not add any of our files to Excel's add-ins list. Always launch the software by clicking the desktop icon (if available), or by clicking the Windows Start button, then Programs or All Programs, then Palisade DecisionTools. Let the Palisade software open Excel or Project for you.  However, if you want one or more Palisade applications to run automatically every time Excel runs, please see Opening Palisade Software Automatically Whenever Excel Opens.

Last edited: 2018-02-26

3.4. Shorter Uninstall and Reinstall of Palisade 6.x/7.x Software

Applies to:
All products, releases 6.x
All products, releases 7.x
BigPicture, all releases

If you have any earlier versions, see Clean Uninstall and Reinstall of Palisade Software.

I'm having a problem and I want to solve it by uninstalling and reinstalling the Palisade software. How do I do that?

Important: Use this short procedure if you have only Palisade software releases listed in "Applies to" above, and you want to uninstall all your Palisade software. If you don't want to uninstall everything, please contact Technical Support for advice.
 
If you're reinstalling Windows, don't use this procedure. Deactivate your Palisade software before you reinstall Windows, and then reactivate it again afterward.

The first question is not "how?" but "should you?" People often rush to uninstall and reinstall the software when something easier and less disruptive would solve their problem. And the uninstall-reinstall may create new problems or make the original one harder to solve. Please try a repair of your software or contact Technical Support with details of your problem before taking this drastic step.

But for some problems an uninstall and reinstall may be appropriate, and Technical Support will refer you to this article. The procedure below will preserve your license so that you do not need to reactivate or reauthorize your software.

Please perform all of the listed steps in order. This will remove current and old versions of the Palisade software. If you skip steps (except as directed), you may not get the desired benefit. If you get error messages during the install or uninstall steps, please see Fix problems that programs cannot be installed or uninstalled.

1. Obtain the appropriate installer(s) and place them on your desktop.

   6.0.0 through 6.1.1 come in ZIP files, so if you have one of those double-click it, extract all files from it to your desktop, and close the ZIP file. (You may then delete the ZIP file.)

2. Some license types require a .LIC or .INI file during install.

   • If your software is a network client, obtain the appropriate .INI file from your IT department. and place it on your desktop for use during the reinstall.
   • If there is a .LIC license file in C:\Program Files (x86)\Palisade\System or C:\Program Files\Palisade\System, copy it to your desktop.

3. Make sure that Microsoft Excel and Project are not running. (If in doubt, press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to launch Task Manager, and look in the Details or Processes tab for Excel.exe and Winproj.exe.)

4. Uninstall all Palisade software using Windows Control Panel » Programs and Features (in Windows XP, Add or Remove Programs). If the uninstaller fails, keep going.

   • @RISK is alphabetized before A.
   • The DecisionTools Suite is alphabetized under D.
   • A book version might be under D, under T, or under P for Palisade.

   During uninstall, you may be prompted to deactivate a license. You want to uninstall without deactivating the license. (Read the prompt carefully before you click Yes or No.)

5. Look for the folder C:\Program Files (x86)\Palisade or C:\Program Files\Palisade, and if it exists delete it.

6. If (a) you are uninstalling Palisade 7.5.2 or newer, for the purpose of downgrading to 7.5.1 or older, and (b) the Palisade software is a network client, then: Look for the folder C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Macrovision Shared\FLEXnet Publisher (in 32-bit Windows, C:\Program Files\Common Files\Macrovision Shared\FLEXnet Publisher), and if it exists delete it. Skip this step if either condition is not met.

   Caution! This folder is shared among all FLEXnet-licensed applications. If they require a later FLEXnet version than 11.10, they will not work if you install a Palisade software version 7.5.1 or older.

7. If there's any possibility the Palisade software was installed to a non-default location, do a search of your hard disk for file names containing "dtool" and delete the parent of the folder that contains those files. Exception: ignore anything under a folder called Recycled.

   Example: If you find DTools6_x64 in D:\MyStuff\AtRisk\System, the folder is System but you should delete AtRisk, the parent of that folder. Caution: While it's unlikely, it's possible that some non-Palisade files might have "dtool" in their names. If you're not sure about the contents of a folder you find through a search, consult Technical Support before deleting it.

8. Run REGEDIT, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\WOW6432Node (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software in 32-bit Windows) and click the + sign to expand it. Right-click the Palisade subkey and select Delete to delete it and all of the subkeys below it.

9. Still under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\WOW6432Node in 64-bit Windows), look for FLEXlm License Manager. If it exists, click once on it and then look at the right-hand panel.

   • If you have a network license, right-click on PALISADE_LICENSE_FILE and delete it but don't do anything to any other entries you may see.
   • If you have a standalone license, double-click on PALISADE_LICENSE_FILE to edit it, and delete all text and punctuation except C:\Program Files\Palisade\System or C:\Program Files (x86)\Palisade\System.

10. Reboot your computer.

11. Run the installer program(s): In Windows Vista, Windows 7 or later, right-click the installer and select Run as administrator. In Windows XP, double-click the installer (but you must be logged in as a full administrator).

    Important: During install, on the Customer Information screen, select "I am upgrading or reinstalling", if that option appears. Don't enter your Activation ID and don't select a trial license.

Actions after install:

• Test the software and make sure it opens without error and that the major functions perform correctly.

• There should be no need to reactivate the software.

• Do not add any of our files to Excel's add-ins list. Always launch the software by clicking the desktop icon (if available), or by clicking the shortcut in the Palisade DecisionTools group. Let the Palisade software open Excel for you.  However, if you want one or more Palisade applications to run automatically every time Excel runs, please see Opening Palisade Software Automatically Whenever Excel Opens.

Last edited: 2018-02-26

3.5. I try to edit a Palisade 7.0 report, but it looks like I'm editing a different worksheet.

Applies to:
Evolver 7.0.0 in some builds of Excel 2013
NeuralTools 7.0.0 in some builds of Excel 2013
StatTools 7.0.0 in some builds of Excel 2013

Does not apply to:
@RISK, BigPicture, PrecisionTree, and TopRank in any version of Excel
Evolver, NeuralTools, and StatTools in Excel 2007, 2010, or 2016

(For release 6.x, please see I try to edit a Palisade 6.x report, but it looks like I'm editing a different worksheet.)

I generated a report in StatTools, Evolver, or NeuralTools. When I type into the report, my typing doesn't show up in the report worksheet. Instead, it shows up in a different worksheet.

The problem affects reports generated by Evolver, NeuralTools, and StatTools. After the report is generated, Excel is confused about which cell and worksheet are selected. Excel shows you the report sheet as the active one, and a thicker border around one cell indicates that cell is active. However, typing in that cell doesn't have the desired effect: Excel actually places your typed characters in a cell in another sheet. This happens even if you first select another cell on the report sheet. This is most serious for StatTools reports, because some cells in StatTools reports contain parameters that you can change while you analyze the results, like confidence levels in the Confidence Interval analysis.

The source of the problem is the KB 3085502 update to Microsoft Office 2013, published by Microsoft on 2015-09-08. This affects Excel 2013 builds 15.0.4753 through 15.0.4770. (To see if this affects you, find your Excel 2013 build number by clicking File » Account » About Excel.)

The solution is to install the latest Microsoft Office updates.

If you have Office 365, also called Click-to-Run, this should be done automatically for you by Microsoft Office, and will solve the problem.

If you have installer-based (MSI) Excel 2013, this may or may not be done automatically, depending on your Windows Update settings. If you have selected "Give me updates for other Microsoft products" or similar, then the necessary Office update should be installed automatically. As an alternative, you can download and install the KB 3101499 update from November 2015 manually.

Additional keywords: typing goes to wrong worksheet; wrong cells selected

Last edited: 2015-11-12

3.6. I try to edit a Palisade 6.x report, but it looks like I'm editing a different worksheet.

Applies to:
Evolver 6.x in some builds of Excel 2013
NeuralTools 6.x in some builds of Excel 2013
StatTools 6.x in some builds of Excel 2013

Does not apply to:
@RISK, BigPicture, PrecisionTree, and TopRank in any version of Excel
Evolver, NeuralTools, and StatTools in Excel 2007, 2010, or 2016

(For release 7.0.0, please see I try to edit a Palisade 7.0 report, but it looks like I'm editing a different worksheet.)

I generated a report in StatTools, Evolver, or NeuralTools. When I type into the report, my typing doesn't show up in the report worksheet. Instead, it shows up in a different worksheet.

The problem affects reports generated by Evolver, NeuralTools, and StatTools. After the report is generated, Excel is confused about which cell and worksheet are selected. Excel shows you the report sheet as the active one, and a thicker border around one cell indicates that cell is active. However, typing in that cell doesn't have the desired effect: Excel actually places your typed characters in a cell in another sheet. This happens even if you first select another cell on the report sheet. This is most serious for StatTools reports, because some cells in StatTools reports contain parameters that you can change while you analyze the results, like confidence levels in the Confidence Interval analysis.

The source of the problem is the KB 3085502 update to Microsoft Office 2013, published by Microsoft on 2015-09-08. This affects Excel 2013 builds 15.0.4753 through 15.0.4770. (To see if this affects you, find your Excel 2013 build number by clicking File » Account » About Excel.)

The solution is to install the latest Microsoft Office updates.

If you have Office 365, also called Click-to-Run, this should be done automatically for you by Microsoft Office, and will solve the problem.

If you have installer-based (MSI) Excel 2013, this may or may not be done automatically, depending on your Windows Update settings. If you have selected "Give me updates for other Microsoft products" or similar, then the necessary Office update should be installed automatically. As an alternative, you can download and install the KB 3101499 update from November 2015 manually.

Additional keywords: typing goes to wrong worksheet; wrong cells selected

Last edited: 2015-11-12

3.7. After Upgrading, My Standalone License Is Gone

Applies to:
All products, upgrading from one 7.x release to a later 7.x release, standalone licenses
All products, upgrading from one 6.x release to a later 6.x release, standalone licenses

I installed the upgrade, and now I no longer have a license. When I try to activate again, it says that my Activation ID is in use.

Your license is not lost, just masked. You don't need to reactivate it.

During installation of an upgrade, the installer presents a Customer Information screen. In the lower half of that screen, the options are to install a trial, to upgrade, or to activate a new license. The default is a 15-day trial, so if you just click Next — as people tend to do with installers — you get a trial license.

Your real license information is masked by the trial license. To use your real license again, in License Manager click the Select License button, select your activated license, and click OK. This is a per-user setting, so if there are multiple Windows user accounts on this computer then each user will need to use Select License once.

Last edited: 2015-10-07

3.8. After Upgrading, My Network Client License Is Gone

Applies to:
All products, upgrading from one 7.x release to a later 7.x release (network clients)
All products, upgrading from one 6.x release to a later 6.x release (network clients)

I installed the upgrade, and now the software is not using the network license. Either I get a trial prompt, or I get "Authorization failure: There is no available license."

Your network information is not gone, just masked.

During installation of an upgrade, the installer presents a Customer Information screen. In the lower half of that screen, the options are to install a trial, to upgrade, or to activate a new license. The default is a 15-day trial, so if you just click Next — as people tend to do with installers — you get a trial license.

To use your network license again, in License Manager click the Select License button, then Concurrent Network. Select your real license, and click OK. This is a per-user setting, so if there are multiple Windows user accounts on this computer then each user will need to use Select License once.

Last edited: 2015-10-07

3.9. After Renewing, Network License Shows Old Expiration Date

Applies to:
All products configured as Concurrent Networks

My Concurrent Network license was set to expire on date X. A few days before that, I activated the following year's renewal license. Server Manager shows the new license as activated. But when clients run, License Manager still shows the old expiration date.

Don't worry about it. The day after the old one expires, License Manager will show the new expiration date.

Last edited: 2017-12-21

3.10. License Lost on Upgrading Windows 8.1 Preview to Final

Applies to: Palisade software releases 5.x–7.x, non-network licenses

I was running Palisade software, with an activated license, under Windows 8.1 Preview. Everything was fine.  I upgraded to final Windows 8.1, and now my license seems to be gone.  It doesn't show up in License Manager.  What happened, and how do I fix it?

We've had several reports of this problem among people who upgraded from Windows 8.1 Preview to final Windows 8.1, though some have done the same Windows upgrade and the Palisade license was unaffected  As far as we know, users upgrading from Windows 8 are not affected.  The key may be in this comment in Stephen Rose's Springboard Series blog:  "It's also important to note that while computers running Windows 8.1 Preview can be updated to the final Windows 8.1 release, this update process will only migrate the data on the device. All applications (from the Windows Store or desktop applications) will need to be reinstalled as part of this process."

Palisade Technical Support can help recover your license. Please click the magnifying-glass icon in License Manager, then the View button. A Notepad window will open. Click File » Save, and save the file to your desktop. Attach the file to an email to Technical Support. In the body of the email, please include your serial number or Activation ID with a brief problem description.

Last edited: 2015-09-14

3.11. Display Problems with Multiple Monitors

Applies to:
All current products, except Palisade Custom Runtime

There can be problems with multiple monitors when they have different DPI settings. This has to do with some Windows and Excel updates in the spring of 2018. It does not occur with Windows 7, 8, or 8.1, which don't support mixed DPI settings. It may or may not occur in Windows 10, depending on which updates are installed.

Palisade supports per-system DPI settings, but not per-monitor settings. What does this mean?

Per-monitor means that Excel honors different DPI settings on different monitors. You are in this mode when Excel shows Display Settings toward the right of the status bar, and when you click on it "Optimize for best appearance" is selected. (The same setting is also in File » Options » General. Under User Interface Options, look for When using multiple displays.)

Per-system means that Windows and Excel ignore any DPI settings on secondary monitors that differ from the DPI setting on your primary monitor. You are in this mode when Display Settings doesn't appear in the status line, or it does appear but when you click on it "Optimize for compatibility' is selected.

Problems can occur in per-monitor mode when different monitors have different DPI settings; if you have all monitors set to the same DPI then it doesn't matter whether you're in per-system or per-monitor mode. Some kinds of problems occur when Excel is in a secondary monitor but a window of @RISK is in your primary monitor, but not the other way around.

If you have display problems, some or all of the following may be necessary to solve them:

• Look in Excel's status line. If Display Settings appears, click it and change to "Optimize for compatibility", then close and restart Excel as the window suggests. If Display Settings doesn't appear, then you are already in per-system mode.
• Keep Excel in your primary monitor, whether you have @RISK windows in your primary monitor or a secondary monitor.
• Upgrade to @RISK 7.6.

Can Palisade Technical Support help with problems in multiple-monitor setups?

When Display Settings exists and is set to "Optimize for best appearance", also known as per-monitor mode, Palisade Technical Support is unable to help with display problems in our software releases 7.x and older. Try switching to per-system mode, "Optimize for compatibility".

If you have display problems when Excel is in per-system mode (Display Settings is set to "Optimize for compatibility", or Display Settings is not shown in Excel), Palisade Technical Support will help you resolve them, assuming you have a current maintenance contract. Please include your serial number in your trouble report, or have it ready when you call. If you have an older version of our software, be prepared to upgrade to 7.6 to solve the display problems.

Last edited: 2018-10-09

3.12. Quick Start or Guided Tour Videos Don't Play

Applies to:
@RISK 6.x/7.x
Evolver 6.x/7.x
NeuralTools 6.x/7.x
PrecisionTree 6.x/7.x
StatTools 6.x/7.x
TopRank 6.x/7.x

I click the link to a Quick Start video or Guided Tour video, but I just get a dark screen with no video playing.

These videos require Adobe's Flash Player plugin to run. If your browser doesn't have the plugin, or the plugin is disabled, the videos can't run.

Flash Player Help on Adobe's site includes download and installation instructions.

If Flash Player is installed but disabled, follow the link in step 4 of that same page to get instructions for enabling it in your browser. On the instructions page, make sure you are following the instructions for Windows and not for Mac.

Last edited: 2016-12-12

3.13. Errors on One Computer, OK on Another

Applies to: All Excel add-ins, all releases

I get errors in the cells of my workbook, but a colleague tried it and it works fine on her machine.

When a workbook works on machine A but not B, there are several possible explanations:

1. Configuration differences: different versions of Excel, different versions of the Palisade software, different sets of add-ins loaded, different personal macro workbooks, and so forth.

2. Excel is malfunctioning. To resolve this, do a Repair of Excel.

3. The Palisade software is malfunctioning. To test this, try another workbook, such as one of our examples. In our 5.x–7.x releases, click the help icon (the question mark) on our toolbar and then Example Spreadsheets. In earlier releases, find our examples in the Examples folder under the product folder under the Palisade installation folder.

   If the software works with another workbook, go to item 4 below. But if the second workbook also fails on this machine but is fine on another machine, then you may have a startup conflict, or a problem with your Palisade software.

   To resolve startup conflicts, please see Find and Fix Startup Conflicts (Excel 2007–2016) or Find and Fix Startup Conflicts (Excel 2003 and Earlier).

   To repair or reinstall the software:

   • For releases 5.x–7.x, do a Repair of Palisade Software. Do not uninstall the software, as you may lose your activation.
   • For earlier releases, uninstall the software (Control Panel » Add or Remove Programs, or Programs and Features for Windows 7 or Vista) and then reinstall it. You will not lose your authorization.

4. Neither is malfunctioning, but there are links within the workbook to some resources that are available on machine B but not on machine A. These might be links to a network location that machine A cannot reach. Or they might be links to a particular location within machine B, and machine A doesn't have the referenced file or doesn't have it in the same location.

Last edited: 2015-10-07

3.14. Intermittent Errors in Excel 2013 or 2016

I'm getting strange errors in @RISK, but only intermittently. For instance, I might get this popup:

The library survival mutex has not been set for this process.

Or maybe @RISK opens up and instead of a blank workbook there's just a gray background.
Or everything seems normal, but when I click Start Simulation the results window is blank.
Or the Browse Results window is just a white rectangle in the corner of a gray background.
What is going on?

If you're running Palisade software 7.0 or older in Excel 2013 or 2016, the most likely cause is an Excel setting. (This is not an issue with Palisade software versions 7.5 and newer.) Click File » Options » General and look at the last option, "Show the Start screen when this application starts". With that option checked, there may be an intermittent conflict with another add-in, such as Solver, when Excel starts up. Such a conflict can have consequences at any point in the whole Excel session, not just the errors mentioned above but almost anything unexpected. To solve the problem, remove the tick mark for the last option, then close and reopen Excel.

If you have an earlier version of Excel, or if the above doesn't cure the problem, try restarting Windows (not just logging off and on). This was the solution for our few pre-Excel-2013 users who got the "library survival mutex" message.

Last edited: 2017-02-02

3.15. Workbook Recomputes Itself Periodically

Applies to: All products

At regular intervals, my Excel freezes, then the cells all repaint themselves. Color cells disappear and then repaint themselves, too. During this, Excel is unresponsive but afterward everything seems fine.

Periodic actions sound like autosave. Saving a file triggers a recalculation, repainting cells and conditional formatting as numbers are recalculated.

Check your Autosave options by clicking File » Options » Save. If the AutoRecover file location is a network or cloud location, larger workbooks can take significant time to finish recalculating and saving themselves.

Consider changing the Autorecover file location to a local folder, such as your temp folder. To find your local folder, see Opening Your temp Folder.

Last edited: 2018-11-13

3.16. "Borrowing is not allowed for this license."

Applies to: All Concurrent Network products 6.x/7.x

When I try to borrow a network license for use off network, I get this message:

Borrowing is not allowed for this license. Please contact your server administrator to request borrowing.

As the message suggests, this is a configuration issue under the control of your network administrator. Palisade cannot assist with this; you will need to contact the server administrator within your company. He or she may have simply accepted the default setting of "no borrowing", or may have taken a considered decision not to allow borrowing.

Instructions to the server administrator who wishes to permit borrowing are in the article Step 2: Set Options—Borrowing (7.x).

Instructions to the end user for borrowing a license, if the server administrator has authorized it, are in Borrowing a 6.x/7.x Concurrent Network License for Use off Network. You may need to close and reopen the end-user software after the server administrator makes the configuration change, to make the software go back to the server for a new license.

Last edited: 2017-09-27

3.17. "Can't find project or library."

Applies to:
@RISK 6.x/7.x, Professional and Industrial Editions
Evolver 6.x/7.x
NeuralTools 6.x/7.x
PrecisionTree 6.x/7.x
StatTools 6.x/7.x

I have some Visual Basic code that uses the automation features of @RISK or another product. I recently upgraded to the current release, and now when I try to run I get this message:

Compile error:
Can't find project or library

What is wrong? This code was working before.

You just need to update your module's references to @RISK in the Visual Basic Editor. Please see Setting References in Visual Basic.

Last edited: 2015-10-07

3.18. All Articles about "Method '~' of object '~' failed"

Applies to: All products

"Method '~' of object '~' failed" is Excel's last-ditch error message. It's Excel's way of saying "Something is wrong, but I can't tell you what." We have identified several occasions when this message pops up, with a cure for each one:

• When our software first starts up
• During an @RISK simulation
• When our software tries to create an Excel chart
• When @RISK generates Quick Reports

See also: This can also be caused by inappropriate COM type library registrations. See Removing Outdated References to Office from the System Registry for instructions on removing the references.

Additional keywords: Method ~ of object ~ failed; Method of object failed

Last edited: 2016-05-13

3.19. All Articles about "Object variable or With block variable not set"

Applies to: All products

"Object variable or With block variable not set" is a Visual Basic error message. It could originate in Excel itself, in Palisade code, or in your own macros if you have an .XLSM file. Roughly, it means that the VBA code used some variable without first initializing it properly.

Since there's not just one known cause, you may have to try several possibilities. Here is a list of the causes that we have seen when helping customers, and the solutions:

• This message can result if the software was installed without administrative rights. Solution: Right-click the installer, select Run as Administrator, and then when the installer asks what you want to do select Repair. If you don't get the prompt to repair or modify, the installer will do a full reinstall.

• Conflicts with other add-ins can cause this message. Solution: Find and Fix Startup Conflicts.

• Try Removing Outdated References to Office from the System Registry, if you get this error without an error number.

• Your installation of Excel may have become corrupted. Solution: Repair of Excel.

• You may have problematic DEP settings. See Data Execution Prevention for testing and repair procedures.

• "Object variable or With block variable not set" (Windows 8) when accompanied by runtime error –2146232576 (80131700)

• "Object variable or With block variable not set" (Windows 7 and Vista) when accompanied by runtime error –2147024894 (80070002)

• "Object variable or With block variable not set" if you have manually added any toolbars for @RISK, Evolver, etc.

• "Object variable or With block variable not set" when Importing MPP File

• "Object variable or With block variable not set" (PrecisionTree 1.0) when accompanied by runtime error 91

Additional keywords: Object variable, with block, variable not set

Last edited: 2018-08-03

3.20. "Microsoft Excel cannot open or save any more documents ..."

Applies to:
Excel 2016, with @RISK open

When I have @RISK open, and try to open a file using File » Open in Excel's menu, I get this error:

Microsoft Excel cannot open or save any more documents because there is not enough available memory or disk space.

· To make more memory available, close workbooks or programs you no longer need.

· To free disk space, delete files you no longer need from the disk you are saving to.

The same thing happens if I double-click an Excel file in Windows' File Explorer while @RISK is open in Excel.

The actual problem has nothing to do with disk space. Excel is trying to display a security warning about the file you want to open, but for some reason it is unable to. Security warnings typically come for files you downloaded from the Internet, but not always. To work around this problem, you need to answer the security prompt before Microsoft Excel tries to display it. There are two methods to do this:

• Method 1 (by file): Before trying to open the file in Excel, find it in Windows' File Explorer. Right-click the file and select Properties. At the bottom of the General tab, click the Unblock button. Once you unblock a file, Windows should remember and Excel should not ask you again.
  This option is available for some file types, but not others. If you don't have an Unblock button, use Method 2.

• Method 2 (by folder): This option is better if you usually store your downloaded Excel files in one folder. In Excel, click File » Options » Trust Center » Trust Center Settings » Trusted Locations. Click Add new location. Browse to the folder where you store your Excel files, select Subfolders of this location are also trusted, and click OK.

Last edited: 2019-06-27

3.21. "PalOutOfProcessServer has stopped working"

Applies to: All products, when used with Excel 2016, Excel 2013, or 64-bit Excel 2010

At some point during execution of @RISK (Evolver, NeuralTools, PrecisionTree, StatTools, or TopRank), I get the message

PalOutOfProcessServer7 has stopped working

or

PalOutOfProcessServer6 has stopped working

This is not a licensing issue, even if you see "Authorizing" in the Excel status line. PalOutOfProcessServer is the bridge from @RISK and our other software to 64-bit Excel 2010, or to Excel 2013 and newer Excels. If PalOutOfProcessServer can't load, then the rest of @RISK can't talk to Excel.

This error could result from a number of different conditions. What follows is a list of the known causes. Please try each of these first, but if none of them resolved the problem please contact Palisade Technical Support.

• One possibility is a lack of proper permissions during install. In Windows Vista and later, please reinstall by right-clicking the installer and selecting Run as administrator. In Windows XP, log on with full administrative rights and run the installer by double-clicking. Either way, if you get a screen asking about repair, modify, or remove, select Repair. If you get a Customer Information screen, change 15-day trial to I am upgrading or reinstalling.

• Perhaps our software didn't shut down cleanly the last time. You could open Task Manager and close any open processes related to our software, but it's easier and more effective just to restart Windows.

• We occasionally see security software blocking one or another of our processes, so try disabling your anti-virus or anti-malware software temporarily and see if that lets everything run normally. If it does, please report the false positive to your anti-malware or anti-virus software vendor.

• You may have a DEP setting that prevents our software from running. See Data Execution Prevention to test this, and for advice on fixing the problem.

Last edited: 2017-08-04

3.22. "Run-time error '-2147417856 (80010100)' "

Applies to: @RISK 6.x/7.x

I get the message

Run-time error '–2147417856 (80010100)'
Automation error
System call failed.

Different conditions can give rise to this error. Following are strategies that have worked for different customers in resolving this error.

• Close everything and restart Windows – not just log off and on, but a full system restart.

• Does this happen with more than one model? Check your active add-ins and try disabling them, then adding them back one by one. See Find and Fix Startup Conflicts (Excel 2007–2016).

• If your simulation is not very large, switch to Multiple CPU: Disabled on the General tab of Simulation Settings.

• A couple of customers, who had multiple versions of Excel installed, reported that they got this error in Excel 2013 but not 2010 or 2007, with the same model.

• You may have COM registrations pointing to versions of Microsoft Office Excel or Project that aren't actually installed on your computer. Follow the instructions in Removing Outdated References to Office from the System Registry to remove them.

• If you're using @RISK for Project release 4.1.4 (not @RISK release 6..x/7.x) and you have any background processes of Excel running, RISK may be unable to connect to Excel and you may get this error. Use Task Manager to check for any Excel.exe processes that don't have visible windows. If you find any, close Microsoft Project, then kill the Excel processes in Task Manager, then reopen @RISK for Project.

Last edited: 2015-12-21

3.23. "Run-time error '-2147417848 (80010108)' "

Applies to: @RISK 6.x/7.x

Before I've been working very long in @RISK, I get this error message

Run-time error '-2147417848 (80010108)':

Automation error

The object invoked has disconnected from its clients.

We've seen this occasionally. We're not sure what causes it, but repairing your Palisade software and Repairing Microsoft Office seems to fix it.

Last edited: 2017-01-17

3.24. "Some files can contain viruses. ..." When Opening Example Spreadsheets

Applies to: All products, 5.x–7.x, in Office 2016

In Help » Example Spreadsheets, no matter which file I select, I get this message:

Opening C:\Program Files (x86)\Palisade\ ...

Some files can contain viruses or otherwise be harmful to your computer.
It is important to be certain that this file is from a trustworthy source.

Would you like to open this file?

This error in Excel is due to Microsoft's update KB 4011051, which was rolled out beginning 2017-08-01.

Microsoft fixed the problem with a later update, KB 4011093, rolled out beginning 2017-08-22. Either uninstall 4011051, install 4011093 manually, or wait for the fix to reach you through Windows Update.

See also: Hyperlinks to another Excel workbook no longer work after updating to the August 1, 2017 update

Last edited: 2017-08-31

3.25. "Sorry, we couldn't find StatTools.xla." (or Evolver.xla, etc.)

Applies to:
StatTools 5.x–7.x, running in Excel 2007 or newer
Evolver 5.x–7.x, running in Excel 2007 or newer
NeuralTools 5.x–7.x, running in Excel 2007 or newer
PrecisionTree 5.x–7.x, running in Excel 2007 or newer

StatTools seems to launch okay, and I get the ribbon. But when I click on any of the buttons I get this message:

Run-time error '1004':

Sorry, we couldn't find StatTools.xla. Is it possible it was moved, renamed, or deleted?

Or:

Sorry, we couldn't find Evolver.xla. Is it possible it was moved, renamed, or deleted?

Or:

Sorry, we couldn't find NeuralTools.xla. Is it possible it was moved, renamed, or deleted?

Or:

Sorry, we couldn't find PrecisionTree.xla. Is it possible it was moved, renamed, or deleted?

The StatTools (Evolver, NeuralTools, PrecisionTree) toolbar is loaded, but the computer code that takes action is not. These add-ins contain the static ribbon in each of the supported languages, but no code to perform the actions listed on the buttons:

• StatToolsExcel12_CN.xlam, StatToolsExcel12_DE.xlam, StatToolsExcel12_EN.xlam, StatToolsExcel12_ES.xlam, StatToolsExcel12_FR.xlam, StatToolsExcel12_JP.xlam, StatToolsExcel12_PT.xlam, StatToolsExcel12_RU.xlam
• EvolverExcel12_xx.xlam, for the same languages
• NeuralToolsExcel12_xx.xlam, for the same languages
• PrecisionTreeExcel12_xx.xlam, for the same languages

For convenience, in this article we'll call these the Palisade "Excel12" add-ins. You should never select any Palisade "Excel12" add-in as an active add-in. (For the add-ins that are safe to use, see Opening Palisade Software Automatically Whenever Excel Opens.)

To fix the problem, follow this procedure:

1. Launch Excel only.
2. Click File » Options » Add-ins. (In Excel 2007, click the round Office button and then Options » Add-ins.)
3. If any Palisade "Excel12" add-ins are in the list of active add-ins at the top of the page, click Go at the bottom, remove the check marks from them, click OK, and close Excel.
4. If there was no Palisade "Excel12" add-in, or if you remove it but the toolbar is still there, you added the Palisade toolbar by some other means. To remove it, right-click into the toolbar and click Remove custom toolbar. You may have to try clicking different places in the toolbar until the right-click menu offers that option.

You've solved the problem when you can launch Excel without any Palisade toolbars. After that, to launch any of our software, double-click the desktop icon, if you have one, or select the application in the Palisade DecisionTools group in your Windows start menu. If you want StatTools or any of our applications to run every time Excel runs, see Opening Palisade Software Automatically Whenever Excel Opens.

Last edited: 2016-06-24

3.26. "The certificate has expired or is not yet valid."

Looking at the Trusted Publishers information in the Excel Trust Center, I see that our certificate has expired. When I click the View button, I get the message

The certificate has expired or is not yet valid.

How do I obtain a current certificate from Palisade?

There's no need.

All Palisade code is timestamped, meaning that a recognized certificate authority has validated that the code came from us at the time it was created. It doesn't matter to the end user if the certificate expires after that. The expired certificate can't be used to timestamp any new code, but code that was already timestamped while the certificate was in force continues to be valid.

Many articles that explain this can be found by searching "timestamped certificate" (without quotes) on the Web. Here is one, from Stack Overflow. Quote: "Timestamping involves a third party (usually your CA) attesting that you made the signature at a particular time. Regardless of when your certificate expires, somebody receiving the signed code can then verify that your certificate was valid at the time you signed it."

Microsoft's message "This certificate has expired or is not yet valid" is literally true but beside the point. You're not trying to sign code, which can't be done with an expired certificate; you're trying to use code that was signed with a valid certificate in force at the time of signing.

If you were simply exploring in Trust Center and found the expired certificate, there's no cause for alarm and you don't need to take any action. The Certificate Information screen from Excel doesn't make clear the distinction between signing new code and using existing signed code. The certificate needs to be in force when the code is signed, and it was. The certificate does not need to be in force when the signed code is used.

The latest certificate for Palisade is not shown in Trusted Publishers in Excel's Trust Center. Why not, and how can I view it? (I remember clicking Trust all from publisher when I first ran the software.)

There are several possible reasons. Excel sometimes doesn't show a later certificate when it has an earlier certificate for the same publisher. If you have the software installed in a trusted location (as listed in the trust center), Excel won't check the certificate. Or of course if you have macros set to Enable all macros, there's no need to check a certificate.

If Excel doesn't show you the current certificate in the Trust Center, you can display it in this fashion:

1. Launch @RISK, or whichever tool you are interested in.
2. Press Alt+F11. The Visual Basic for Applications editor will open.
3. In the Explorer-style tree at the top left, click once on RiskXLA, or the XLA for whichever tool you're running. (If the Explorer tree isn't visible, press Ctrl+R to show it.)
4. Click Tools » Digital Signature. The Digital Signature dialog will open.
5. Click Detail. The Certificate dialog will open.

Remember, the certificate needs to be valid as of the date the add-in file was created, not necessarily as of today. For example, the @RISK 7.6.0 add-in is signed with a certificate good from 2018-01-08 to 2019-03-23. That doesn't mean that the add-in somehow becomes invalid or untrustworthy in mid-March 2019, just that the certificate can't be used after that date to sign new versions of the add-in files.

Isn't there some way to show the certificate without actually running the software?

Yes, you can display the installer's certificate. (For technical reasons of compatibility with different Excel versions, the installer and the add-ins have different certificates.)

1. Don't run the installer; right-click it and select Properties. The Properties dialog will open, with several tabs.
2. Click on the Digital Signatures tab. On that tab, click Palisade Corporation in the list, then click Details. The Digital Signature Details dialog opens.
3. On the General tab, you'll see key information; click View Certificate for access to the certificate.

Again, the certificate needs to be valid as of the date the installer was created, not necessarily as of today. For example, 7.6.0 installers are signed with a certificate good 2018-01-04 to 2019-03-22. That doesn't mean that the installer somehow becomes invalid or untrustworthy in mid-March 2019, just that the certificate can't be used after that date to sign new installers.

See also: Excel Macro Security Settings

Last edited: 2018-11-06

3.27. "The deactivation cannot proceed because not enough time has passed"

Applies to:
All products, network server and standalone workstation, releases 6.x/7.x
(Does not apply to network clients.)

In License Manager or Server Manager, I clicked Deactivate and selected Automatic. The response was

Automatic Deactivation failed.
The deactivation cannot proceed because not enough time has passed since the last deactivation.

What is wrong?  Why can't I deactivate?  Should I try Manual Deactivation, or reinstall the software?

Please don't reinstall your software, and don't bother with a Manual Deactivation because it would fail with a similar message.

Here's the explanation: The license terms allow for one deactivation in any 90-day period, so you get this message because it's less than 90 days since the last deactivation.

If you need to move a license less than 90 days after the last move, please send an email to Technical Support. Include your full Activation ID and explain the circumstances of why this move is needed. Technical Support may be able to grant a one-time exemption, depending on the circumstances and the history of this serial number.

But it's more than 90 days since I last deactivated!

Are you trying to move a 6.x license after upgrading to 7.x? Are you trying to move a 5.x license after upgrading to 6.x/7.x? An upgrade license replaces the old license. Though we do let you continue using the old license on the same computer, you can't transfer it to a new computer. For technical reasons connected with how FLEXnet Publisher works, we implement this policy by preventing any deactivations of the old license after the upgrade has been performed.

If this license hasn't been upgraded, did you previously request and receive an exception to the 90-day policy? If so, it may have been done by changing your policy from one deactivation in 90 days to two in 180 days. In this case, you could have done two deactivations within 90 days, but the third will have to wait till 180 days after the first, not 90 days after the second. If you think this may be your situation, please email Palisade Technical Support with your Activation ID to ask about your activation and deactivation history and when you will next be able to deactivate the license.

Last edited: 2016-05-13

3.28. "The specified dimension is not valid for the current chart type."

Applies to: Graphs in all 6.x products (not 7.x)

When I try to create some kinds of graphs in @RISK (PrecisionTree, ...), I get a blank graph and this error message:

The specified dimension is not valid for the current chart type.

There could be different symptoms, such as a message "Method '~' of object '~' failed", or just a blank worksheet with no chart and no message. The common thread is an attempt to have Palisade software create an Excel chart.

Excel refuses to create charts of some types if the default Excel chart type is one of the more complex ones. To fix this, either upgrade your Palisade software to the current release, or set your default chart to a simpler type, such as Clustered Column (Excel's original default) or Line.

In Excel 2007 and Excel 2010:

1. Click the Insert tab in the ribbon. (It doesn't matter whether you have data pre-selected.)
2. In the Charts section, click the tiny arrow in the bottom-right corner. An Insert Chart dialog opens.
3. Select Column in the left panel, and then in the right panel click the first chart.
4. Click the "Set as Default Chart" button, and then click Cancel. This sets the default chart type without actually creating a chart.

In Excel 2013 and 2016:

1. Select a cells that contains a number. Click the Insert tab in the ribbon.
2. In the Charts section, click the "See All Charts" button, which is the tiny arrow in the bottom-right corner. An Insert Chart dialog opens.
3. Click the All Charts tab in the dialog.
4. Select Column in the left panel. Then, in the right panel, right-click the first column chart and select "Set as Default Chart".
5. Click Cancel. This sets the default chart type without actually creating a chart.

There's no need to close and reopen Excel or the Palisade software; you'll be able to create your chart now.

Acknowledgement: This article at ExcelBanter.com explains the source of the error message.

See also: There are other possible causes for "Method '~' of object '~' failed". See All Articles about "Method '~' of object '~' failed".

Last edited: 2017-02-17

3.29. "This graph was made with a non-commercial version of @RISK."

Applies to:
All products, releases 6.x/7.x, with trial or educational licenses.

I clicked on a graph to try to customize it, but I got this message:

This graph was made with a non-commercial version of @RISK. All commercial uses are strictly prohibited under the terms of your license agreement.

You just clicked a little too close to the watermark. Click a little further away, and you'll be able to customize your graph.

Last edited: 2018-08-27

3.30. "Unable to load response file."

Applies to: All products, releases 5.x and newer

I'm trying to activate or deactivate my license. I click Load Response File and submit my file, but I get this message:

Unable to load response file.

ERROR: Processing response - {50019,41141,,22}

If you need help please contact Palisade at support@palisade.com.

(The error number may vary.)

The most likely cause is submitting the wrong file.

Sometimes people accidentally submit their request file after clicking Load Response File, instead of their response file. Verify that your file name includes the word "response".

Be sure you're using the right response file for an operation. If you sent the request file to Palisade Technical Support, look at the email response you received and verify that you are using the file that was attached to it.

Also verify that you're using a current response file – right click it and select Properties to check the date and time. The response file should be the most recent response file you have.

Last edited: 2016-03-11

3.31. @RISK Ribbon Grayed Out

Applies to:
@RISK 5.x–7.x
TopRank 5.x–7.x
BigPicture 1.x/7.x

Something happened, and now my @RISK (TopRank, BigPicture) tab on the Excel ribbon is grayed out. The other Excel ribbons seem normal.

(The Results section of the @RISK ribbon is normally grayed out until you've run a simulation. This article is about the situation where almost the whole @RISK, TopRank, or BigPicture ribbon is grayed out.)

Short answer: Click Help » About @RISK (TopRank, BigPicture), and the ribbon will be restored.

Details: This can happen in Excel 2007 or later, and it's due to a bug in Excel's handling of dynamic ribbons. Therefore, it affects @RISK, TopRank, and BigPicture, which have dynamic ribbons, but not the other Palisade products, which don't.

The basic issue is that dynamic ribbons can't be updated while you're in edit mode, with "Edit" showing in the status bar at the bottom of the Excel window. (You get into edit mode by clicking into a cell and typing, or by clicking into the formula bar, among other ways.) But not all operations are prohibited in edit mode. If you do something that should cause the @RISK ribbon to change, Excel actually goes into an indeterminate state and almost all of the @RISK ribbon is gray.

There's a "rescue" built into @RISK, TopRank, and BigPicture as a way around this problem: click the product's Help icon and then select any of the Help menu items. That will cause the ribbon to reset.

Last edited: 2015-10-07

3.32. Borrowing a 5.x License: NLicense Doesn't Display Activation ID

Applies to:
Palisade Concurrent Network releases 5.x

Problem:
I want to borrow a license for off-network use.  As instructed, I copy NLicense.exe from the server to C:\Program Files\Palisade\System on my workstation, and then run the program.  But it opens with only "Enter Activation ID" in the Borrow License box (or it shows an obsolete Activation ID).  How do I make it show the Activation ID so that I don't have to type it in every time?

Response:
You can register the desired Activation ID by making a simple edit to the System Registry.  (Depending on your privilege level on your computer, you may have to get an administrator to do this for you.)

Method A:

1. Open Notepad or another plain-text editor, and paste in this code, all on one line:
   reg add HKLM\Software\Palisade\network\5000000 /v ActivationID /t REG_SZ /d 99-9999999-ABCDEF-GHI
   
   
2. Change 5000000 to your serial number, and change 99-9999999-ABCDEF-GHI to your Activation ID.
   
   
3. Add a second line, with this command:
   pause
   
   
4. Save the file to your desktop with a .bat extension.  Right-click it and select Run As Administrator.  If asked for permission to change an existing ActivationID, answer Y for yes.

Method B:

1. Click Start » Run » Regedit.  In the left-hand pane, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432node\Palisade in 64-bit Windows or HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Palisade in 32-bit Windows
   
   
2. Double-click on Palisade to expand the folder.
   
   
3. Does a Network key appear under Palisade?  If not, right-click in the blank area in the right-hand pane and create it as a new key.
   
   
4. Double-click on Network in the left pane to expand it.
   
   
5. Now look at your Activation ID. The seven-digit number is your serial number.  Look under Network in the left pane.  Does your serial number appear under Network?  If not, right-click in the blank area in the right-hand pane and create it as a new key.
   
   
6. Double-click the serial number in the left pane.
   
   
7. In the empty part of the right-hand pane, if the value ActivationID does not exist, right-click and select New » String Value (not a new key).  ActivationID is the name of the new value — note the capitalization, and do not put a space before ID.
   
   
8. Double-click on Activation ID in the right-hand pane, and carefully type in your full Activation ID, including the hyphens.
   
   
9. Close Regedit.

Now when you open NLicense and click on your server name in the first box, it will show your Activation ID in the Borrow License box.

last edited: 2012-06-19

3.33. Invalid procedure call or argument

Applies to: All Palisade Products

Disponible en Español:  ''Invalid procedure call or argument' (Español)''

After installing a Windows update, many actions in Palisade products now produce the error message "Invalid procedure call or argument."

With current maintenance, our users can update the software to our latest version 7.6.1 which fixes this problem. To upgrade your software go to:

https://www.palisade.com/updates/

Without current maintenance, please contact your sales representative at https://www.palisade.com/about/contact_us.asp or follow the steps below:

Most significantly, this affects distribution fitting in @RISK, and optimizations in both @RISK or Evolver.  It also affects all Palisade products in other more minor scenarios.

This issue is caused by an update for Microsoft Windows (KB4512508) released on Aug-13-2019 which contains a bug. According to Microsoft, this issue was resolved with a new update that was released on Aug-30-2019 (KB4512941). The 'optional' update is available on Microsoft Update Catalog, Windows Update, Microsoft Update and Windows Server Update Services (WSUS). As with any 'optional' update, you will need to Check for updates to receive KB4512941 and install. For instructions, see Update Windows 10.

For some customers with Windows 7, 8, Windows server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 12 R2, the latest Windows update hasn't work, you can work around the problem by uninstalling the update from your system using these steps:

1. Close all your programs.
2. Go to Settings under the Start menu.
3. Click on Update and Security.
4. Click on the Update history link to list all the updates installed on your system.
5. Click on Uninstall Updates.
6. On the searching box located at the upper right corner, write KB4512508, select the update and click on Uninstall.
7. Click yes to confirm the uninstall.
8. Click Restart Now to reboot your computer and complete the task, the process may take a few minutes.

For reference, please check this Windows Central article:

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-uninstall-and-reinstall-updates-windows-10 (last accessed: 2019-0815)

Update: 

For Windows 10 version 1903 uninstall update KB4511553 

For Windows 10 version 1803 uninstall update KB4512501

For Windows 7 uninstall update KB4512506 

For Windows Server 2016 uninstall update KB4512517

For Windows Server 2008 R2 uninstall update KB4512486  

Last edited: 2019-09-19

3.34. Run-time error: "Argument out of range" / "Argument: Product" in Server Manager

Applies to: Palisade Server Manager 8.0.0 and 8.0.1

Issue: In Server Manager when clicking "Open Renewal Portal" to renew a license subscription, customer's may get an error dialog like the one below: 

This issue is being addressed in our next software version 8.1.1 which will be released during the first weeks of March 2021. 

If you're trying to renew your license subscription and get the error above, feel free to reach out to our sales team through the following channels: 

• Phone: +1 607 277 8000
• E-mail: sales@palisade.com

Or if you have a valid and current maintenance plan, you can ask Tech Support for an updated version of Server Manager, and then re-attempt your license renewal.

 

Last Update: 2021-03-02

4.1. Progress Window Not Displayed during Simulation

Applies to: @RISK 5.7, 6.x, 7.x, 8.x

The small progress window is not visible when a simulation is running. The simulation runs properly and results graphs are also displayed properly.

This could be due to a simulation setting, or to the window somehow being moved off screen.

Simulation settings — @RISK 6.2/6.3/7.x/8.x:

Progress window off screen — @RISK 5.7/6.x/7.x/8.x:

RiskProgress.exe blocked

Last edited: 2023-02-21

4.2. Progress Window Freezes at "Initializing ... 100%"

Applies to: @RISK 6.x/7.x

When I click Start Simulation, after some messages on the Excel status line the @RISK Progress Window appears. At the top of the Progress Window I see "Initializing..." and it increases to 100%. But there it stops. Either my simulation never proceeds, or after a long time it starts to do iterations, but very slowly.

Unless you tell it otherwise, @RISK will run larger simulations in multiple cores or CPUs. @RISK uses Windows protocols to start each "worker" copy of Excel and send it work. Sometimes, the worker Excels don't respond to commands from the master, or the workers may not even start up. In this case, the master gets stuck, waiting for responses from the workers.

The Progress Window can tell you what's going on. If your Progress Window isn't already expanded, click the chevron at the bottom right of the window. That will display the status of each CPU being used in the simulation. (If there's no Progress Window, see Progress Window Not Displayed during Simulation.)

If one or more processes show a status of "Excel is not responding", the master is waiting for those processes to report back. Eventually the master will time out and start doing the workers' work itself, but that can take a long time.

But it might not be the fault of the worker Excels. Instead, an essential add-in, RiskSimMultiCpu7.xla, might be in Excel's list of disabled items. (In @RISK 6.x, it would be RiskSimMultiCpu6.xla.)

Take a look at Excel's list of disabled items: Click File » Options » Add-Ins, and scroll the right-hand pane to the bottom. If you see one of the RiskSimMultiCpu add-ins listed there, change "Excel Add-ins" to "Disabled items" in the box at the bottom of the pane, click Go, and re-enable that add-in.  Click OK and close Excel.

See also: Multiple CPU -- Only One CPU Runs, for other things that might cause only one CPU to run.

Last edited: 2017-10-05

4.3. Simulation Crashes with Increased Number of Iterations

Applies to:
@RISK 6.x/7.x

My simulation runs fine with a larger number of iterations, but when I increase the number of iterations to 5,000 (or 10,000, or 1,000, or some larger number) then the simulation crashes.

This sounds like a Multiple CPU problem. To understand it, let's talk a bit about how Multiple CPUs (cores) work in @RISK.

By default, in Simulation Settings » General, Multiple CPU is set to Automatic, meaning that @RISK tries to guess whether a simulation will run faster with multiple CPUs or with one CPU. When you increase the number of iterations, @RISK may change its approach from one CPU to multiple CPUs.

In @RISK 7.0.1 and older, the default was called Enabled instead of Automatic, but it functioned as described above. Starting with @RISK 7.5.0, that behavior was called Autoamatic, and Enabled was given a new meaning.

When a simulation is run in multiple CPUs, @RISK launches an invisible "worker" copy of Excel for each of the extra CPUs. The "master" copy, the one with windows on screen, parcels out iterations to the workers and integrates the results that they pass back. At the end of simulation, the master sends instructions to the workers to shut themselves down, and after they've done it the master creates any graphs and reports and the Excel status line displays Ready.

The two critical points in this process are starting up the extra copies of Excel, and shutting them down. There are Microsoft-standard protocols for both operations, but on some computers they don't work, or don't work reliably. Since @RISK needs to wait for the requested CPUs to open or to close, there's a bottleneck, and it may look like Excel has crashed.

If a simulation crashes with multiple CPU but runs to completion with a single CPU, you've probably got a problem with starting up the worker Excels or shutting them down.

If Excel seems to freeze when initialization is 100% complete, please see Progress Window Freezes at "Initializing ... 100%".

If this happens when simulation is 100% complete, then you can kill the "zombie" workers in Task Manager without losing any of your results. Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager. On the Details tab (Processes tab in Windows 7 and earlier), click the column heading Name or Image name to alphabetize the running programs, then locate the copies of Excel.exe. One of them, the master, will have significantly higher memory use than the others. Kill the others, the workers, using End Task. When the last worker is shut down, the master will begin cleaning up after the simulation, and you should be able to view your results.

Try a simulation with the same number of iterations, but with Multiple CPU set to Disabled. If it finishes in acceptable time, you have a simple workaround for the problem. If it takes too long to simulate with one CPU, or if you just want the problem fixed, please contact Palisade Technical Support and provide your software serial number with a problem description.

Last edited: 2018-03-06

4.4. Smart Sensitivity Analysis Occurs Even When Disabled

Applies to: @RISK 5.x–7.x

To save time in the simulation startup, I have set Smart Sensitivity Analysis to Disabled. But when I start a simulation, after some other messages in Excel's status line, I see this message:

Smart Sensitivity Analysis: Precedents found for ... of ... @RISK functions, ... of ... for this function. Press Esc to cancel.

Why is Smart Sensitivity Analysis running even though I disabled it?

Do you have any RiskMakeInput( ) functions in your model? RiskMakeInput( ) causes its direct and indirect precedents to be excluded from all sensitivity graphs and reports, whether Smart Sensitivity Analysis is enabled or disabled in Simulation Settings. To know which ones to exclude, @RISK has to trace precedents of each RiskMakeInput( ) function. This precedent tracing uses the same code as Smart Sensitivity Analysis, and that's why you see that notation in the status line.

See also: Excluding an Input from the Sensitivity Tornado

Last edited: 2015-10-16

4.5. Calculation Changed to Manual by a Simulation?

Applies to: @RISK for Excel, all releases

Does @RISK set Excel calculation to Manual? After a simulation I found that my workbook's calculation mode had changed.

It's true that @RISK sets Manual Calculation during a simulation. However, before the simulation @RISK notes the calculation mode, and after the simulation @RISK restores that mode. If you are in Manual Calculation after a simulation, you were in Manual Calculation before the simulation.

For an exception, please see Calculation Changed to Manual while Browsing Results?

In release 5.5, under certain circumstances, an error in the @RISK program did cause it to leave Excel in Manual Calculation after a simulation. This was fixed in release 5.7. Customers with current maintenance contacts are entitled to a free upgrade to the current version of @RISK; please contact your Palisade sales manager for assistance.

Does Excel ever change my calculation mode on its own?

Yes, Excel can silently change the calculation mode in a workbook, so that you don't notice when this happens.

Excel's calculation mode is a global setting but is also stored in each workbook. If the first workbook you open is in Manual Calculation, then all later workbooks opened in that Excel session will also be in Manual Calculation. Any saved workbook will include the current calculation option, with effect the next time you open that workbook in Excel.

Therefore, you should check the calculation mode after opening your workbook(s) but before starting a simulation.

• Excel 2010 or newer: Click Formulas » Calculation Options. Or, click File » Options and look at the first section of the Formulas category.
• Excel 2007: Click Formulas » Calculation Options. Or, click the round Office button, then Excel Options, and look at the first section of the Formulas category.
• Excel 2003 or older: Click Tools » Options » Calculation.

If you find you're in Manual Calculation and you want to be in Automatic Calculation, change it and save every workbook. (You may need to change something in each workbook. Options are not always saved if there were no actual changes to the workbook.)

See also: Microsoft's article How Excel determines the current mode of calculation.

Last edited: 2018-11-06

4.6. Calculation Changed to Manual while Browsing Results?

I have set Excel calculation to Automatic, but after I ran a simulation I saw that calculation was changed to Manual. The Browse results window is open; does that change calculation mode?

Yes, that's by design. To make browsing work properly, @RISK has to put Excel into Manual calculation mode. If you were in Automatic calculation before Browse Results, you will be in Automatic again when you close that window, or if you change it from a callout to a floating window. (To make that change, click the last icon at the bottom — see illustration.)

Note also that Excel may change calculation mode when you open a workbook, and the change persists even after that workbook is closed. See Calculation Changed to Manual by a Simulation?

Last edited: 2015-06-26

4.7. Multiple CPU — Only One CPU Runs

Applies to: @RISK 5.x–7.x

I have Simulation Settings set to Multiple CPU Enabled, and my computer does have multiple cores, but @RISK uses only one of them. The simulation progress window shows only one CPU; it's just as though @RISK only knows about one CPU on my computer.

@RISK uses a heuristic to guess how long a simulation will take. If @RISK judges that the overhead of starting multiple copies of Excel would outweigh the time saved through parallel processing, it will use only one core even if you have enabled Multiple CPU.

@RISK will also use only one CPU if you have selected Demo Mode in the @RISK ribbon or in Simulation Settings » View. Deselect Demo Mode to let @RISK use multiple CPUs.

@RISK 6.2.1 and earlier were pretty liberal about making that decision, so a number of short simulations ran in multiple CPUs that actually would have been a bit faster with a single CPU. If you notice that situation, just go into Simulation Settings, change Multiple CPU to Disabled, and save your workbook.

My simulation seems to be taking a long time with a single CPU, and I think it would go faster using multiple CPUs.

First, make sure you have Multiple CPU set to Enabled on the General tab of Simulation Settings, and that you have not selected Demo Mode on the View tab. (These settings are stored in each workbook.) If you do, you can force multiple CPU for all simulations as explained in CPUs Used by @RISK 7.x or CPUs Used by @RISK 4.x–6.x.

My simulation with a project takes a long time, but only one CPU is used.

That is by design. Simulations with Microsoft Project can use only one CPU. However, if @RISK is using the standard engine, you may be able to speed up your simulation by using the accelerated engine. Follow this advice to see if @RISK can use the accelerated engine to simulate this project. (The accelerated engine still uses only one CPU, but on most projects it's significantly faster than the standard engine.)

I have Simulation Settings set to Multiple CPU Enabled, and my computer does have multiple cores, but @RISK uses only one of them.  The simulation progress window shows all my CPUs, but only one of them actually runs iterations.  The others all say "Excel started" or "Excel is not responding."  Then at the end of simulation @RISK hangs and I have to kill those other copies of Excel in Task Manager.

Please check in Excel's disabled items list to see whether any items associated with @RISK have been disabled, particularly RiskSimMultiCpu6.xla or RiskSimMultiCpu7.xla.  (When Excel crashes, it sometimes marks every open add-in as disabled. The add-in cannot run again until you specifically remove it from the disabled list.)

• Excel 2010 or newer: Click File » Options » Add-Ins.  At the bottom of the right-hand panel, select Manage: Disabled Items, and click Go.
• Excel 2007: Click the round Office button and then Excel Options » Add-Ins.  At the bottom of the right-hand panel, select Manage: Disabled Items, and click Go.
• Excel 2003: Click Help » About Microsoft Excel » Disabled Items.

My simulation used to run in multiple CPUs, but since I upgraded to @RISK 6.3 or newer it uses only one, and the simulation takes longer.

Beginning with 6.3.0, @RISK is more conservative in its estimate, so that some small simulations that used multiple CPUs in earlier versions of @RISK will now run a single CPU. @RISK makes this decision on the basis of how long an Excel recalculation takes. Make sure that RiskSimMultiCpu6.xla or RiskSimMultiCpu7.xla is not disabled (see previous answer). If you have @RISK 7.x, CPUs Used by @RISK 7.x explains how to set the exact number of CPUs to use in simulating this workbook.

Last edited: 2019-01-31

4.8. Multiple CPU — Blocks of Errors in Simulated Outputs

Applies to: @RISK, all releases

When I disable Multiple CPU, my simulation runs just fine. But when I enable Multiple CPU, the Simulation data window shows blocks of error values in my outputs. For example, I might have numbers for iterations 1–100 and 201–300, but "Error" for iterations 101–200 and 301–400.

There are a few inherent limitations to running multiple CPUs. These come about because a "worker" CPU doesn't have access to the data developed by any other CPU; only the "master" does. During simulation, each worker has a private copy of your workbook. The master tells each worker which iterations to run; the worker runs those iterations and passes the values of @RISK inputs and outputs back to the master. At the end of the simulation, the workers' private copies of the worksheet are destroyed.

If this is your issue, the simplest solution is to go into Simulation Settings and select Multiple CPU: Disabled. If that makes the simulation take too long to run, you're going to have to make some changes in your workbook:

• If your simulation uses any data from other iterations, or any statistic functions, that information will not be available during simulation, and the iterations done by the worker CPUs will show errors. If the problem is statistic functions that reference @RISK distributions, an easy fix is using the "Theo" functions, which reference the theoretical distributions rather than simulation results: change RiskMean to RiskTheoMean, RiskPtoX to RiskTheoPtoX, and so on. But that's not possible with statistics of @RISK outputs; in that case you must change the logic of your workbook.

• If you have a macro that stores values in a workbook, and other macro code or worksheet formulas use that stored information in a later iteration, it will not be available to the other CPUs. After the end of the simulation, anything that your macro code wrote to the workbook during iterations run by the master CPU will be in the workbook, but nothing your macro code wrote to the workbook on the worker CPUs will be preserved. If you change your macro to write to an external file, you have to account for contention between multiple copies of the macro trying to write to the same file at the same time. This can be done, but the programming is not trivial.

  Related: Macro Doesn't Store Values to Workbook

• The RISK object model (XDK) is not available on the worker CPUs. If you need to run @RISK automation code (XDK) during a simulation, your only option is to select Multiple CPU: Disabled.

Last edited: 2017-02-07

4.9. Multiple Simulations All Show the Same Data

Applies to: @RISK for Excel 5.0.0 (initial release only)

I'm running multiple simulations, but the Simulation Data report in Excel shows the same data for all of them.

Multiple simulations should have different input data if you tell Excel to use a different random number seed for each simulation, and they should have different output data if the above is true or if you have one or more RiskSimtable( ) functions and later calculations depend on them.

There was a bug in @RISK 5.0.0 that simply duplicates Simulation 1 data for the other simulations in the Simulation data report in Excel. All other graphs and reports are correct. The bug was fixed in @RISK 5.0.1 and never occurred in the @RISK component of The DecisionTools Suite.

If you have @RISK 5.0 initial release (not part of The DecisionTools Suite), please visit palisade.com/Updates to update your software. If you are unable to update your software, here are three alternatives to choose from:

• Create a separate sheet within your workbook and fill it with RiskData functions. Please see the example in Placing Iteration Data in Worksheet with RiskData( ).

• If you have many RiskData( ) functions, they may slow down your simulation. As an alternative, you can insert the RiskData functions after the simulation ends, as follows:

  1. Run a simulation.
  2. At end of simulation, in Excel click Insert | Worksheet to insert a blank worksheet.
  3. Highlight (number of iterations per simulation) rows in column A, and type this:
           =RiskData(cell_reference_or_quoted_name_of_input_or_output, 1, COLUMN( ))
     Then press Ctrl-Shift-Enter. The formula will appear in the formula bar with curly braces { }, and the data from simulation #1 will be inserted.
  4. Re-highlight the same cells, and then drag to the right for as many columns as you have simulations. The data from the other simulations will be inserted.
  5. Remember to delete that extra worksheet before running a new simulation, or all those rows and column of RiskData() functions will slow down the simulation.

  If you're handy with VBA programming, you could program a macro to do steps 1-4 automatically at the end of simulation. At the least you could use Excel's Record Macro feature to capture the process as you do it once, and then after that you could run your macro manually.

• After a simulation, click on the Data icon. The Data window is not the same as the Simulation data report in Excel, and the Data window will bring up the iteration data correctly for all simulations. Then you can highlight them and copy/paste them into your worksheet. This might be a little easier than typing function names.

Additional keywords: Simtable

Last edited: 2013-04-11

4.10. Correlation Matrix from StatTools Not Accepted

Applies to: @RISK for Excel, all releases

I have historical data for several variables that should be correlated. I used StatTools to create a correlation matrix, then copied it into my @RISK model. When I tried to run a simulation, @RISK said the matrix is invalid. What is wrong?

This is due to your data, not an error in StatTools or @RISK. It's common to have some missing data points with historical data, and missing data may lead to a correlation matrix that is not self consistent. (A self-consistent matrix has no negative eigenvalues. For more, please see How @RISK Tests a Correlation Matrix for Validity.)

According to Peter Jäckel, Monte Carlo Methods in Finance (Wiley, 2002), page 60:

Ad hoc correlation matrices, those calculated from incomplete data and those taken from news services, sometimes don't comply with the requirement of symmetry and positive semi-definiteness. ...

In practice, the problem of an invalid correlation matrix, i.e. one that has negative eigenvalues, can also very easily arise in the context of risk analysis for equity portfolios. This is because there are frequently asynchronous gaps in the historical stock exchange time series. The chance that slight inconsistencies in the data from which historical correlation coefficients are calculated can lead to negative eigenvalues grows rapidly as the size of the correlation matrix increases. ... Since equity index or portfolio analysis typically involves many underlying assets, the risk of negative eigenvalues of the correlation matrix calculated from historical data is particularly large.

There are two ways around this:

• If you have an invalid matrix, you can use RiskCorrectCorrmat( ) to transform it to a valid matrix. You can leave @RISK completely free to make changes, or you can specify adjustment weights for @RISK to use in creating the corrected matrix. Please see How @RISK Adjusts an Invalid Correlation Matrix for details.

• Or, you can redefine your StatTools data set to include only rows where all variables have data.

But whether the generated correlation matrix is valid or is corrected with RiskCorrectCorrmat( ), you should also apply your own knowledge and judgment to the correlations. There may be factors in the problem you are modeling that make it desirable to specify correlations different from the historical ones.

,

Last edited: 2013-02-24

4.11. Change in Output Mean Inconsistent with Sensitivity Tornado

Applies to:  @RISK 6.x/7.x

Some of my inputs don't appear on the tornado diagram that shows regression coefficients. That makes sense because they have little or no impact on the output. But when I make a Change in Output Mean graph on that output, those inputs do show up with bars. What is wrong?

Most likely there's nothing wrong, and this is just normal statistical variability.

The Change in Output Statistic tornado does not measure the influence of any input on the output. The numbers are purely statistics, based on two parts of the simulation. One end of the bar is the mean of the output values from the iterations with the lowest 10% of input values, and the other end is the mean of the output values from the iterations with the highest 10% of input values.  (For more on how the numbers are computed, please see Interpreting Change in Output Statistic in Tornado Graphs.)

Think of those two groups of iterations as two smaller samples from the simulation. Even if this input has zero impact on the output, you'd expect some difference between the means of two sub-samples from the same simulation. If you look at the standard error of the output (standard deviation divided by the square root of the number of iterations), you should see that the size of these unexpected bars is within a couple of standard errors, meaning that it can be explained by random chance and is not significant.  If the difference is more than a couple of standard errors, then it is significant and may indicate impact of that input on the output.

My input does have some impact on the output, but it is minor. The numbers on the two ends of the bars are too far apart to be explained by statistical variation.

Remember, the Change in Output mean tornado doesn't measure impact. (For that, you want the regression coefficients tornado; see Interpreting Regression Coefficients in Tornado Graphs.) This input could have low impact on the output, as you say, but if it's correlated with other inputs, the output would be affected to a greater degree by the combination of those inputs.

See also: All Articles about Tornado Charts

Last edited: 2016-08-29

4.12. Same Input Appears Twice in Tornado Graph

Applies to: @RISK 5.x–7.x

In my tornado graph, I see that two of the bars have the same label. Why is this happening, and how can I fix it?

This occurs because you have two inputs with the same name. This can happen in several ways. You might have actually assigned the same name to both inputs. More likely, you didn't assign names to the two inputs, and @RISK gave them default names based on nearby text.

To solve the problem, open the Model Window and find the inputs with duplicate names. Click in the Name column for one or both of them, and enter the desired name.

Are the same-named inputs in the same cell? In that case, you might actually want to combine them. Here are some guidelines:

• Are you modeling a risk that may or may not occur, with a range of possible severities? You might have a formula like
  =RiskBernoulli(0.4)*RiskTriang(10,25,40)
  or
  =IF(RiskBinomial(1,0.4)=1, RiskTriang(10,25,40), 0)
  (It could be any continuous distribution, not just RiskTriang.) To model a maybe-yes-maybe-no risk, RiskCompound is a better choice:
  =RiskCompound(RiskBernoulli(0.4),RiskTriang(10,25,40))
  The RiskCompound counts as one input, not three, so it simplifies your tornado graphs. Using a different discrete distribution in RiskCompound models risks that may occur multiple times, as explained in Combining Probability and Impact (Frequency and Severity).

• Do you have some other formula where you want the tornado chart to use the formula result, not the individual distributions? In that case, wrap the formula in a RiskMakeInput, like this:
  =RiskMakeInput( formula, RiskName(inputname))
  See Combining Inputs in a Sensitivity Tornado.

See also:

• All Articles about RiskMakeInput
• All Articles about RiskCompound
• All Articles about Tornado Charts

last edited: 2018-06-28

4.13. Tornado Graph Is Missing an Input

Applies to: @RISK 5.x–7.x

My tornado graph doesn't show a particular input, even though I can see from the formulas that it is a precedent of this output. Why?

There are several possible reasons this could happen.

Are other, more significant inputs crowding out this one? Tornado graphs can only show a limited number of bars, and naturally they show the inputs with the greatest effect on this output (or the greatest correlation to it). See Tornado Graph — How to Set Defaults to find out how to increase the number of bars. If you're already at the maximum, see Placing Change in Output Statistics in Worksheet or Regression Coefficients in Your Worksheet to compute the sensitivity numbers in worksheet functions.

Is the input not being collected? In Simulation Settings, on the Sampling tab, have you set Collect Distribution Samples to Inputs Marked with Collect? In that case, only the inputs that you have marked for collection in the Model Window, or with a RiskCollect property function, can appear in any tornado chart.

Is a RiskMakeInput function excluding this input? When you wrap a formula in a RiskMakeInput function, then all tornado charts exclude any inputs in that formula, as well as all cells referenced in that formula, and all precedents of those cells. Please see Excluding an Input from the Sensitivity Tornado and Combining Inputs in a Sensitivity Tornado for more about how RiskMakeInput works.

See also:

• All Articles about Tornado Charts
• All Articles about RiskMakeInput

Last edited: 2016-06-21

4.14. Input on Tornado Graph Is Not a Precedent

Applies to: @RISK 5.x–7.x

One or more of the bars on my tornado chart represents an input that is not a precedent of the output.

There are a couple of possible explanations.

Smart Sensitivity Analysis disabled

Duplicate input names

See also: All Articles about Tornado Charts

Additional keywords: Trace dependants

Last edited: 2017-10-10

4.15. Tornado Graph Can't Show All Simulations

Applies to: @RISK 6.x/7.x

In the @RISK ribbon, I have Simulations set greater than 1. But when I display my tornado or spider graph, and click the "Select Simulation #" icon at the bottom of the graph, the choice "Show All Simulations" is grayed out.

This is by design. According to the @RISK manual:

Only tornado graph types that have a baseline of zero can be overlaid. These types are Regression Coefficients, Regression — Mapped Values, Correlation Coefficients, and Contribution to Variance.

Thus, the tornado and spider graphs for Change in Output Mean, Change in Output Percentile, and Change in Output Mode cannot be overlaid, neither different outputs nor different simulations of the same output.

See also: All Articles about Tornado Charts

But I'm trying to show a histogram or an S-curve, and "Show All Simulations" is still grayed out.

If the most recently displayed tornado or spider graph was a Change in Output Statistic graph, @RISK doesn't reset the "overlays allowed" flag when you switch to a histogram or an S-curve. Select a regression or correlation tornado, then your desired histogram or S-curve. You will then be able to show all simulations.

Last edited: 2018-08-15

4.16. Outputs with Small Means Don't Converge

Applies to:
@RISK 6.x/7.x

I set up my simulation with convergence monitoring using the simulated mean. Most of my outputs converged, but one or two of them were still at or close to 0% converged. Their means are smaller than the means of the inputs that did converge; does that matter?

That's the key to the mystery. For simplicity, let's suppose that you used the defaults, so that you're having @RISK run until it has 95% confidence, for each tested output, that it is within ±3% of the true mean of that output.

If Output A has a mean of 200,000,000, the ±3% tolerance band is 12,000,000 units wide. But if Output B has a mean of 10, the ±3% tolerance band is only 0.6 units wide. It seems reasonable, if the two have similar standard deviations, that Output B will take longer to converge, because it takes more iterations to narrow a number down between 9.7 and 10.3 than between 194,000,000 and 206,000,000.

The means don't even have to be that extreme. Take a look at the attached example, and click Start Simulation. (There's a fixed random number seed, so that your numbers should match the ones in this article.) C55 through G55 have means around $1,700 to $6,200, but H55 has a mean of minus $16. All six have standard deviations in the range $3,500 to $5,300. Even though the other means are only 100 to 400 times as great as the mean of H55, still the other outputs converge but H55 does not. (To see the standard deviations, right-click in the Results Summary window and select Columns for Table.)

See also: For more about how convergence monitoring works, see Convergence Monitoring in @RISK.

Last edited: 2019-02-04

4.17. Convergence by Standard Deviation: Always Same Number of Iterations

Applies to: @RISK 5.x–7.x

When I select "auto" for number of iterations, and my test for convergence is on standard deviation, no matter the characteristics of my model it always converges at 2200 iterations. Even if it's just a uniform distribution designated as an output, converging on the standard deviation still takes 2200 iterations. Why is that?

If I enable multiple CPU, the convergence generally takes a few hundred iterations longer. Why?

Surprising though it may be, this result is correct. It has to do with the interaction of the confidence interval for the standard deviation with @RISK's method of testing convergence.

How does @RISK test convergence? The default is to test every 100 iterations for a 95% confidence level on a tolerance of ±3%, so let's work with that. Every 100 iterations, @RISK takes the current simulated statistic — mean, standard deviation, or percentile, whichever one you chose — subtracts 3% from it to get L, adds 3% to it to get U, and then figures the cumulative probability between L and U. If

cumulative probability between L and U ≥ 95%

then you are at least 95% confident that the true value is between L and U. In other words, your mean, standard deviation, or percentile has converged at the 95% confidence level.

But how does @RISK find the cumulative probability when testing for convergence of the standard deviation? A confidence interval for standard deviation is computed from a confidence interval for variance, which uses the χ² distribution. Therefore, to test convergence of the simulated standard deviation, @RISK actually tests convergence of the variance. After n iterations, the current simulated standard deviation is s and the simulated variance is s². The bounds for variance are therefore

L = (0.97s)² = 0.9409s²    and    U = (1.03s)² = 1.0609s²

But here's the surprise: to place a value on the χ² curve, you divide (n-1)s² by that value. Recall the requirement for convergence: the cumulative probability between L and U must be ≥ 95%. Using the χ² distribution, that translates to

cum. prob. of χ² with df=n−1 between (n-1)s²/1.0609s² and (n-1)s²/0.9409s²   ≥   95%

(L and U have traded places, because 1/1.0609 is smaller than 1/0.9409.)  The s² in the fractions cancel out:

cum. prob. of χ² with df=n−1 between (n−1)/1.0609 and (n−1)/0.9409   ≥   95%

This is an inequality in just one variable: n, the number of iterations. It's completely independent of the estimated standard deviation and of the underlying distribution you're simulating. (The tolerance comes into the .9409 and 1.0609 coefficients, and the confidence level is the number on the right-hand side of the inequality.)

Solving the inequality gives n ≥ 2140: to converge to within ±3% with 95% confidence takes 2140 iterations. You can do similar calculations for any other convergence tolerance or confidence level.

Why 2200 iterations, then? The default is to test for convergence every 100 iterations, and the first multiple of 100 iterations ≥ 2140 is 2200.

Why are more iterations needed with multiple CPUs? The master CPU does the convergence testing, based on iteration values it gets from the worker CPUs. If the workers are doing 1000-iteration blocks, for example, then convergence can't be tested more often than every 1000 iterations, and @RISK will report convergence at 3330 iterations.

Why doesn't this happen when means and percentiles are tested for convergence? Because the confidence intervals for means and percentiles don't involve the χ² distribution, and therefore convergence does depend on the progressive estimates of the mean or percentile. It(#rsq#)s only for standard deviation or variance that convergence depends purely on number of iterations.

If you have versions of @RISK 6 before 6.2, you will find that convergence to 3% tolerance with 95% confidence takes 8547 iterations, not 2140. Those versions of @RISK were testing for a ±3% tolerance in variance, not standard deviation. The actual tolerance for standard deviation was about 1.5%, which needed more iterations. You may want to upgrade your software to the current version if you have an earlier version.

Last edited: 2015-10-14

4.18. Missing Results Graph

Applies to: @RISK 7.5.1, possibly some earlier releases also

After a simulation, I don't get a results graph. Instead, the graph area is full of a gray rectangle, with a white rectangle in the upper left.

Or:

The results graph appears, but I can't move the delimiters or change the percentages at the top.

Or:

The results graph appears, but there's no statistics grid and the drop-down arrow to let me select the grid does not appear at the upper right of the window.

Or:

The Define Distributions window freezes when I select a distribution.

These symptoms all have the same underlying cause: @RISK is trying to access a .NET 2 file that does not exist but is still registered. The cure is to re-register your .NET  4, by following these steps:

1. Close all open copies of Excel.

2. Open an administrative command prompt—here are directions in case you need them.

3. You'll need to copy/paste two commands to the administrative command prompt, one command at a time. To copy a command, highlight the entire command with your mouse and press Ctrl+C. To paste the command, right-click into the administrative command prompt, select Paste with the mouse, and press the Enter key on your keyboard.

   • If you have 64-bit Windows, with either 32-bit Excel or 64-bit Excel, copy/paste this command:
     C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\RegAsm.exe "c:\Program Files (x86)\Palisade\System\Palisade.DecisionTools.Graphing7.dll" /u

     Then copy/paste this command:
     C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\RegAsm.exe "c:\Program Files (x86)\Palisade\System\Palisade.DecisionTools.Graphing7.dll" /codebase /tlb

   • If you have 32-bit Windows, copy/paste this command:
     C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\RegAsm.exe "c:\Program Files\Palisade\System\Palisade.DecisionTools.Graphing7.dll" /u

     Then copy/paste this command:
     C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\RegAsm.exe "c:\Program Files\Palisade\System\Palisade.DecisionTools.Graphing7.dll" /codebase /tlb

4. The command prompt window will show some output, which should include "Types registered successfully" and "type library was registered successfully". Take a screen shot of the output, to be sent to us if you don't see those messages in the output, or if the fix doesn't work.

5. Run @RISK, and you should see that the original problem has been resolved.

6. If @RISK still does not run correctly, verify that .NET Framework 4 is enabled.

   • In Windows XP through Windows 7, Control Panel » Programs and Features and verify that .NET 4 is in the list of installed programs.
   • In Windows 8, 8.1, and 10, Control Panel » Programs and Features » Turn Windows Features On or Off and verify that .NET 4 has a check mark.

7. If @RISK still does not run correctly, run the Microsoft .NET Framework Repair Tool.

Last edited: 2017-11-16

4.19. Window Opens Briefly, Then Closes

Applies to: @RISK 7.x

I have "Automatically Show Output Graph" selected. At the end of simulation, the Browse Results window opens briefly and then closes itself. The same thing happens if I click Browse Results.

Or—

When I click Define Distributions the window opens briefly, then closes. "Saving workbook" appears briefly in Excel's status line.

A customer found the solution to the Browse Results problem, which we posted here to benefit others. The same solution worked when another customer reported the Define Distributions problem.

Each customer had a OneDrive connection to Excel, and every time the spreadsheet updated it autosaved. With the OneDrive connection and @RISK, autosave was causing the problem. The solution was to turn off autosave, under Options » Save.

Another possibility is that there is an autosave toggle in the upper corner of the Excel window. Turning this off should stop it.

Last edited: 2019-03-01

4.20. Can't Move Delimiters or Change Percentages

Applies to: @RISK 7.5.1, possibly some earlier releases also

The delimiters divide my graph into three regions based on percentages that are shown above the graph. I want to change the percentages, but nothing happens when I click on the numbers or when I try to move the delimiters with my mouse.

There is a problem with your registration of .NET 4. Please follow the procedure in Missing Results Graph to fix this.

Last edited: 2017-03-31

4.21. Restoring Theoretical Distribution in a Results Graph

Applies to: @RISK 6.x/7.x

After my simulation, I was looking at an input distribution in Browse Results.  It showed the theoretical distribution curve as an overlay on the histogram of simulated data.  In Graph Options » Curves, I clicked the theoretical distribution and clicked Remove Curve to work with just the sample data for a while.  How can I recover that theoretical curve as an overlay?

Click the Edit and Export icon at the bottom of the Browse Results window, and then Reset Graph to Defaults.  All customizations will be removed.  You will need to redo any other customizations you did on this graph, but you will have both the sample data and the theoretical curve.

Additional keywords: Bring back a deleted curv

Last edited: 2015-10-14

4.22. Sum of Percentiles Differs from Percentile of the Sum

Applies to: @RISK, all releases

In my model, I have a set of inputs. I strike a total, and that is my output. But I also compute the 95th percentiles of the inputs and the 95th percentile of the output using RiskPercentile( ) or RiskPtoX( ). Why does a percentile of the output not equal the sum of that percentile of the inputs?

This is normal behavior. Unless your inputs are correlated with a coefficient of 1, they won't all be at a given percentile in the same iteration. In most iterations, some inputs will be above any particular percentile and some will be below. When you add them all up, the highs and lows tend to balance out, so the 95th percentile of the sum will be closer to the mean than the sum of the 95th percentiles of the inputs.

It's not just percentiles — any statistic other than the mean will have a similar issue. This is a statistical feature of combining probability distributions, and not any kind of problem in @RISK or in your model.

For a related issue, see Static Value of Output Differs from Simulated Mean.

Okay then, which one is right?

They're both right, but they mean different things. Please open the example that's attached to this article.

It's almost always more useful to take the percentile of the sum, the green figure in the example. For example, that tells you how much to set aside in reserves if you want 95% confidence that you've set aside enough. There's a 95% chance that the total of all eight risks will turn out to be less than that figure. Sure, some risks may be above their individual 95th percentiles, but most will be below their 95th percentiles. The green figure is the realistic measure of your total risk.

Suppose you want a sort of worst-case scenario? What if every risk happens to come in at its 95th percentile? (Of course that is very unlikely, only about one chance in 25,600,000,000.) The total of the eight individual 95th percentiles is the orange figure in the P95 column. If you set aside that larger figure as a reserve, you're making a reserve for a situation with only 0.004% of a millionth of a chance of occurring.

Additional keywords: Maximum of sum doesn't equal sum of maximums; Minimum of sum doesn't equal sum of minimums

Last edited: 2018-04-19

4.23. Incorrect Percentiles for Date Distributions

Applies to:
@RISK models with or without MPP files

I'm simulating with a project. Cell F2 contains a distribution of dates. In another cell, I have a function, RiskTarget(F2, 8/12/2017) or RiskXtoP(F2, 8/12/2017). Although the graph of F2 shows that the distribution extends before and after 2017, @RISK shows 0 for the RiskTarget or RiskXtoP function.

This is actually nothing to do with using projects, or even with @RISK; it's purely an Excel issue. When you write 8/12/2017 inside a function, Excel treats that as a division, and computes a double-precision value of about 0.00033.

That number doesn't look like a date, but it is. Excel dates are actually numbers, the number of days past 1 January 1900. A whole number means midnight at the start of a date; a number with a decimal part means some time after midnight on that date. Your RiskTarget or RiskXtoP function is asking @RISK for the percentile of your distribution that corresponds to 0.00033, which about 29 seconds past midnight on 1 January 1900. Since the minimum of your distribution comes after that date, 0 is the correct answer: a date in 1900 is in the zeroth percentile of the distribution.

How can I use dates with RiskTarget or RiskXtoP?

When you need to pass a date as an argument to any function in Excel, use the DATE function. Again, this applies to any function in Excel, not just @RISK functions. DATE takes three arguments: year, month, and day—in that order, regardless of your date formats. 8/12/2017 might mean 8 December or 12 August, depending on where you are, but DATE(2017,12,8) always means 8 December.

Examples: RiskTarget(F2, DATE(2017,12,8)) and RiskPtoX(F2, DATE(2017,12,8)).

Like all Excel functions, DATE changes in non-English versions of Excel. For instance, DATE is FECHA en español, DATA em português. There are numerous Web sites that provide translations of Excel function names, such as Excel Function Name Translations and Microsoft Excel Function Translations (both non-Microsoft sites). If you need to translate function names often, you might want to install Microsoft's Excel Functions Translator add-in.

Last edited: 2018-06-13

4.24. "Error!" or #QNAN for Distributions in an IF( ) Function

Applies to: @RISK For Excel 3.5 and newer

In Simulation Data, for some distributions "Error!" is displayed instead of a value. These distributions are used in Excel IF( ) functions, where the distribution functions are sampled or not based on whether the condition is true or false.

The Simulation Data window or report shows the values of the distributions, not the value of the complete cell formula. @RISK only interprets the first argument of an IF statement and any distributions in subsequent arguments are ignored.

"Error!" Is reported for the iterations in which the distribution function was not sampled because the condition that would have triggered its sampling did not occur. The Error! reported for the input pertains only to the separate @RISK distribution function itself. It does not pertain to the entire contents of the cell containing the IF formula. If you want to see the results of calculations from the entire cell, wrap the formula in a RiskMakeInput( ) function if you have @RISK 5.0 or later, or select the cell as an @RISK output.

See also: Alternatives to =IF for Picking Distributions

If you want to see the results of the distribution function separately, but don't want to see any errors reported, you can place the distribution functions in cells all by themselves, and then use cell references to refer to them in the IF( ) functions. But be aware that doing so can throw off the results of a sensitivity analysis, because then you have @RISK distribution functions that are always sampled, but which don't really figure into the calculation of the entire model in those iterations when condition in the IF statement does not call them.

If your objective is merely to hide the "errors", you can set the Collect Distribution Samples option to None, or set it to Inputs Marked with Collect and then don't mark those particular distribution functions for collection, or filter on errors.

Last edited: 2020-01-17

4.25. Reports Do Not Appear after Simulation

Applies to: @RISK, release 6.1.2 only

After a simulation, I can't get Simulation Data or Detailed Statistics reports to appear in Excel.

Please check your simulation settings. On the Sampling tab, do you have Collect Distribution Samples set to None? Or do you have it set to Inputs Marked with Collect, but you haven't actually marked any inputs or collection? Or does your simulation not actually contain any @RISK input distributions?

Under any of those circumstances, an error in @RISK 6.1.2 prevented it from producing certain reports. The problem was fixed in @RISK 6.2.0. If you are eligible, upgrade your @RISK to the current release. If you can't upgrade, you can work around the problem by ensuring that you have at least one input distribution and setting Collect Distribution Samples to All.

Last edited: 2017-02-17

4.26. Delimiter Setting Ignored by RiskResultsGraph( )

Applies to: @RISK 5.0 and newer

I have a RiskResultsGraph( ) function set up as follows, because I want to set the left delimiter at 20%:

=RiskResultsGraph(F26,H6:Q25,13,FALSE,20)

But after a simulation, the graph still has the left delimiter at 5%.

RiskResultsGraph( ) is applying the defaults that are in your Application Settings, because the function parameters are not complete.

With RiskResultsGraph( ), you must specify both delimiters if you want to change either one. If you want 20% at the left and 5% at the right, use this form of the function:

=RiskResultsGraph(F26,H6:Q25,13,FALSE,20,5)

Last edited: 2015-09-16

4.27. Min or Max Setting Ignored by RiskResultsGraph( )

Applies to: @RISK 5.0 and newer

I have a RiskResultsGraph( ) function set up as follows, because I want to set the left edge of the graph at –10:

=RiskResultsGraph(A1,B4:M30,0,,5,90,-10)

But after a simulation, the graph still shows same x axis as before.

With RiskResultsGraph( ), you must specify both Min and Max, or neither. Supply a Max value in addition to your Min value, and the graph will appear as you wish.

Last edited: 2015-09-18

4.28. Template Report Contains Formulas in Place of Numbers

Applies to: @RISK 5.x–7.x

I have template reports defined. After a simulation, I expect the generated reports to contain fixed numbers, but instead they contain formulas.

This situation can arise when you have filters defined in your template. The problem comes from a limitation of Excel's copy/paste, which @RISK uses: When @RISK tries to copy/paste a sheet that contains filters, Excel raises an error to the effect that the source and target aren't the same size.

Here are some possible workarounds:

• If you don't need the filter, remove it.
• Let the report be created as it is now. Then, select the actual data area of the report (not the template), press Ctrl+C for Copy, then Edit » Paste Special » Values into an empty sheet. Excel won't paste the filtered-out rows.
• You might try automating the Advanced selection in Excel filters by using its option, "copy to another location".

Last edited: 2015-08-07

4.29. Unwanted Results Summary Window Appears

Applies to: @RISK 5.x–7.x

In Simulation Settings » View, I have selected None. But when I start a simulation, the Results Summary window appears anyway.

Do you have convergence monitoring enabled? (This is on the Convergence tab of Simulation Settings.) By design, when convergence monitoring is enabled, @RISK displays the Results Summary window during simulation so that you can monitor the progress of the simulation toward convergence. Please see Status Column of Output Results Summary Report to interpret the status column.

Last edited: 2015-10-14

4.30. Simulation Used to Run, Now Crashes Excel

Applies to: @RISK 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 7.0 in 32-bit Excel 2013 or 2016

My simulation used to run okay, but now the same file crashes Excel during simulation.

If you're running 64-bit Excel, or Excel 2010 or earlier, this article does not apply to you. (Which Version of Excel Am I Running? guides you to find your Excel version and whether it's 32-bit or 64-bit; the same screen should show you the build number.)

In June 2016, Microsoft updated 32-bit Excel 2013 and 2016 to make them "large address aware". (For more about the update, see the starred note at the end of Should I Install 64-bit Excel?) @RISK 7.0 and earlier cannot run large simulations correctly with this update in place.

To see if you have the update, check your Excel build number. If your build number in Excel 2013 is 15.0.4833.1000 or higher, or your build number in Excel 2016 is 16.0.4390.1000 or higher, then you have the update. In that case you should upgrade your @RISK or DecisionTools Suite to our latest version, which has new programming to accommodate this change by Microsoft. If you have a lower build than those, then something else is the cause; see "Out of Memory" for a starting point.

Last edited: 2016-08-12

4.31. "An exception of unknown type has occurred."

Applies to: @RISK for Excel

When I try to run a simulation, I get the message

An exception of unknown type has occurred.

What is wrong, and how do I fix it?

There are several possible problems, so let's start with the most likely ones before we look at more complicated possibilities.

First, does this happen with only one particular workbook? For example, can you simulate one of our examples successfully? (Click Help »  Example Spreadsheets.) If it's only a particular workbook, please email it to us at support@palisade.com and we'll have a look.

On the other hand, if you also get the error with other workbooks then it is likely to be a configuration problem.

You should not manually add any of our libraries or toolbars to Excel. If you have done that, please remove them, close Excel, and then run @RISK in the recommended way: click the Windows Start button, then Programs or All Programs, then Palisade DecisionTools, then @RISK for Excel.

You may have some other add-ins that are incompatible, or you may have macro files or template files that are incompatible. Please see the appropriate article for help in diagnosing startup conflicts:
Find and Fix Startup Conflicts (Excel 2007–2016)
Find and Fix Startup Conflicts (Excel 2003 and Earlier)

Last edited: 2015-01-05

4.32. "Authorization failure" When Simulating

Applies to:
@RISK 4.5 For Excel with Excel 2003 or earlier

Problem:
When I click on @RISK's simulate button, it returns the error message "Authorization Failure". What is wrong?

Response:
This occurs if you add the @RISK and/or DecisionTools Suite toolbar(s) with Excel's View » Toolbars instead of launching the program. All toolbar buttons seem to operate except for the simulate button which will return the "Authorization Failure" message when clicked. The reason is that adding the toolbar under the view menu does not initialize @RISK properly.

To correct the problem, always start @RISK from the start menu: click the Windows Start button, then Programs or All Programs, then Palisade DecisionTools, then @RISK 4.5 for Excel. (Excel will start automatically if it's not already running.) This is our recommended procedure.

We do not recommend manually adding our toolbars or add-ins to Excel.

last edited: 2012-12-07

4.33. "Cannot make a sheet to hold correlation information in protected workbook"

Applies to:
@RISK 6.x/7.x

I protected my workbook with a password, by clicking Protect Workbook on Excel's Review tab. When I try to run a simulation I get this error message:

Cannot make a sheet to hold correlation information in protected workbook

followed by my workbook name. I click OK, but the simulation does not run. By the way, some of my distributions are correlated.

When you have correlations, @RISK has to pre-generate all the samples for the correlated distributions at the start of simulation, then rearrange them to achieve the desired correlation coefficients. To do that, @RISK creates a worksheet in your workbook, and deletes that worksheet at the end of simulation. If your workbook is protected through the Review » Protect Workbook method, @RISK cannot bypass the protection to create that worksheet.

There is another form of workbook protection in Excel. Click File » Save As, and next to the Save button click Tools » General Options and specify a password. @RISK can perform a simulation with a workbook protected by that method, if you provide the workbook password by creating a GetPassword function.

Last edited: 2018-03-09

4.34. "DTools7_x64.XLL cannot be accessed."

Applies to:
@RISK 6.x/7.x

When I try to run a simulation, I get this error message:

DTools7_x64.XLL cannot be accessed. The file may be corrupted, located on a server that is not responding, or read-only.

This seems to be caused by conflicts with other addins and macro files that were loaded at startup. To resolve it, please follow the procedure in Find and Fix Startup Conflicts (Excel 2007 and Newer).

Last edited: 2019-02-27

4.35. "Exception of Type PalExcelError" in @RISK 5.x

Applies to:
@RISK 5.x

I'm running @RISK 5.x. When I run a larger simulation with multiple CPU enabled, @RISK uses only one CPU. The progress window shows the master CPU as green, but the worker(s) as red with a status of "Exception of type PalExcelError". What is wrong?

When you select multiple CPUs but only one of them runs @RISK, sometimes the cause is add-ins or startup files that @RISK can't load in the extra copies of Excel.

We recommend that you upgrade to our latest release, because there have been numerous improvements to multi-CPU simulations in several releases since version 5. The upgrade itself may fix the problem. But even if it doesn't, we have more sophisticated troubleshooting tools that work with newer versions of the software. Your Palisade sales office can help you with the upgrade.

If you can't upgrade from your current version, please follow this procedure to make sure that you don't have anything that prevents @RISK from launching additional copies of Excel:

1. In Excel 2003 or below, click Tools » Add-Ins; in Excel 2007, click the round Office button, then Excel Options » Add-Ins and Manage: Excel Add-ins, Go; in Excel 2010, click File » Options » Add-Ins and the Go button at the bottom of the right-hand panel.
2. Uncheck all third-party add-ins, meaning all that are not part of Excel. The two Analysis Toolpaks, Euro Currency, Conditional Sum Wizard, Internet Assistant, Lookup Wizard, and Solver are the common Excel add-ins and are not a problem.
3. Try again to run the simulation, and see if @RISK can now use multiple CPUs successfully.
4. If not, look at your own startup files: templates, macro files and such. They could be located in folders called XLSTART or in the folder designated in Excel options as "on startup, open all files in". With Excel closed, temporarily remove all such files, and then try again to run @RISK with multiple CPUs.

Last edited: 2018-10-09

4.36. "Exception of type PalPipeError"

Applies to: @RISK 6.0.1

When I run a larger simulation with multiple CPU enabled, @RISK uses only one CPU. Performance Monitor shows the master CPU as green, but the worker(s) as red with a status of "Exception of type PalPipeError in method ParallelSimMsgPipe::Transact". What is wrong?

The copies of @RISK 6.0.1 and The DecisionTools Suite 6.0.1 that were available for download between 15 Oct and 24 Oct 2012 contained an error in the way the worker CPUs are controlled. If you downloaded the software before 15 Oct or after 24 Oct 2012, your copy is not affected.  No other release numbers are affected.

To solve this problem, download and install a fresh copy of @RISK or The DecisionTools Suite. If you need a download link, please contact Technical Support and include your serial number or Activation ID.

Install the downloaded program right over the existing copy of @RISK or The DecisionTools Suite (requires full administrative rights). If the installer prompts you for permission to perform an upgrade, click Yes.

Last edited: 2013-04-25

4.37. "Exception of type PalSystemError" (@RISK 5.0)

Applies to:
@RISK and The DecisionTools Suite, Industrial Edition 5.0 only

Problem:
I have multiple CPU support enabled in @RISK 5.0, but only one CPU is used and the Performance Monitor shows "Exception of type PalSystemError in me.." for the other CPUs.

Response:
@RISK is having a problem starting the additional CPUs This problem has been corrected in later releases of the software.

Please contact your Palisade sales manager to obtain the latest release. If your maintenance is current, the latest release is available to you at no charge.

last edited: 2012-07-25

4.38. "The formula ... could not be correctly parsed"

Also available in Spanish: "La fórmula ... no pudo ser paseada correctamente"

Applies to: @RISK 5.x–7.x

At the start of simulation, I get the error message "The formula formula could not be correctly parsed", or "The formula formula, from cellreference, could not be correctly parsed."

@RISK 5.0 introduced a feature called Smart Sensitivity Analysis, also known as precedent checking.

As @RISK traces back from your @RISK outputs to your distribution functions, along the way it may find an Excel formula that it doesn't know how to interpret, such as one containing an Excel INDIRECT( ) function. (See Precedent Checking (Smart Sensitivity Analysis) for the complete list of formulas that Smart Sensitivity Analysis cannot handle.)

You can disable Smart Sensitivity Analysis for this model so that the simulation will proceed without the warning message. To do this, click the Simulation Settings icon, select the Sampling tab, and change Smart Sensitivity Analysis to Disabled. Click OK and save the workbook.

The choice of enabling or disabling Smart Sensitivity Analysis can be made for each workbook, and you can also set it in Application Settings to apply to new models. These settings are available in 5.x,-7.x, except @RISK 5.0.0. If you do not have this choice, please visit palisade.com/Updates to request an update to our current release.

Last edited: 2020-03-20

4.39. "Found invalid formula ... Continue without detecting RiskMakeInput precedents properly?"

Applies to: @RISK 6.x/7.x

When I click Start Simulation, I get the message

Found invalid formula "..." in "...". Continue without detecting RiskMakeInput precedents properly?

Or,

The reference "..." in "..." has an OFFSET or INDIRECT, whose precedents cannot be traced. Continue without detecting RiskMakeInput precedents properly?

What is wrong, and how do I fix it?

This is a similar issue to the message "Found invalid formula ... Continue without Smart Sensitivity Analysis?", but it is detected at a different point.

The RiskMakeInput( ) function lets you make any formula behave like an @RISK input. Then in sensitivity analysis the tornado diagrams show sensitivity of the outputs to the value of this formula as a whole, not to any components of the formula and not to any precedents of the formula. At the start of a simulation, @RISK catalogs all distributions that are used only as precedents or components of a RiskMakeInput( ), so that it will know to exclude them from sensitivity analysis after the simulation. If @RISK can't interpret a formula, it won't be able to detect those precedents properly.

The cure is to change the referenced formula to one that @RISK can interpret; see the list and hints in the article referenced above. There is no @RISK setting to ignore RiskMakeInput( ) precedent checking, as there is with Smart Sensitivity Analysis. If you can't change the formula, you'll need to click Yes each time you run a simulation.

See also: All Articles about RiskMakeInput.

Last edited: 2015-10-14

4.40. "Found invalid formula ... Continue without Smart Sensitivity Analysis?"

Applies to: @RISK 5.x–8.x

When I start a simulation, I get the error message

Found invalid formula ... Continue without Smart Sensitivity Analysis?

Or,

The reference '...' in '...' has an OFFSET or INDIRECT, whose precedents cannot be traced.
Continue without Smart Sensitivity Analysis?

Short answer: Click Yes, and the simulation will proceed. Tornado diagrams may show inputs that are not actually precedents of the output, if by chance they are significantly correlated with the output. If you want to avoid clicking Yes each time, keep reading.

Full answer:

Smart Sensitivity Analysis, referred to in the message, was introduced in @RISK 5.0. It makes tornado charts and other sensitivity measures ignore inputs that are not actually precedents of the output in question. You'll find a full description of this feature in the article Precedent Checking (Smart Sensitivity Analysis).

As @RISK traces back from your @RISK outputs to your distribution functions, along the way it may find an invalid Excel formula. "Invalid" doesn't necessarily mean the formula is invalid according to Excel's rules; it could mean a valid formula that Smart Sensitivity Analysis can't cope with. Go to the location given in the message (F5 is the keyboard shortcut), or use Ctrl+F to search for the function mentioned. Look at the formula. If it is actually invalid, fix it and re-run your simulation.

Smart Sensitivity Analysis cannot work with certain Excel functions, even in valid Excel formulas. Please see Precedent Checking for the list. If the message identifies one of these functions, do any of these:

• Change the formula, if that's possible in your model.
• Disable Smart Sensitivity Analysis on the Sampling tab of Simulation Settings, and save the workbook. This setting is saved with each workbook, so it can be different in different workbooks. You can also set it in Application Settings, to apply to new models.
• If you can't change the workbook, click Yes each time the message appears.

If the formula is actually correct, and does not fall in any of those categories, please contact Technical Support.

What happens if I disable Smart Sensitivity Analysis, either in Simulation Settings or by clicking Yes in the message? Will my simulation results be wrong?

Your simulation results will be correct. Tornado graphs and other forms of sensitivity analysis may include one or more inputs that are significantly correlated with the output, even though those inputs are not precedents of the output. To exclude an inappropriate input, see Excluding an Input from the Sensitivity Tornado.

I got a similar message, but it mentions RiskMakeInput.

The RiskMakeInput function is treated as a special case, and the above techniques will not work for it.  See "Found invalid formula ... Continue without detecting RiskMakeInput precedents properly?"

Last edited: 2018-03-27

4.41. "GetPassword cannot be found."

Applies to: @RISK 5.x–7.x

When I try to run a simulation with multiple CPUs, this message pops up:

The macro "...!GetPassword" cannot be found.

with my workbook name in the double quotes. What is GetPassword?

When your workbook has a password, the extra CPUs don't know the password and therefore they can't open the workbook to perform their assigned iterations. They look for a macro called GetPassword to tell them the password.

To solve the problem:

1. Press Alt-F11 to open the Visual Basic editor.

2. Press Ctrl-R to open the Project Browser. (If it's already open, the screen won't change when you press Ctrl-R.)

3. Find your workbook name, such as "VBA Project (PhoneLog.xls)" and expand it by clicking the plus signs at the left till you get to Modules. If you have a Modules entry, click the plus sign if necessary to show the names of the individual modules, then jump to step 5.

4. If you don't have a Modules entry, right-click on the VBAProject line item for your workbook and then select Insert » Module.

5. Double-click on Module 1 (or any module name) and you should see a code window with (General) and (Declarations) or similar at the top. Click into the code window, scroll down to the bottom if necessary, insert a blank line and then paste this code:

       Function GetPassword() As String
           GetPassword = "I am the password for this workbook"
       End Function

6. Change "I am the password for this workbook" to the actual password, keeping the double quotes.

7. Click any other line in the same window, then in the menu click Debug » Compile Project to make sure that your code was inserted correctly.

8. Close the VBA window and save your workbook. If it's an "Excel workbook (XLSX)" type, choose Save As and save it as type "Excel macro-enabled workbook (XLSM)".

In @RISK 5.5.1, make sure that the name of the workbook file (.XLS or .XLSM file) does not contain spaces or special characters such as parentheses. @RISK 5.5.1 will not be able to find the GetPassword macro if the name of the workbook contains these characters.

Additional keywords: GetPassword function

Last edited: 2018-03-09

4.42. "Method '~' of object '~' failed" (in Simulation)

Applies to: @RISK 5.x–7.x

During a simulation, I get a crash with the message

Method '~' of object '~' failed

What is wrong, and how do I fix it?

If this happens with a large model but not with our examples, you may not have enough memory to run your simulation. Try running it in 64-bit Excel, and see if it works. You can also try the techniques in Memory Used by @RISK Simulations to determine about how much memory the model requires.

This can also be caused by inappropriate COM type library registrations. See Removing Outdated References to Office from the System Registry for instructions on removing the references.

See also:

• "Out of Memory" gives techniques to reduce the memory used.
• All Articles about "Method '~' of object '~' failed" gives other possible causes for this message.

Last edited: 2016-05-13

4.43. "No inputs collected - no sensitivity results available."

Applies to:
@RISK 6.x/7.x

When I try to display a tornado chart, I get this message:

No inputs collected - no sensitivity results available.

In Simulation Settings, on the Sampling tab, you have Collect Distribution Samples set to "None".  Change it to "All", and re-run your simulation. Like all settings, this is saved with your workbook, so save the workbook before you close Excel. ("Inputs marked with collect" is also possible, but that requires you to mark individually the inputs that @RISK will keep track of. Except in very large simulations, the compute time saved isn't likely to justify the extra work on your part.)

The default is "All", but you might also have changed this in Application Settings. In @RISK's Utilities menu, select Application Settings and expand the section called Default Simulation Settings. If Collect Distribution Samples is set to "None", change it to "All".

Last edited: 2018-12-26

4.44. "No inputs found that affect this output" instead of Tornado Graph

Applies to: @RISK 5.x–7.x

I run a simulation and everything seems fine. But when I look at Quick Reports, or when I do Browse Results and ask for a tornado, I see only this message:

No inputs found that affect this output.

Is your output actually varying, or does it have the same value in every iteration?

If your output is varying, but @RISK finds no inputs that influence it:

• Did you tell @RISK not to save input data? In Simulation Settings » Sampling, look at Collect Distribution Samples. If it's set to None or Inputs Marked with Collect, change it to All and rerun your simulation.

• Does your output have precedents that include Excel volatile functions like RAND( ) and NOW( )? It will vary but @RISK won't find any inputs. @RISK considers only @RISK distributions to be inputs. Replace RAND( ) with RiskUniform(0,1), replace IF(RAND( )<0.6,...) with IF(RiskBernoulli(0.6),...), and replace IF(RAND( )>0.6,...) with IF(RiskBernoulli(1–0.6),...).

• Does your simulation involve Microsoft Project and an MPP file? Information about dependents has to travel between Project and Excel, and certain dependencies may not be recognized. In Simulation Settings » Sampling, change Smart Sensitivity Analysis to Disabled. If that's not sufficient, click @RISK's Project icon, then Project Settings, and change Simulation Engine to Standard.

On the other hand, if your output isn't actually varying, then you need to take a look at the logic of your model. Maybe you started from a deterministic model, and you haven't yet changed the constants to @RISK inputs (probability distributions). Use Excel precedent tracing, on the Formulas tab, to find the precedents of your output.

Here's a good technique for testing your model when you're not getting the kind of variation you expect. Activate the Random/Static icon (the "rolling dice" icon), then press F9 repeatedly to have @RISK draw new random numbers for all distribution. If a cell isn't varying the way you think it should, look at that cell and its precedents to check the logic of your model.

See also:

• Results Not as Expected (Debugging Tips)
• All Articles about Tornado Charts

Additional keywords: Can't get tornado graph

Last edited: 2018-03-29

4.45. "No values to graph" Message / All Errors in Simulation Data

Applies to: @RISK for Excel 5.5.0 and newer

When I run my model, Browse Results shows "There are no data values to graph" for my outputs. If I look in the Simulation Data window, it shows "Error" in every row. What is wrong?

There could be two causes. If this is a legacy model from @RISK 5.0 or later, see My model worked just fine in @RISK 5.0 (or 4.5), below.

If you created this model for @RISK 5.5 or later, it's more likely that you have a logic error in your model. You can use "shoeprint mode" or "footprint mode" to find the error. Open the Simulation Data window (small x-subscript-i icon in the Results section of the ribbon), and then proceed as in the article Some Iterations Show Error in Data Window. What Can I Do?

My situation is similar, but Simulation Data shows "Filtered" on every row, not "Error".

You have a filter defined, and its specifications cause every value of this output to be screened out.

Look at the Define Filters button, near the middle of the @RISK ribbon. If a filter is active, the button has a colored background. Click the button, and if you wish you can edit the filter settings or simply remove the check mark from the box next to Enable Filters for Simulation Results.

If you're editing filters, you may wonder about the Type column. A Standard filter affects only that particular input or output. An Iteration filter uses the values or percentiles of that input or output as a criterion, but when the Iteration filter rules out any particular iteration of this input or output, @RISK also rules out the same iteration of all other inputs and outputs.

My model worked just fine in @RISK 5.0 (or 4.5). But when I run it in 5.5 or later, I get "There are no data values to graph" for my outputs, or the Simulation Data window shows "Error" in every row. What is wrong?

Are you using RiskPercentile, RiskMean, or other statistic functions? These behave differently in 5.5 and later from how they behaved in 5.0 and earlier (including 4.5).

In the earlier versions, @RISK statistic functions like RiskMean and RiskPercentile were evaluated during every iteration. This created three problems. First, for iterations 1 through N-1, the values were wrong because they were computed only on the iterations available so far. Second, and related, the values changed as each additional iteration was run, which was generally not what users wanted or expected. Third, computing all these extra values slowed down the simulation.

Beginning with 5.5, by default the statistic functions are computed only once, at the end of the simulation. This can make a dramatic speed improvement, and it also makes logical sense because the means and percentiles and such aren't known until all iterations have been computed. However, in a few models this reveals a problem that existed all along, but that users were unaware of: trying to use a value (such as a simulated percentile or mean) before the final value was available.

If your model relies on the old behavior, and you actually want to recompute the statistics in each iteration, you can make @RISK behave like the older versions. In Simulation Settings, on the Sampling tab, change "Update Statistic Functions" from "at the end of each simulation" to "each iteration". If you make that change, so that @RISK 5.5,–7.x behaves like 4.5 and 5.0, please bear in mind that this may let your model run at the expense of papering over a real problem. Any formula that refers to a percentile, a mean or another simulated statistic function would get a different value at each iteration. Especially in the earlier iterations, it would be quite volatile.

To get statistics of input distributions, the better method is to use RiskTheoPercentile or RiskTheoMean or similar, rather than RiskPercentile or RiskMean. If you're interested in statistics of an input distribution, a better procedure is to use the "Theo" functions. See Statistics for an Input Distribution. But if you're taking percentiles or means of an output, they cannot be known in advance and your solution is either to change Simulation Settings as mentioned above, or to re-examine the logic of your model.

Last edited: 2017-02-23

4.46. "Non-modal forms cannot be displayed in this host application from an ActiveX DLL, ActiveX control, or Property Page."

Applies to: @RISK 7.x

When I click Start Simulation, I get this message:

Non-modal forms cannot be displayed in this host application from an ActiveX DLL, ActiveX control, or Property Page.

You have an active add-in that is incompatible with @RISK. There may be multiple add-ins that cause this problem, but so far we have seen only one.

The Laserfiche client software component called "Laserfiche Office Integration 8.3" is known to be incompatible with @RISK. It contains Office plugins that prevent @RISK from bringing up some windows. Those plugins can't be disabled from within Excel, but that component must be uninstalled by using the Laserfiche installer.

Other add-ins, or other versions of Laserfiche, may also have this issue; only Laserfiche 8.3 is confirmed at this time.

Last edited: 2017-05-03

4.47. "Not enough memory to run simulation"

Applies to: @RISK 5.x and newer

With multiple CPU enabled, when I run a simulation the Performance Monitor displays the error message "Not enough memory to run simulation". What is wrong, and how can I fix it?

The simulation is not able to allocate the memory it needs to run the simulation. This is probably not a problem with physical RAM, but with virtual memory. Please see Virtual Memory Settings for guidelines, and instructions on changing the settings.

Here are some additional possibilities:

• Disk free space — Virtual memory uses the free space on your hard drive, so make sure that is not constrained. You may want to use the CLEANMGR program (part of Windows) to remove temporary files: click Start » Run, type CLEANMGR and click OK. If you clear out files manually, remember to empty the Recycle Bin.

• Smart Sensitivity Analysis — If your Excel file is many megabytes in size, precedent tracing (Smart Sensitivity Analysis) may actually exceed the available memory. Try turning off Smart Sensitivity Analysis on the Sampling tab of Simulation Settings.

• 64-bit Excel — For most people, 32-bit Excel is just fine. But 32-bit Excel is limited to a 2 GB memory space (or possibly 3 or 4 GB; see Large Address Aware), regardless of how much physical RAM you have. If you have a really large simulation, you may need 64-bit Excel. One symptom would be a simulation that runs with a modest number of iterations but gets "Not enough memory to run simulation" when you specify a large number of iterations. See also: Should I Install 64-bit Excel?

See also: "Out of memory" gives more suggestions for reducing memory use.

Last edited: 2018-02-12

4.48. "Object initialized twice" When Launching Palisade Software

Applies to: All releases of Palisade's Excel add-ins

The software runs just fine in one instance of Excel, and I can open multiple workbooks in that instance. But when I open a second instance of Excel, I get this message:

Object initialized twice.

This happens either right when Excel opens, or when the second Excel is already open and I try to launch Palisade software.

Palisade software is not designed to run simultaneously in multiple instances of Excel. This is true whether they're the same product or different products, whether they're the same release or different releases. And it doesn't matter whether you use the desktop icon or Start Menu to launch the software, or open the XLA-type add-in file manually. You can run multiple products of the same release in the same instance of Excel.)

If you launch @RISK a second time from the icon or Start Menu, you should get "@RISK is already running", and similarly for the other products, but the already-running copy should not be affected.

But all I did was launch a second instance of Excel, and I got "Object initialized twice."

Most likely you have one or more Palisade add-ins listed as active add-ins in Excel, which means that they load every time Excel loads. This is a conflict situation, and may result in data loss.

1. Close both instances of Excel. If you've done any edits in the first-opened one, consider saving that workbook under a different name so that you can check it later.

2. Open one instance of Excel, with a blank workbook. In Excel 2010 or 2013, click File » Options » Add-Ins, then at the bottom of the page select "Manage Excel Add-Ins" and click Go.
   (In Excel 2007, click the round Office button, then Excel Options, then Add-Ins, then at the bottom of the page select "Manage Excel Add-Ins" and click Go. In Excel 2003 or below, click Tools » Add-Ins.)

3. Remove the check marks from all Palisade add-ins. Click OK, and close Excel.

For the future, use the desktop icons (if present) or the Start Menu's program group called Palisade DecisionTools to open Palisade software. You can do this before or after opening Excel.

See also: Opening Palisade Software Automatically Whenever Excel Opens

Last edited: 2015-01-29

4.49. "Object initialized twice" at End of Simulation

Applies to: @RISK 6.0 and @RISK 6.1 Preview in 64-bit Excel

At the end of simulation, I see a pop-up with the message

Object initialized twice

Or, Excel seems to freeze at the end of simulation, but I see in the Windows taskbar that there are multiple instances of Excel open, and when I move the main Excel window I see that one or more "Object initialized twice" errors were hidden behind Excel.

This is the same problem in 64-bit Excel as the "Type mismatch" at End of Simulation in 32-bit Excel. Please follow the directions in that article to prevent the error.

Last edited: 2013-01-25

4.50. "Open method of Workbooks class failed"

Applies to:
@RISK 5.x under Excel 2007

Problem:
I have multiple CPUs enabled. When I try to run a simulation, the @RISK Performance Monitor crashes with the message "Open method of Workbooks class failed". What is wrong?

Response:
Sometimes there are problems with the XML format introduced in Microsoft Excel 2007. First, make sure you are up to date on your Microsoft Office service packs. (As of this writing, SP3 is the latest for Office 2007.)

If you still have trouble, try clicking the Office button, then Save As and select Excel Binary Format (.xlsb). Then close Excel, reopen @RISK, and open the binary file.

last edited: 2012-11-12

4.51. "Out of Memory"

Disponível em português: Sem memória

Applies to:
@RISK 5.x–7.x
@RISK for Excel 4.x
@RISK for Project 4.x
All other products (temp folder, virtual memory, and Windows desktop heap tips)

When I perform some operation, I get an "out of memory" error. What causes this, and what can I do about it?

Running programs often need more memory than you have in your computer. To meet this need, Windows uses disk space dynamically as "virtual memory", also called the "paging file". Many applications, including @RISK, also write files to your hard drive during operation. For instance, @RISK stores all simulation data in a temporary file for use when generating reports.

"Out of memory" can indicate an actual out of memory condition, or running out of resources such as disk space. Windows and your applications run better when your disk has elbow room — you can get "out of memory" long before you're down to the last megabyte of free disk space. "Out of memory" can also indicate that one or more worksheets in the workbook are protected.

• Temp (Temporary) Folder

  Please see Cleaning Your Temp Folder.

• Virtual Memory

  Please see Virtual Memory Settings for advice.

• Windows Desktop Heap Limitation

  If your Windows is newer than Windows XP, you may be running up against the desktop heap limitation. For more information and a resolution, please see Microsoft's article You may receive an "Out of Memory" error message because of the desktop heap limitation.

The following apply only to @RISK. For instance, "Out of Memory" might appear when you open a simulation data window after a large simulation, or do something else that takes significant system resources.

Special note: Even if you're not getting the "out of memory" error, you may be able to speed up your @RISK simulation with the techniques in this article.

• Collecting Input Distributions

  The @RISK default is to collect all inputs. If you don't actually need to record the value of every input, go into Simulation Settings and on the Sampling tab, in the section titled Collect Distribution Samples, change "All" to "Inputs Marked With Collect". Then go to the @RISK Model window (List of Outputs and Inputs) and check (tick) the inputs that you want to collect.

  You should be aware of an important limitation: @RISK shows only collected inputs in tornado graphs and other sensitivity outputs. If you're not sure which inputs to collect, you might run a small pilot simulation while collecting all inputs, to help you identify the ones with the greatest impact on your outputs. Then you will know which inputs to mark for collection in the full-scale simulation.

• Outputs and Statistic Functions

  @RISK must store the value of each output at each iteration. If you have many outputs that you don't need, remove the RiskOutput part of the formula in Excel's formula bar, or use the Model Window to remove them as outputs.

  When you have a statistic function such as RiskMean or RiskPercentile pointing to a cell, @RISK must store the value of that cell at every iteration. If the cell is a @RISK output, @RISK is storing its values anyway. But if it's an input that's not being collected, or if it's neither an input nor an output, then it's an additional cell for which @RISK needs to store values. Take a look at your statistic functions and eliminate any that aren't needed.

• Number of Iterations

  Are you performing more iterations than necessary? Consider letting @RISK test for convergence. A pilot run will give you an idea of the number of iterations necessary, and then you can use that or a few more as your fixed number of iterations.

• Number of Simulations

  Do you have the number of simulations set greater than 1? There is seldom a reason to do this unless you are using RiskSimtable functions. See also Iterations versus Simulations.

• Protected Sheets

  Protected sheets are not an issue for @RISK 6.0 and later. But if you have one or more protected sheets in your workbook, @RISK 4.x and 5.x may not be able to perform a simulation. Try unprotecting all the sheets (including any hidden sheets that you created) and starting a simulation.

See also:

• "Not enough memory to run simulation"
• Microsoft's article How to clean up an Excel workbook so that it uses less memory (applies to Excel 2013 and 2016).
• Though focused on simulation speed, For Faster Simulations makes many suggestions which also have the effect of reducing disk and resource usage.

Last edited: 2017-02-15

4.52. "Out of stack space"

Applies to:
@RISK 5.x

Problem: When I start a simulation, nothing happens for a while (Excel seems frozen), and if I wait long enough I get an error "Out of stack space".

Response:
@RISK 5.0 introduced a feature called Smart Sensitivity Analysis, also known as precedent checking.

Depending on the size or complexity of your model, this precedent checking may finish in a short or long time, or may fail to finish at all. The simplest workaround is to disable Smart Sensitivity Analysis for this model and revert to the @RISK 4.5 style of sensitivity analysis. To do this, click the Simulation Settings icon, select the Sampling tab, and change Smart Sensitivity Analysis to Disabled. Click OK and save the workbook.

The choice of enabling or disabling Smart Sensitivity Analysis can be made for each workbook, and you can also set it in Application Settings to apply to new models. These settings are available in @RISK 5.0.1 and above and in all releases of @RISK in The DecisionTools Suite 5.x. If you do not have this choice, please click Help » About @RISK to verify that you have @RISK 5.0.0, and in that case please visit palisade.com/Updates/ to request an update to our current version.

last edited: 2010-03-15

4.53. "PalFlexServer6 Application has encountered a problem and needs to close"

Applies to: @RISK 6.1.1

When I run a simulation with Multiple CPU set to Enabled, sometimes the worker CPUs do not shut down properly, and I get this error message:

PalFlexServer6 Application has encountered a problem and needs to close

This bug affected a minority of users, and it was fixed in release 6.1.2.  If you are affected by this, upgrading to 6.1.2 or any later release will fix the problem.

Last edited: 2013-06-18

4.54. "Protected Workbook: This operation cannot be performed ..."

Applies to:
@RISK 6.x/7.x

When I click Start Simulation or try other operations that involve a simulation, I get this message from @RISK:

Protected Workbook

This operation cannot be performed because worksheet 'name' is protected. However, if you provide the password to the worksheet, it can proceed. After the operation is complete, the worksheet will be reprotected.

This password is stored securely and will be used automatically in the future.

Below the message is a box for entering a password.

For technical reasons, during a simulation @RISK replaces all @RISK functions in your workbook with helper functions, and then swaps them back at the end of the simulation. It cannot do this if a worksheet that contains @RISK functions is protected against writing and is passworded, and therefore the simulation cannot proceed. You have several options:

• If you want to protect the worksheet simply to avoid accidentally changing something, just protect it without a password. @RISK can work with protected worksheets if they are not passworded.

• If you need to protect the sheet with a password, supply the password in the input box. You will not need to do it again, because the password will be stored in a hidden sheet in the workbook. (It's stored in encrypted form.)

• The message appears only if a password-protected worksheet contains @RISK functions. If you would rather not tell @RISK the password, simply move the @RISK functions to cells in an unprotected sheet, and in the protected sheet refer to the cells that contain the @RISK functions.

• If you want to password the whole workbook, not just a worksheet, see "GetPassword cannot be found."

Last edited: 2018-03-07

4.55. "The cell ... is part of an array formula."

Applies to:
@RISK 5.x–7.x
RISKOptimizer 5.x

When I run my simulation, a message pops up saying

The cell ... is part of an array formula. @RISK outputs cannot be part of array formulas.

Or

The cell ... is part of an array formula. @RISK distributions cannot be part of array formulas.

When I click OK, the simulation is abandoned. What is wrong, and how can I fix it?

To speed up the calculations, at start of simulation @RISK replaces formulas that include RiskOutput( ) and other @RISK functions with special formulas; then at the end of simulation is resets them to the formulas that you entered. @RISK can't do this replacement with an array formula, and therefore you get this message.

Exceptions: RiskData( ) can be used effectively in array formulas; see Placing Iteration Data in Worksheet with RiskData( ). Also, @RISK's Time Series Fit and Batch Fit commands create the time series distributions as array formulas.

There are two workarounds:

• Maybe you don't actually need an array formula. For example, many array formulas are best replaced by Excel's SUMPRODUCT( ) function, which will also execute faster. Multiple Condition Tests by Bob Phillips specifically addresses the use of SUMPRODUCT( ) to replace filtering conditions like SUMIF( ) and COUNTIF( ).

• If you do need an array formula, move the RiskOutput or to a new cell. For example, suppose that your cell AA17 contains

  ={RiskOutput()+formula}

  Remove the "RiskOutput()+" part, and then close the formula by pressing Ctrl-Shift-Enter. Cell AA17 will now contain

  ={formula}

  In a blank cell, place this formula:

  =RiskOutput()+AA17

  This is a regular non-array formula that references the cell that contains the array formula. Thus @RISK will still capture all the numbers for your output value, and you avoid the message.

• If you have created an array formula that involves an @RISK distribution or statistics function other than RiskData( ), again you will need to pull the @RISK function out of the array formula. The exact change will depend on the logic of your worksheet.

Last edited: 2015-10-15

4.56. "The correlation matrix ... has multiple inputs assigned to the same matrix position."

Applies to: @RISK 5.x–7.x

When I run my simulation, I get the following message:

The correlation matrix ... has multiple inputs assigned to the same matrix position. Instances can be used to correlate multiple sets of inputs with the same matrix. Continue the simulation anyway?

What is wrong, and how do I fix it?

Correlation is specified by RiskCorrmat property functions within the @RISK distributions.  If you have two or more groups of inputs to be correlated using the same matrix, then your RiskCorrmat functions need a third argument, called an instance.  We recommend you click No and edit your workbook. Please see this article for more on instances and how to create them: Same Correlation Coefficients for Several Groups of Inputs.

However, if you're really trying to use this form of correlation to create a correlated time series, please see the help topic "Correlation of Time Series" in @RISK 6.0 and above.  (You need the Industrial Edition of @RISK 6.0 and above to use time series.)

What happens if I just click Yes and let the simulation proceed?

Please download the example SameMatrixPosition.xls (below).

Suppose you specified the same 2×2 matrix to correlate A16:A17 to each other and B16:B17 to each other, without specifying instances.  Then @RISK will indeed use that matrix to correlate A16 with A17, and to correlate B16 with B17.  But to accomplish this, since you correlated those two groups using the same matrix without instances, @RISK will actually use the same underlying random numbers for A16 and B16, giving them a correlation coefficient of 1 with each other. And the same is true of A17 and B17. These correlations between the groups are probably not what you want.

In the same example, D16:D17 and E16:E17 are correlated with instances, avoiding unwanted between-group correlations.

Last edited: 2015-10-15

4.57. "The correlation matrix ... is not square."

Applies to:
@RISK 4.x–7.x

When I run a simulation, I get the message

The correlation matrix ... is not square.

The "..." is replaced by the workbook, worksheet, and cell range address of the matrix.

"Not square" means that the number of rows is different from the number of columns, and "the correlation matrix" is a matrix that is specified in the first argument of one or more RiskCorrmat functions.

Take a look at the address, and see if it represents the same number of rows and columns. For example, AF106:AG106 is one row and two columns. If that's the situation, look at the first argument of every RiskCorrmat function in your model, and make the needed corrections. In recent releases of @RISK, you can find all the RiskCorrmats easily by opening the model Window and clicking the Correlations tab. If that option is not available, use Excel's Ctrl+F search function. Click Options, select Within: Sheet and Look in: Formulas, and remove any check marks in the two boxes.

If you have Excel 2003 or earlier, with @RISK 4.5.7 or earlier, maybe you intended to create a matrix larger than 256×256, but broke it up incorrectly. See "Correlation Matrix Exceeds Excel's Column Limit" for the correct way to format a correlation matrix that exceeds older Excels' 256-column limit.

Last edited: 2018-03-08

4.58. "The correlation matrix at ... is not self-consistent."

Applies to: @RISK 4 and newer

When my simulation starts, I get this message:

Warning
The correlation matrix at ... is not self-consistent. @RISK can generate the closest self-consistent matrix. OK generates a corrected matrix and continues, Cancel stops the simulation.

It's tempting to click OK, but that probably won't generate the matrix that best represents your correlations.

• If you have @RISK 5.5 or newer, please see How @RISK Adjusts an Invalid Correlation Matrix for information on using an adjustment weights matrix.

• If you have @RISK 5.0 or older, or you just want to adjust the matrix yourself, see How @RISK Tests a Correlation Matrix for Validity.

In the message I got, the location is "(In)Depc_matrix_sourcing", but Excel says that's not even a valid name.

You're using the legacy functions, RiskDepC and RiskIndepC. At the start of simulation, @RISK builds a correlation matrix from those functions, but assigns zero to correlations among the dependent variables; see Correlation Matrix Equivalent to RiskIndepC and RiskDepC in the attached workbook. It's not unusual for that matrix to be inconsistent, as in Example 1 in the workbook. If you get the above message and click OK, the simulated correlations may be very different from what you specified. See Simulated Correlations if You Click OK in the attached workbook. @RISK leaves the matrix it actually used in CORRMAT.MTX in your temp folder, but you can see the problem just from looking at the simulated correlations.

Recommendation: Assuming you have @RISK 5.5 or newer, please see How and Why to Switch from RiskDepC to RiskCorrmat. The technique in that article will lead @RISK to preserve your specified correlations to the extent possible, even if the matrix is not self-consistent.

Last edited: 2017-08-08

4.59. "The correlation matrix at .... specifies an invalid column."

Applies to: @RISK for Excel 3.5 and newer

When I try to run my model, which contains the @RISK correlation matrix created through the Model window, upon clicking the Run Simulation button, I get this message:

The correlation matrix at '[workbook]worksheet'!range specifies an invalid column (0).

There is a RiskCorrmat( ) function somewhere in the Excel model that specifies the invalid column. The error is in the RiskCorrmat( ), not in the matrix referenced in the error message. Look through the RiskCorrmat( ) functions for one or more that specify a zero, a reference to an empty cell, etc. for the matrix column (the second argument to RiskCorrmat).

Another cause (in @RISK 3.5 and 4.x) is having a correlation matrix named Corrmat, which causes a name conflict within the model.

Last edited: 2012-01-18

4.60. "The Excel name "..." has a character not in the current code page."

Applies to: @RISK 5.0–7.0 only

When I try to run a simulation, I get the error message

The Excel name "..." has a character not in the current code page.

with some name shown within the quotes.

You have one or more Excel names that are not in the character set for your Windows regional settings. For example, you'll get this message if you have any of the Western European regional settings, and an Excel name contains Asian or Greek letters.

Your best solution, if you have a current maintenance contract, is to upgrade to the latest version. Starting with 7.5.0, @RISK has improved Unicode support so that code pages are no longer a concern. However, if you don't have a maintenance contract and don't want to purchase an upgrade, you can use one of the following solutions.

Suggestion 1: If you have any workbooks open that are not part of your simulation, close them and try the simulation again. If the message doesn't appear again, then the problem names were in the unneeded workbooks that you closed. (In a simulation, @RISK simulates all open workbooks.)

Suggestion 2: You could change the Windows Region and Language settings to match those of the person who sent the workbook to you. If you don't want to do that, or don't have privilege, then you will need to edit the workbook so that all the names use only valid characters for your regional settings.

Note: The message tells you which Excel name is a problem, but not which workbook it's in. Therefore, if you have multiple workbooks open, you'll need to follow these suggestions for each open workbook.

Suggestion 3: If you have Excel 2007 or later, try converting the workbook to XLSB format. This worked for one customer, and it's easier than the suggestions below, so you may want to give it a try. (As a bonus, you may find that large files open faster, according to When should the xlsm or xlsb formats be used? at StackOverflow.com.

1. Click File » Save As. Change "Save As type" to Excel Binary Workbook, and also change the name if you wish.
2. Close Excel. (You must close Excel, not just the workbooks.)
3. Reopen @RISK, open the saved XLSB workbook, and try a simulation.

Suggestion 4: Inspect the names in Name Manager, as follows:

1. Get into Excel's Name Manager:

   • Excel 2000 to 2003: Click Insert » Name » Define.
   • Excel 2007 to 2016: click Formulas » Defined Names » Name Manager.

2. Scan the list for any non-Roman characters. They sort alphabetically after the Roman letters, so any name that seems to be out of alphabetical sequence is worth a closer look. (You want to scan the whole list, because if there's one problem name there may well be others. If you miss any, you'll get the message again when you try a simulation.)

3. Change any problem names to all Western European characters, and make the corresponding changes in your formulas.

4. Save your workbook, probably under a new name so that you can go back to the original if you need to.

Suggestion 5: If you can't find the problem name, it might be hidden. Here are three alternative ways to find and remove hidden names. Use caution in deleting names. If the logic of the workbook depends on the name, then it will not work correctly if the name is deleted.

• This macro makes all hidden names visible and all visible names hidden. Run it once, delete or edit any of the formerly-hidden names that are a problem, and run it again.

  Sub SwitchNamesVisibility()
  Dim n As Name, lVis As Long, lHid As Long
  For Each n In ActiveWorkbook.Names
      If n.Visible Then lVis = 1 + lVis Else lHid = 1 + lHid
      n.Visible = Not n.Visible
  Next n
  MsgBox ActiveWorkbook.Names.Count & " name(s) processed." & Chr(13) & Chr(10) & _
      "I hid " & lVis & " visible names and made " & lHid & " hidden names visible."
  End Sub

• Microsoft has a Knowledge Base article, Macro to Remove Hidden Names in Active Workbook. It will step through all the names in the workbook, tell you whether each one is visible or hidden, and give you the option to delete it.

• If you have a lot of defined names, that can be tedious. Here is a macro that asks you for a name. If the name exists, the macro gives you information about the name and makes it visible. The macro then gives you the option to delete the name.

  Sub FindName()
  Dim ans, sName, oName
  sName = InputBox("Which name are you trying to find?", "Name locator")
  On Error Resume Next
  Set oName = ActiveWorkbook.Names(sName)
  If Err <> 0 Then
      MsgBox "The name '" & sName & "' doesn't exist in the active workbook."
      Exit Sub
  End If
  On Error GoTo 0
  With ActiveWorkbook.Names(sName)
      ans = MsgBox("Parent's name: " & .Parent.Name & Chr$(10) & "Visible? " & .Visible & _
          Chr$(10) & "Refers to: " & .RefersTo & _
          Chr$(10) & Chr$(10) & "Shall I delete the name from this workbook?", _
          vbYesNo + vbQuestion + vbDefaultButton2, "About the name '" & sName & "'")
      .Visible = True
      If ans = vbYes Then
          .Delete
          MsgBox "Name deleted.  Remember to save the workbook!"
      End If
  End With
  End Sub
  

Last edited: 2017-05-08

4.61. "The Excel name "..." refers to "...", which has a character not in the current code page."

Applies to:  @RISK 5.0–7.0 only

When I try to run a simulation, I get the error message

The Excel name "..." refers to "...", which has a character not in the current code page.

with some name and some text shown within the quotes.

You have one or more Excel names that are defined as an expression that is not in the character set for your Windows regional settings. For example, you'll get this message if you have any of the Western European regional settings, and an Excel name's definition contains Asian letters.

The solution is the same as for the similar message The Excel name "..." has a character not in the current code page.

Last edited: 2016-06-29

4.62. "The exception unknown software exception (0xe06d7363) occurred ..."

Applies to: @RISK 5.5 and later

At the end of simulation, I get a popup with

Excel.exe - Application Error

The exception unknown software exception (0xe06d7363) occurred in the application at location 0x7c812a5b

(The location may vary.)

Your workbook's Visual Basic code contains a reference to an old version of the @RISK VBA library. To correct it, press Alt-F11 to open the Visual Basic editor, then follow the procedure in Setting References in Visual Basic.

Last edited: 2014-01-14

4.63. "The RiskMakeInput distribution ... may not be correlated."

Applies to: @RISK 6.3.0 and newer

I have a model that I developed in an earlier version of @RISK, and it simulated without incident. After upgrading, when I click Start Simulation I get the message

The RiskMakeInput distribution in cell location may not be correlated.

Or,

The RiskCompound distribution in cell location may not be correlated.

This worked before — why doesn't it work in the newer version?

It is true that the message is new in @RISK 6.3.0. However, it was always an error to try to correlate these functions; the only thing that's new is that now @RISK diagnoses the error.

Why can't special functions like RiskCompound and RiskMakeInput be correlated? When you click Start Simulation, if there are correlated distributions, @RISK draws all values for all correlated inputs up front, rearranges them appropriately to give the desired correlations, and then stores them for use during the sequential iterations of the simulation. (For details, see How @RISK Correlates Inputs.) That process breaks down with these two distributions. For example, @RISK can't predict what values a RiskMakeInput will take on during a simulation — in general, those values can't be known until the simulation is run. So @RISK has no way to reorder the values of a RiskMakeInput to produce the desired correlation.

Although you can't correlate a RiskMakeInput or RiskCompound, you can create a near-equivalent RiskCumul and correlate that. See Correlating RiskMakeInput or RiskCompound, Approximately.

Last edited: 2018-06-27

4.64. "The worksheet name '...' has a character not in the current code page."

Applies to: @RISK 5.0–7.0 only

When I try to run a simulation, I get the error message

"The worksheet name '...' has a character not in the current code page."

with some name or strange characters shown within the quotes.

It looks like one or more Excel worksheets (tabs) were created by somebody with different regional settings from yours, and not Western Europe or North America.

Your best solution, if you have a current maintenance contract, is to upgrade to the latest version. Starting with 7.5.0, @RISK has improved Unicode support so that code pages are no longer a concern. However, if you don't have a maintenance contract and don't want to purchase an upgrade, you can use one of the following options.

Option A: Locate the workbook that contains the worksheet named in the error message. If you don't need that workbook in your simulation, close it. If you do need it, choose one of the options below.

Option B: Rename the worksheet in question to something in your character set. Here's how:

1. Click Utilities » Unload @RISK Add-in.
2. Rename any worksheet tabs that have characters that aren't part of your local character set. (If any formulas in this workbook refer to that worksheet name, Excel will adjust them automatically.)
3. Save the workbook — probably you want to save under a new name.
4. Relaunch @RISK.

Option C: Save the workbook in XLSB format, close Excel, reopen @RISK, and open the XLSB workbook.
If any formulas in other workbooks refer to this workbook by name, you will need to update those formulas. Before you do that, verify that your workbook in XLSB format doesn't have the problem. (We do have one confirmed case where this solution worked, but because we did not have access to the workbook we aren't sure whether the success was related to some characteristic of that particular file.)

Option D: Close Excel, change your Windows regional settings to match those of the person who created the workbook, and then run @RISK.

Last edited: 2016-07-12

4.65. "This selection isn't valid" in Quick Reports

Applies to:
@RISK 7.5.1, possibly earlier versions also, when using Excel 2016

When my model has only one output, I can generate the Quick Report just fine after a simulation. But when I have more than one output, @RISK creates the sheet for the first Quick Report and then displays this message:

This selection isn't valid. Make sure the copy and paste areas don't overlap unless they are the same size and shape.

Several customers who have advance builds of Excel 2016, through the Office Insider program, have reported this issue. One of the Office updates in their channel introduced an error in Excel code called by @RISK. We have verified that the Excel problem exists in build 16.0.8201.2102.

As of 20 Sept 2017, we found that later Office builds have corrected the problem, so you may want to check for Office updates and install all uninstalled updates. If you have build 16.0.8431.2079 or newer, you should not experience this problem.

As an alternative, or if recent Office updates aren't available to you for some reason, you can use @RISK's Custom Reports.

Last edited: 2017-09-26

4.66. "Type mismatch" at End of Simulation

Applies to: @RISK 6.0 and @RISK 6.1 Preview

At the end of simulation, I see a pop-up with the message

Type mismatch

Or, Excel seems to freeze at the end of simulation, but I see in the Windows taskbar that there are multiple instances of Excel open, and when I move the main Excel window I see that one or more "Type mismatch" errors were hidden behind Excel.

In 64-bit Excel, the message is

Object initialized twice

but the symptoms are the same otherwise.

What is wrong?

A problem occurs if you perform a simulation that uses multiple CPUs while @RISK or TopRank is an add-in in Excel's active add-ins list.

The problem is fixed in 6.1.1, with respect to the @RISK add-in. If you have current maintenance, see Upgrading Palisade Software.

To solve the immediate problem, press Ctrl-Shift-Esc to open Task Manager.  Click the Processes tab, and click the column heading Image Name in the table. Select each instance of Excel.exe and click End Process.  (You need to kill all Excel processes before running @RISK again.)

To prevent it from happening again, the best solution is to upgrade to the current version.  If you cannot do that, remove @RISK and TopRank from Excel's add-ins list. (You can still run them through the desktp icons, if available, or via Start » Programs » Palisade DecisionTools.)

To remove add-ins from the active list:

1. Open the Excel Add-Ins dialog:

   • In Excel 2010, 2013, and 2016, click File » Options » Add-Ins, then at the bottom of the page select "Manage Excel Add-Ins" and click Go.
   • In Excel 2007, click the round Office button, then Excel Options, then Add-Ins, then at the bottom of the page select "Manage Excel Add-Ins" and click Go.
   • In Excel 2003 or below, Click Tools » Add-Ins.

2. Find @RISK for Excel 6.0 in the list and clear the box to its left. Repeat for TopRank 6.0 or similar.

3. Click OK and close Excel.

For @RISK 6.0, we don't recommend making @RISK an active add-in in Excel's list. (@RISK will run just fine if it is not listed as an active add-in.) The problem was fixed in 6.1.1, so beginning with that release there should be no problem having @RISK start automatically when Excel starts if you prefer that.

Last edited: 2015-10-15

5.1. Where's RISKOptimizer 6.x/7.x?

Applies to: @RISK 6.x/7.x

I upgraded from 4.x or 5.x, and I don't see RISKOptimizer in the desktop icons or the Start menu group Palisade DecisionTools. Where did it go?

Beginning with 6.0, RISKOptimizer is integrated within @RISK. This allows for smoother operation. For instance, you no longer have two sets of simulation settings to contend with.

To launch RISKOptimizer from within @RISK:

• In Excel 2007 and above, click the RISKOptimizer icon in the Tools group in the @RISK tab on the Excel ribbon.
• In Excel 2003, click the Optimizer icon (seventh from the end of the long toolbar), or in the menu click @RISK » RISKOptimizer.

RISKOptimizer is included with @RISK Industrial Edition only. If you have @RISK Professional or Standard and you want to do optimizations, your Palisade sales manager will be happy to arrange the upgrade.

Last edited: 2015-08-04

5.2. RISKOptimizer Not in @RISK Tab of Ribbon

Applies to: @RISK 6.x/7.x

In the "Tools" section of the @RISK ribbon, I see Advanced Analyses, Project, and the @RISK Library, but no RISKOptimizer. What's wrong?

RISKOptimizer is part of @RISK Industrial, and is not included in @RISK Standard or @RISK Professional.

You'll need an @RISK Industrial or DecisionTools Suite Industrial license to run RISKOptimizer. Click Help » License Manager » Select License to see if you have an Industrial license available to you. If not, please contact your Palisade sales office for a quote on upgrading to the Industrial Edition of @RISK or the DecisionTools Suite.

Last edited: 2015-10-15

5.3. "Subscript out of range" with Efficient Frontier Optimization

Applies to: @RISK 7.5.0 only, Industrial Edition

I set up my optimization with Efficient Frontier, and clicked Start. Immediately I got the error message

Subbscript out of range

This is unfortunately a bug in @RISK 7.5.0. The error occurs only when (a) you are using Efficient Frontier (b) with constraints in addition to the special "Efficient Frontier" constraint, the one with multiple constraint boundaries, and (c) you have Simulation Settings » General » Multiple CPU Support set to either Enabled or Automatic. (The default is Automatic.)

The error has been fixed in release 7.5.1. If you still have @RISK 7.5.0, click Help » Check for Software Updates.

Last edited: 2016-10-25

5.4. "Unable to run macro tool during optimization."

Applies to: @RISK 7.5, Industrial Edition

When I click Start in RISKOptimizer, this message pops up:

"Unable to run macro tool during optimization."

What is the "macro tool" that the message refers to? How can I run my optimization?

The "macro tool" of the message refers to the Excel Tool selection in Simulation Settings (not RISKOptimizer Settings), on the Macros tab. In a simulation, that selection is a shortcut to running Excel Solver, Excel Goal Seek, or Palisade Evolver in every iteration of your simulation. But in an optimization, that selection is not allowed, because of technical problems with running Evolver inside RISKOptimizer.

Future releases of @RISK may relax that restriction and let you use the shortcut method to run Excel Goal Seek or Solver within every iteration of every simulation of an optimization. But for now, the workaround is to select Simulation Settings » Macros » VBA Macros and have your macro run Solver or Excel Goal Seek. On that same Macros tab, in the last section, select Fixed Samples, not Different Samples Each Recalculation. See "Solution (beginning with @RISK 6.2)" in Solver and Other Excel Recalculations within Your Macros. The example attached to that article shows you some sample VBA code.

Last edited: 2017-02-27

5.5. Where's the RISKOptimizer Tab (5.x)?

Applies to:
Excel 2007 and later, @RISKOptimizer 5.5.1 and 5.7
(If you have @RISK 6.x, see Where's RISKOptimizer 6.x?)

Problem:
I started RISKOptimizer in Excel 2007 or 2010 and its tab appeared on the ribbon, but when I started @RISK the RISKOptimizer tab disappeared.

or,

I started @RISK in Excel 2007 or 2010 and the @RISK tab appeared on the ribbon. Then I started @RISKOptimizer and there's no tab for it.

Response:
In 5.5.1, 5.7.0, and 5.7.1, when you run @RISK and RISKOptimizer at the same time in Excel 2007 or later, the RISKOptimizer commands are integrated into the @RISK tab. Look at the Start Simulation icon, then look two icons to the right for RISKOptimizer.

last edited: 2013-01-03

5.6. NA in Status Bar at Start of Optimization

Applies to:
RISKOptimizer 1.0, 5.x

Problem:
RISKOptimizer must not be working properly. All of the values I start out with in my spreadsheet are valid, and meet all the constraints I set. However, as soon as I click the Run Optimization button, the status bar says "NA". So apparently it doesn't even recognize the initial solution in the spreadsheet as being valid.

Response:
This happens because if you specify a simulation statistic, such as Mean or Standard Deviation, as the target of your optimization. Since these statistics are calculated based on an entire simulation, at least one simulation must be completed before the "NA" will change to indicate that a valid solution has been found. If you have set conditions calling for convergence or other conditions that take longer, you may have to wait a while to see this happen.

last edited: 2012-01-17

5.7. Correlations Ignored (RISKOptimizer 5.5.0)

Applies to:
RISKOptimizer 5.5.0 only

Problem:
I want to see the simulated correlation of two distributions in my optimization, but the RiskCorrel( ) function does not work.

Response:
Unfortunately, there was a bug in RISKOptimizer 5.5.0. This bug was fixed in 5.5.1, and it did not affect any release of @RISK.

If you are eligible for an upgrade to a later release, you should obtain it from your Palisade sales manager.

If you are unable to upgrade, we do have a partial workaround:

To have RiskCorrel cells return values for the best simulation, after the RISKOptimizer optimization you should choose to put the best solution in the adjustable cells, and then run a simulation in @RISK. To obtain the exact same statistics in @RISK as those in RISKOptimizer, use the same random-number generator, fixed number of iterations, and fixed seed in both programs.

Random-number generator:

• @RISK: Simulation Settings » Sampling » Generator » Mersenne Twister
  (Mersenne Twister is always used by RISKOptimizer, and is the default for @RISK.)

Fixed number of iterations:

• RISKOptimizer: Settings » Runtime » Simulation Runtime » Iterations » number
• @RISK: Simulation Settings » General » Number of Iterations » same number

Fixed seed:

• RISKOptimizer: Settings » Random Number Generator Seed » seed value
• @RISK: Simulation Settings » Sampling » Initial Seed » Fixed » same seed value

last edited: 2012-11-22

6.1. @RISK 6.x/7.x Doesn't Appear in Microsoft Project

Applies to: @RISK 6.x/7.x, Professional and Industrial Editions

I installed @RISK Professional or Industrial, but when I launch Microsoft Project there is no @RISK on the ribbon or in the menu. What's wrong?

@RISK was designed as an Excel add-in, not a Project add-in. (This is a change from version 4 of @RISK.) @RISK running in Excel sends messages to MS-Project via COM, but @RISK runs within Excel only, not within Project.

You do everything having to do with @RISK in the Excel workbook, but you can also change values of Project fields in the MPP file. At simulation time, or if you click Project » Sync Now in @RISK, @RISK updates your Excel workbook to account for any changes you made in the MPP, and vice versa.

Where does the MPP file come from, then? Do I have to create both the MPP file and the Excel workbook?

You create only the MPP file, and then you open @RISK with the default blank workbook. To import the MPP file into @RISK, click @RISK's Project button and then Import MPP File. @RISK creates an Excel workbook and links it to the MPP file. In future sessions of @RISK, you will open only the Excel workbook. @RISK will sense that there is a linked project, and it will open MS-Project and the MPP file. If you click Help » Example Spreadsheets » Simulation with Microsoft Project, you can see how @RISK launches Project and Project loads the MPP file.

We have a helpful video that illustrates this. In @RISK, click Help » Videos » Guided Tours » @RISK Guided Tour. When the Guided Tour opens, you can scroll the menu at the left to select PROJECT, which is near the end.

Last edited: 2015-05-21

6.2. Missing Project Icon in @RISK 6.x/7.x

Applies to: @RISK 6.x/7.x

I launch @RISK and there is no icon for @RISK for Project. What is wrong? Why is the @RISK Project feature not available?

There is no separate desktop icon or Start Menu shortcut for using @RISK 6 with projects. Instead, a Project button appears in the Tools section, near the end of the @RISK tab in Excel's ribbon.

If your Excel window is not wide enough to display the whole tab, only a Tools button will appear. You can click the drop-down arrow to make Project and the other tools available.

If you don't have a Project icon in @RISK, please find the problem and solution in this list:

• Is your computer missing Microsoft Project, or is your version of Project incompatible with your version of @RISK?  For compatible versions, depending on your version of @RISK, please see Windows and Office Versions Supported by Palisade. If you install a compatible version of Project after installing @RISK, @RISK will recognize it. There is no need to reinstall @RISK.

• Do you have @RISK Standard?  The Project icon does not appear in @RISK Standard Edition, because Project integration requires @RISK Professional Edition, @RISK Industrial Edition, or the DecisionTools Suite. If you have @RISK Standard Edition, please contact your Palisade sales office for information on upgrading.

• Did the Project icon previously appear in @RISK, but disappear after you upgraded to a later version of Microsoft Project? @RISK may still be looking for the old version of Project, which is no longer on your computer. Please perform the System Registry edit described in Which Version of Project is Opened by @RISK?

• Are .MPP files not associated with Microsoft Project? With Project and Excel closed, double-click an .MPP file — it must be an .MPP file specifically, not any other type of Project file. If Project does not open, you need to tell Windows that .MPP files are Project files. Right-click the .MPP file and select Open With. (If a subdialog appears, choose Choose default program.) Select Microsoft Project, ensure that the box Always use the selected program is ticked, and click OK.

• In some rare cases, even though Microsoft Project opens when you double-click an MPP file, the file association may not be set correctly. Here's how to fix it:

  1. In Control Panel, select Default Programs. (If you have the group view of Control Panel, it's in the Programs group.)
  2. Click Associate a file type or protocol with a program. Wait for the list to display, then find .MPP. (You can click once on an entry under Extensions, then quickly type .mpp including the dot.)
  3. If the associated program is not Microsoft Project, or the Project icon doesn't appear at the upper left, click Change Program. Browse to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office or C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office. Select the Office12, Office14, Office15, or Office16 subfolder for Office 2007, 2010, 2013, or 2016; and in that subfolder select Winproj.exe.
  4. Close the dialog box and Control Panel. If you did have to change the association, try @RISK again and the Project button should now appear.

Last edited: 2015-10-15

6.3. Project Not Linked in @RISK 6.x/7.x

Applies to: @RISK 6.x/7.x, Professional and Industrial Editions

I moved or renamed my Excel or Project file. Now, when I open it in @RISK doesn't link to the .MPP file automatically.  I tried to restore the link in Project Settings, but I can't open that dialog because I don't have a project open.  What can I do?

You can re-establish the link by creating a name RISKMPPPath in the Excel workbook.

In Excel 2007 or newer:

In Excel 2003:

Last edited: 2015-10-15

6.4. After Importing Project, Excel Workbook Isn't Created

Applies to:
@RISK 6.x–7.5.0, Professional and Industrial Editions

I selected Project » Import MPP File in @RISK. Everything apparently went okay, but when I saved the workbook, no Excel file was created on disk.

Do you have a personal macro workbook, Personal.xlsb? If so, that workbook is automatically opened when you or @RISK launches Excel, but you may not be aware of it because it's usually hidden. (You can make it visible by clicking Unhide on the View tab in Excel.) If a Personal.xlsb file is open, @RISK release 7.5.0 or older will write the imported project to that file, instead of to the active workbook or a new workbook, as you selected.

This problem is resolved in @RISK 7.5.1.

• If you have @RISK 7.5.0, regardless of maintenance status, click Help » Check for Software Updates to obtain the new release.
• If you have @RISK 7.0.0 or 7.0.1 with current maintenance, click Help » Check for Software Updates to obtain the new release.
• If you have @RISK 6 with current maintenance, please contact your Palisade sales office to request the new release.

Last edited: 2016-10-25

6.5. Filter Button Gray in Excel

Applies to: @RISK 6.x/7.x, Professional and Industrial Editions

I'm using @RISK to simulate a project. I want to filter tasks, but Excel's filter button is grayed out.

To filter tasks in a project, set your filter in MS Project, not in Excel. Please see Filtering Tasks in Projects.

If your purpose in filtering is just to select a group of tasks for similar treatment, you may need risk categories or a parameter entry table. See Parameter Entry Table versus Risk Categories.

Last edited: 2016-06-02

6.6. Standard Engine Used, but "Check Engine" Says OK for Accelerated

Applies to: @RISK 6.x/7.x, Professional and Industrial Editions

As advised in For Faster Simulations, I'm trying to use the accelerated engine for simulation, but when I click Start Simulation the status line in Excel tells me that @RISK is using the standard engine.

I clicked Project » Project Settings » Simulation » Check Engine, and the result was "Project OK for accelerated simulation." Why is @RISK still using the standard engine?

Click Simulation Settings » View. You probably have Demo Mode selected, or Show Excel Recalculations. Updating the display to show every recalculation is typically not done when you want the fastest simulations.

Turn off those settings, and @RISK will use the accelerated engine. (The other settings, including Update Windows During Simulation, do not prevent @RISK from using the accelerated engine.)

Last edited: 2015-10-15

6.7. Finish Date Unexpectedly Skewed

Applies to:
@RISK 6.x/7.x, Professional and Standard Editions
@RISK for Project 4.x

The main segments of my project are represented by normal distributions, or other distributions that are symmetric or nearly symmetric. But the finish date of the last task, which is supposed to sum up all of these segments, has a rather large right skew. What is wrong?

Take a closer look at your project to see how predecessor or successor links are affecting the outcome. One way to do this is to insert Predecessor and Successor columns in the Project sheet.

For example, if Task A must finish before its successor, Task B, can begin, then any @RISK distribution on the start time of Task B will be effectively truncated from the left during the simulation, because Task B can never begin before the finish date of its predecessor Task A.

See also: Summary Task Doesn't Sum the Durations of Subtasks.

Last edited: 2015-12-24

6.8. Dates in Project Simulations Are Wrong by 100 Years

Applies to: @RISK 6x/7.x, Professional and Industrial Editions

I have a project that is scheduled for years ahead. I noticed that the dates are okay up to 2029, but I have tasks starting in 2029 and finishing in 1930 instead of 2030, and so on. Later years have a similar problem.

The issue here is what Windows does with two-digit year numbers. By default, years 00–29 are treated as 2000–2029, and years 30–99 are treated as 1930–1999. If you have Project operating with two-digit dates, 2030 will be set back by a century to 1930, and similarly for later years. To resolve this, you may need to do one or more of these:

• In Project, click File » Options » General, and look in the right-hand panel for Date format. Select a format with a four-digit year. (It's best to do this before you import the project to @RISK.)

• In Control Panel, in the Region applet, on the Formats tab, set the short date format to one that involves a four-digit year.

• In Control Panel, in the Region applet, click Additional settings near the bottom. On the Customize Format dialog that appears, select the Date tab. At the bottom, "When a two-digit year is entered, interpret it as a year between" will say 1930 (grayed out) and 2029. Change 2029 to 2049, and the 1930 will change to 1950. (There's nothing special about the year 2049—any year will work if it's comfortably past the latest possible end date for your projects. Remember that a simulation will generate dates both earlier and later than the static dates you see when a simulation isn't running, and choose your "year between" range accordingly.)

Last edited: 2018-05-04

6.9. Continuous Output Data Graphed as Discrete

Applies to: @RISK 6.x/7.x, Professional and Industrial Editions

In @RISK with a project, the histograms for some outputs are displayed as Discrete Probability, and others as Probability Density. (In Application Settings I have preferred distribution format set to Automatic.)

The Discrete probability graph looks very strange at first sight, and whereas it can easily be changed, I was wondering why this behavior occurs —I have not seen this happening with @RISK in pure Excel models.

Project data have many date values, which means it's likely that many iterations will come up with duplicate values.  But when the preferred distribution format is automatic, @RISK looks at the number of duplicates in each distribution to decide whether to graph it as continuous or discrete. If there are no duplicate values in the distribution, or not too many, @RISK graphs it as continuous. If there are too many duplicate values, @RISK graphs the distribution as discrete.

If @RISK doesn't do what you want for a particular distribution, you can tell @RISK how to treat it by using the RiskIsDiscrete( ) property function. RiskIsDiscrete(TRUE) tells @RISK to treat the distribution as discrete, and RiskIsDiscrete(FALSE) tells @RISK to treat it as continuous.

For output distributions, click on the desired cell.  Then click Add Output, enter a name if you wish, and click the fx icon.  You can then set data type to Automatic, Discrete, or Continuous.  You can set the data type in this way when you first define an output or if you have already defined the cell as an output.

If you prefer, you can add a RiskIsDiscrete( ) function manually as the fourth argument:

=RiskOutput("MyOutput",,,RiskIsDiscrete(TRUE)) + ...

or

=RiskOutput("MyOutput",,,RiskIsDiscrete(TRUE)) + ...

You can also apply the RiskIsDiscrete( ) property function to inputs, as in this example:

=RiskResample(1,B1:B100, RiskIsDiscrete(FALSE))

@RISK will graph this function as continuous, regardless of duplicate values or the lack of them.

Last edited: 2015-10-15

6.10. Summary Task Doesn't Sum the Durations of Subtasks

Applies to:
@RISK 6.x/7.x, Pprofessional and Industrial Editions
@RISK for project 4.x

The duration of my summary task doesn't equal the total of the subtask durations. What is wrong?

The summary task doesn't just add up the durations of the subtasks. Rather, the duration of the summary task is the time interval from the start of the earliest subtask to the finish of the latest subtask. This is usually less than the total of the subtask durations, because typically the schedule lets some tasks can be worked on at the same time.

See also: Finish Date Unexpectedly Skewed.

Last edited: 2015-12-24

6.11. Tasks Not Linked in Gantt Chart

Applies to: @RISK 6.x/7.x, Professional and Industrial Editions

I opened my project in @RISK. It has predecessor-successor relationships, and the links show in Project, but the Gantt chart in Excel doesn't show any links between tasks. How do I make them appear?

There's a check box in the Gantt chart settings for @RISK.

1. In @RISK, click Project » Charts and Reports » Standard Gantt to open the dialog.
2. Tick (check) the box Display Links/Connectors Between Tasks.
3. Click OK, and the connections will be drawn.

Last edited: 2015-10-15

6.12. Tasks and Resources Blank in Excel after Importing Project

Applies to: @RISK 6.x/7.x, Professional and Industrial Editions

I imported my project, and the import seemed to go okay, but no data show up in Excel on the Tasks and Resources worksheets.

You may not have a valid Gantt view in this project because a table on which it is based has been deleted, or the project file is corrupted.  The solution:

1. Open Project (not @RISK).
2. Use the Organizer to copy over the default Gantt Chart from the Global.MPT file to your project. If Project says that your file already has a Gantt chart, go ahead and overwrite it.
3. Then resave the project file.

Possibly the .MPP file itself is corrupted.  To fix it, open the file in Project, with @RISK not running.  Export it to XML format and close it.  Then open the XMP file and save it in .MPP format.

Last edited: 2015-10-15

6.13. Milestone Tasks Overlooked by Schedule Audit

Applies to: @RISK 6.x/7.x, Professional and Industrial Editions

Although some of my milestone tasks were lacking predecessor or successor tasks, the Schedule Audit did not report them. The Schedule Audit also missed positive lags (fixed durations) between milestones.

Milestones are tasks with a duration of zero. By default, the Schedule Audit does not report issues with them, but you can change this. In the Schedule Audit window, which @RISK displays after performing the audit, click the Options button. Then, near the bottom of the Schedule Audit Options dialog, remove the tick mark from the box labeled "Filter Out Tasks with Duration <=".

Note: @RISK 6.2.0 and earlier failed to report issues with milestones even if that box was empty. This bug was fixed in @RISK 6.2.1; if you have an earlier version you will want to upgrade your copy of @RISK.

Last edited: 2015-10-15

6.14. Task Duration Not Changed by RiskProjectAddDelay

Applies to: @RISK 6.x and newer, Professional and Industrial Editions

I added a RiskProjectAddDelay(Tasks!B64, L5, P5) function to my risk register. However, the duration and finish date of the task on row 64 of my Tasks sheet don't seem to be any different.

This is correct. RiskProjectAddDelay doesn't work by extending the duration or finish date of the task that you reference in the function. Rather, it adds a new task after that task. The help file says:

RiskProjectAddDelay(PrecedingTask, DelayLength, DelayCost) adds a new task to a project after PrecedingTask completes. This task has the specified length DelayLength and cost DelayCost. This function is used to add an additional task to the project being simulated only in iterations when a risk event occurs. [emphasis added]

You won't see the effect of RiskProjectAddDelay in any fields of the task you reference in the function. Instead, look at the successor of that task. Its start date will be changed by the amount of the delay, in the iterations where the delay occurs. The successor task's finish date will be changed also, but that change is a little harder to see if you've built any distributions into that successor task.

If the task referenced in the RiskProjectAddDelay function is on the critical path, then the extra delay task will also be on the critical path, and the durations and finish dates of summary tasks will be affected. Even if the referenced task isn't on the critical path, when the delay occurs that may change the critical path so that the referenced task and the delay task are on the critical path during those iterations.

Last edited: 2018-09-13

6.15. Tasks Start before Project Start Date

Applies to:
@RISK 6.x/7.x, Professional and Industrial Editions

When I run my simulation, tasks are starting before the project start date. How can this be?

Are you scheduling from the start date of the project, or from the finish date? If you have Microsoft Project set to schedule from the finish date, it keeps the project finish date fixed while varying the tasks so that the project ends on the finish date. While there are some valid reasons to schedule from the finish date, probably you want to change your project to schedule from the start date.

See also: How Project schedules tasks: Behind the scenes — specifically, under How does the project start date affect the schedule?

Last edited: 2016-09-15

6.16. Error in Outputs with Probabilistic Branching

Applies to:
@RISK 6.x/7.x, Professional and Industrial Editions
@RISK for Project 4.x (using the RiskBranch function)

I looked at the data from my @RISK simulation, which has probabilistic branching in my project. Some of my outputs show "Error" for some iterations instead of giving a data point for that iteration. What is wrong?

This is an intentional part of the design.

In each iteration, the branching function chooses one of the possible branches. A branch that is not chosen is symbolically removed from the project by "zeroing out" the affected tasks and their descendants. When a task is zeroed out, any outputs related to that task will return "Error" instead of a value. This prevents the values in zeroed-out branches from skewing the summary statistics for that task.

For example, imagine that task A branches with 70% probability to task B1 and 30% probability to B2. If we have outputs on the finish date of B1 and the finish date of B2, and if we run 100 iterations, we would expect the output for B1 to have 70 dates and 30 errors, and the output for B2 to have 30 dates and 70 errors. The remaining, non-error samples give us a picture of how the output behaves when the task is included in the project.

If B1 and B2 are not on separate paths—for example, if B1 is a direct or indirect predecessor of B2—then B2 will always be executed and will have a value in all 100 iterations, but B1 will have errors on the 30 iterations where the probabilistic branching lands on B2 and thus skips B1.

Last edited: 2017-09-06

6.17. "@RISK's Project commands require a copy of Microsoft Project."

Applies to: @RISK 6.x/7.x, Professional and Industrial Editions

When I try to import a project, I get the error message

@RISK's Project commands require a copy of Microsoft Project. This is not available on this system.

But I do have Project installed!

Please double-click an .MPP file.  Does it open in Microsoft Project?  If not, right-click the file, select Open with » Choose default program, and browse to Microsoft Project (program name: Winproj).

If an .MPP file opens in Project when you double-click it, verify that you have Microsoft Project installed on this computer, as opposed to a network share.  Also, deployment of Microsoft Office as Web Apps, On Demand, or some varieties of Office 365 and Click-to-Run may be a problem. See Click-to-Run and Office 365 with Palisade Software for more information.

Verify that your version of Project is compatible with your version of @RISK.  Please see Windows and Office Versions Supported by Palisade.

If all of the above check out correctly, it's possible that somehow the connection between @RISK and Project has been broken.  You can re-establish it by using the technique in Which Version of Project is Opened by @RISK?

Last edited: 2015-10-15

6.18. "An error has occurred linking the selected project ..."

Applies to: @RISK 6.1, Professional and Industrial Editions

I have an Excel workbook that was linked to a project in @RISK. When I try to open the project, I get this error message:

An error has occurred linking the selected project to the opened workbook in Excel. The newly opened workbook will be closed.

I click OK, and the workbook does close.  How can I get access to my project and workbook?

This unfortunately was a program error that affected certain projects when opened in @RISK 6.1.

It was repaired in @RISK 6.2.0.  If you have a current maintenance contract, please visit our upgrades page, or contact your Palisade sales office to request an upgrade to the latest version.

If you don't have a current maintenance contract, or your company policy will not let you install the upgrade, follow this procedure:

1. Re-import the project and save the resulting workbook under a new name.

2. Close @RISK.

3. Open Excel (not @RISK) and copy your input distributions and your outputs from the old workbook to the new one.  The formulas that involve @RISK functions will display #NAME or other error codes, but you can still copy/paste them in Excel.

Last edited: 2015-10-15

6.19. "Can't create Gantt chart using the specified date format in Project."

Applies to: @RISK 6.x/7.x

When importing my MPP file into @RISK, I get this error message:

Can't create Gantt chart using the specified date format in Project. Switch to include hours and minutes in the displayed Project dates.

This message is displayed when one or more tasks have durations that are too short for @RISK's Gantt chart; thus the date format in Project is changed to higher precision. It usually comes up when there are defined tasks with a duration not greater than 1 day.

But this is not actually a fatal error. The Gantt chart in Excel is only visual, and does not affect the simulation in any way because all tasks are still simulated in MS Project.

Last edited: 2015-06-23

6.20. "Error in loading DLL" (when importing .MPP)

Applies to: @RISK 6.x/7.x Professional and Industrial Editions

@RISK seems to run fine in other respects, but when I try to import an MPP file I get this error message:

Run-time error '48':
Error in loading DLL

Your System Registry contains a reference to a version of Microsoft Excel or Project that isn't actually installed, or it lacks a necessary reference to the installed version of Microsoft Project. Please follow the procedure in Removing Outdated References to Project from the System Registry.

Last edited: 2016-03-14

6.21. "Error linking the opened workbook with the associated .MPP file."

Applies to: @RISK 6.x–7.x, Professional and Industrial Editions

I have an Excel file with a linked MPP file. When I open the Excel file, @RISK opens Microsoft Project, but I get this message

Error linking the opened workbook with the associated .MPP file. Check that the file can be properly opened in Microsoft Project.

This may be a problem with your particular Excel workbook or your particular MPP file. Or, it may be a more general problem. Here's how to narrow down the trouble.

First, close all open instances of Excel, then reopen @RISK. Click Help » Example Spreadsheets. In the table of contents, click Simulation with Microsoft Project, and then select one example. The first one, Correlations.xlsx, is as good as any other.

If @RISK misbehaves in the same way on our example, it's likely that there's a problem in your installation of one or more of @RISK or Office or Project.

1. Re-register the Visual Basic runtime, by following the procedure in Visual Basic 6 Runtime.
2. Close Excel and Project, and double-click your MPP file. Does it open in Project? If not, you should repair Microsoft Project to re-establish the connection with MPP files.
3. Even if the MPP file does open Project when you double-click it, Project still might not be the default application for MPP files in your copy of Windows. Follow the directions in Microsoft's article Change which programs Windows 7 uses by default or How-to Geek's article How to Set Your Default Apps in Windows 10.
4. If you've done all of the above, without success, please run our diagnostics for software version 7.x or diagnostics for software version 6.x and send the file to Palisade Tech Support. In your email, be sure to give your serial number (the SN from the Help » About @RISK screen), and mention the nature of the difficulty you're having.

On the other hand, if @RISK opens Project and the Correlations.mpp file, and if you can perform a simulation and get meaningful results, then your installations of @RISK and Office seem to be okay. That would mean there's a problem with your particular data files.

1. Try re-importing the MPP file, and create a couple of inputs and outputs. If you can now simulate, the MPP file is good but somehow your old Excel file became corrupted. Save the new Excel file, but unfortunately you'll have to re-create your @RISK modeling features, or manually copy them in from the corrupted Excel file. If you want to copy them from the corrupted file, copy parts of sheets, not whole sheets:
   (a) Open the workbook without @RISK running and copy the columns that have distributions into a new blank workbook.
   (b) Reimport the associated MPP, and copy those columns of distributions into the reimported workbook.
2. If you still can't simulate after re-importing the file, then it looks like the MPP file is corrupt. Open a new blank project, and then copy the contents of your old, corrupt project to the new one. Close Excel and Project, then reopen @RISK and try importing the new file.

If the problem was that your MPP file or Excel file was corrupt, you may want to uninstall and reinstall Office and Project to reduce the likelihood of a recurrence. We had one customer report that he repaired a corrupted file, but then about a week later another file turned up corrupted. The uninstall/reinstall seemed to fix the problem for good.

Last edited: 2018-10-25

6.22. "Error linking the opened workbook with the associated .MPP file." (6.0/6.1)

Applies to: @RISK 6.0.0, 6.0.1, 6.1.0, Professional and Industrial Editions

When I open my .XLSX file in @RISK 6, I get the error message:

Error linking the opened workbook with the associated .MPP file. Check that the file can be properly opened in Microsoft Project.

What is wrong?

There is a conflict between the name of one of your fits and an internal name in @RISK. To remove the conflict, please follow this procedure:

1. Launch @RISK and then open your .xlsx file. When "Error linking the opened workbook..." appears, click OK to dismiss it.

2. On the @RISK tab of the Excel ribbon, click Distribution Fitting » Fit Manager. Delete the fits shown.

3. Press Alt-F11 to open the Visual Basic Editor. If the code window doesn't open automatically, press F7.

4. The fit names are invisible, so you're going to flip all names between visible and invisible, delete the now-visible fit names, and then flip all names back to their original visibility. To begin, paste the following macro code into the code window:

   Sub SwitchNamesVisibility( )
   Dim n as Name
   For Each n In ActiveWorkbook.Names
       n.Visible = Not n.Visible
   Next n
   MsgBox ActiveWorkbook.Names.Count & " name(s) processed."
   End Sub

5. Run the macro.

6. Click back into your Excel sheet and press Ctrl-F3. Look for the Fit names and delete them. (You may need to unprotect the Tasks spreadsheet first.)

7. Back in Visual Basic Editor, run SwitchNamesVisibility again, to put all the remaining macro names back as they were.

8. Delete the macro, if you wish.

9. Save the workbook and close Excel. When you reopen the workbook in @RISK, everything should be fine.

This problem was fixed in 6.1.1. To avoid this problem in the future, upgrade to the current version if possible; see Upgrading Palisade Software. If you cannot upgrade, assign names not beginning with RPJ to your fits.

Last edited: 2013-10-17

6.23. "Error opening the selected project"

Applies to: @RISK 6.x/7.x, Professional and Industrial Editions

When I try to import any of my projects, I get

Error opening the selected project

But I don't have a problem importing Palisade's examples.

Here are several known causes for this error message, with their cures:

• Your Global.mpt file may be corrupt. Delete it (or move it to another location) and let Project re-create it.
  Where is Global.mpt? See Microsoft's article "Cannot save to Global.mpt" when exiting Microsoft Project. Don't be put off by the mention of Office 2003 at the top; at the bottom it says that it applies to all versions through 2013.

• Check your Microsoft Project options, while @RISK is not running. If you have the default project path set to a nonexistent location, it can cause this error. Correct the default project path, close Project, and launch @RISK again.

• You may have bad COM type library registrations, particularly if you previously had another versoon of Project. Follow the procedure in Removing Outdated References to Project from the System Registry to fix this.

Last edited: 2016-06-29

6.24. "Microsoft Excel is waiting for another application" (with MPP files)

Applies to:
@RISK 7.5.2, Professional and Industrial Editions

While importing an MPP file, or simulating with a linked MPP file, I get this popup message:

Microsoft Excel is waiting for another application to complete an OLE action.

If you're running 32-bit Excel, try switching from running in process to running out of process. Running "Out of Process" explains how.

Last edited: 2018-09-18

6.25. "Object variable or With block variable not set" when Importing MPP File

Applies to:
@RISK 6.x/7.x when used with projects

When trying to import an MPP file in @RISK, I get "Object variable or With block variable not set."

If this symptom is associated with installing and uninstalling multiple versions of Microsoft project, you may have been hit by an unfortunate bug in the MS Project installers. This could be either of:

• You installed 32-bit Project, then installed another version of 32-bit Project (with or without uninstalling the first one), then uninstalled 32-bit Project and installed 64-bit Project.
• You installed 64-bit Project, then installed another version of 64-bit Project (with or without uninstalling the first one), then uninstalled 64-bit Project and installed 32-bit Project.

We have duplicated this both on a real machine and on a virtual machine. After either sequence of events, Project won't talk to @RISK, and there is no known way to fix it. Palisade Development researched this on the Web and found numerous mentions of this problem, unconnected with @RISK, so it appears to be an Office issue. If you are in this situation, try a different machine. As an alternative, you could wipe your hard drive (first deactivating the @RISK license, of course) and then install Windows and Office from scratch.

See also: All Articles about "Object variable or With block variable not set"

Last edited: 2018-08-03

6.26. "The file was created by a newer version of Microsoft Office Project"

Disponible en español: "El archivo fue creado por una versión nueva de Microsoft Office Project"

Applies to:
@RISK 7.0 only

(This issue is resolved beginning in @RISK 7.5.0. Don't install this patch in @RISK 7.5.0 or newer.)

I have Microsoft Project 2007. In @RISK, as soon as I click "Import MPP File", I get this message:

The file was created by a newer version of Microsoft Office Project and a converter is needed to open it. Do you want to download the converter from the Microsoft Office Web site?

If I click No, I can't import the file. If I click Yes, I get "Sorry, the page you're looking for can't be found."

You need to replace an @RISK file in the Program Files or Program Files (x86) folder tree. Recent versions of Windows may not let you do this in a download, so please follow this procedure:

1. Verify that Excel and Project are not running.

2. Download the attached file to your desktop or another convenient location. To verify it, right-click and select Properties. The size should be exactly 270,848 bytes.

3. Open the folder C:\Program Files (x86)\Palisade\RISK7 or C:\Program Files\Palisade\RISK7 folder, whichever one exists.

4. Click and drag the downloaded file into that folder. You may have to give permission twice, once to overwrite the older copy of the file and once to put the file into the Program Files tree.

Last edited: 2018-10-11

6.27. Regression Coefficients Incorrect in Quick Reports (@RISK 4.x)

Applies to: @RISK for Project 4.1.4

In my Quick Reports, inputs with regression coefficients of zero should be ranked by correlation coefficient, but this isn't happening.
Or:
I have a large model with many iterations and inputs, and all regression coefficients are showing as zero instead of their actual values.

A patch is available to fix both of these problems. Please click Help » About in @RISK to verify that you have release 4.1.4, and then contact Palisade Technical Support with your serial number and a reference to this article.  (Your serial number should be visible on the same Help » About screen.)

If you have current maintenance, you might prefer a no-charge upgrade to @RISK 7.x, our current version. The 7.x versions integrate Excel and Project and offer many new features compared to @RISK 4.1.4. Your Palisade sales manager can assist you with the upgrade.

Last edited: 2015-08-07

6.28. Tutorial Does Not Run (@RISK 4.x)

Applies to:
@RISK for Project 4.1
(Tutorials for 6.x and 5.x versions of all products are on the Palisade Web site under Support » Videos » Quick Start.)

Problem:
When I try to run the tutorials, I get a black box with no audio or video.

Solution:
Here are several things to try, in order.

1. If Microsoft Internet Explorer is not your default browser, please see Tutorial Does Not Run in Firefox, Opera, ...

2. Check the top of the Internet Explorer window carefully. If you see a thin beige strip with some text about blocked content, click the strip and then follow the instructions to unblock the content.

3. If you get the message "Error on page", please see "Error on page".

4. If you get audio but no video, please see Tutorial Has Audio, No Video.

5. If you are running the tutorial through the Internet, please run the copy that is installed on your computer. Click the Windows Start button, then Programs or All Programs, then Palisade DecisionTools, then Tutorials, then @RISK for Project.

6. The menu selection (preceding item) is a front end to the actual Windows Media Player files in the tutorial. You can access the media files directly, as follows.

   Open Computer or My Computer and navigate to the directory where you installed Palisade software. The default location is C:\Program Files\Palisade, or C:\DTools for older versions. Then open the subfolders RISKPJ41 » Tutorial » riskproj_wmvs. Open the Overview file and then the rest of the files in numerical order.

   If that doesn't work, please try the .wmv format on our Web site at @RISK for Project Tutorial Movies.

7. The tutorial uses Windows Media Player files, and you may need to download a codec to play the files. For instance, one user reported that he needed to download the ACELP.NET (130) codec from VoiceAge http://www.voiceage.com/codecs.php to play the @RISK tutorial in Vista. Your IT department can help you download any missing codecs.

last edited: 2012-11-23

6.29. Tutorial Does Not Run in Firefox, Opera, ... (@RISK 4.x)

Applies to:
@RISK for Project 4.1

Problem:
I try to launch the Palisade tutorial, which has a Firefox (Opera, Netscape, ...) icon on its shortcut. Although I do have Windows Media Player installed, the tutorial returns an error message and will not run.

Response:
Tutorials based on Windows Media Player must be played in Internet Explorer. The tutorials will not run in Firefox or other non-Microsoft browsers. However, if Firefox, Opera, Netscape, etc. is your default browser, you can still run the tutorial as follows:

1. Make sure Internet Explorer is installed on your computer. (If you have a Windows computer, Internet Explorer is most likely present on it even if it's not your default browser.)
2. Open Internet Explorer.
3. From the menu in Internet Explorer, choose File>Open. The Open dialog appears.
4. Click the Browse button in the dialog. The file navigation dialog appears.
5. Use the dialog to navigate to the tutorial file (or its shortcut).
6. Click the Open button. The file path to the tutorial appears in the Open dialog.
7. Click the OK button. The tutorial is now ready to run.

last edited: 2012-11-23

6.30. Tutorial Has Audio, No Video (@RISK 4.x)

Applies to:
@RISK for Project 4.x

Problem:
When the tutorial is launched, the tutorial begins to play. The audio can be heard but the video cannot be seen.

Solution:

1. Launch Windows Media Player.
2. Select Tools » Options » Performance.
3. Decrease the amount of video acceleration by moving the slide in the "Video Acceleration" section to the left.
4. Click Apply.
5. Try launching the Palisade tutorial again.
6. If the video portion of the Palisade tutorial still isn't displayed, return to step 3 and decrease the video acceleration further.

last edited: 2012-11-23

6.31. "All text fields are used in this project!" (@RISK 4.x)

Applies to:
@RISK for Project 4.x

Problem:
When I open my project in @RISK, I get the message

All text fields are used in this project! @RISK requires an empty text field to store data. Please clear a text field and re-try.

But the thing is, I do have text fields that are available.

Response:
There are several possible causes. Before you do too much work troubleshooting, you may wish to upgrade to the current release of @RISK, if you are eligible. This problem does not occur in @RISK 6.0.0 and newer, and these releases have many new features. If you have current maintenance, you can upgrade to the current release of @RISK at no charge; just contact your Palisade sales office.

To solve the problem if you're using @RISK 4, we suggest that you work through these steps in order:

1. @RISK 4.x knows about only Text1 through Text20. If all those are in use, you will get this message even though higher-numbered text fields are available.

2. By default, @RISK wants to use field Text1. If Text1 isn't clear, find an available field and follow the procedure in Designating Columns for @RISK for Project 4.x Functions.

3. If you still get the message, close this project and then open one of our examples. (They're in the RISKPJ41\Examples or RISKPJ40\Examples folder under the folder where you installed your Palisade software.) If you get the same message, look for what else in your environment may be creating a problem, such as another add-in to Project or a template that starts automatically.

4. If our file opens normally, then it's something in your particular .MPP file that is the problem. Does it contain links to other files or external resources? Perhaps those files are using all the text fields.

5. Click Tools » Organizer » Fields (in Project 2010, File » Info » Organizer) and look for available custom fields. If Text1 through Text20 are listed there, it means that they are considered "in use" by @RISK and can't be used for the @RISK functions column. (A customer found that this occurred when an .MPP file created in Project 2007 was converted to Project 2003 format.) The solution then is to create a new .MPP file and manually copy everything to it, taking care that everything is duplicated except those custom fields. Then you'll be able to open your rebuilt .MPP file in @RISK.

last edited: 2017-02-17

6.32. "Can't graph ... single calculated value" (@RISK 4.x)

Applies to:
@RISK 4.x For Project

Problem:
After running a simulation in @RISK for Project, all the statistics and graphs are reporting that the output had no variability. The error, "Can't Graph... Single calculated value", also occurs when drawing the histogram. There are @RISK input distributions assigned to the output's predecessor tasks. Thus, the input functions should be causing variability in the output being analyzed.

Response:
Typically this problem occurs when constraints have been added to tasks in such a way that they prevent the output in question from varying.

With Palisade's @RISK for Project, we recommend that all task constraints be set to "As soon as possible" for forward scheduling projects and "As late as possible" for backward scheduling projects. Task constraints such as "Start no earlier than", "Finish no later than", "Must start on", or "Must finish on", may have a significant impact on Monte Carlo simulations and may result in single value output errors. Constraints are always honored when @RISK performs random recalculations during the simulation and the use of constraints that fix the start or finish dates must always be carefully considered before adding them to the schedule network.

Different constraints will have varying impacts on a project. For example, "Start no earlier than" cuts off early task completions and will make a project schedule longer. "Finish no later than" cuts off late finishes and will make a project schedule shorter. A project plan with multiple "Start no earlier than" and "Finish no later than" constraints will likely be constraint bound and might need to be modified for Monte Carlo simulation.

For more on using constraints in Microsoft Project, we recommend Dynamic Scheduling with Microsoft Office Project by Eric Uyttewaal.

last edited: 2005-07-01

6.33. "Error defining output ...Please check the RiskOutput functions" (@RISK 4.x)

Applies to:
@RISK for Project 4.x

Problem:
When I start a simulation, I get the message

Error defining output ...Please check the RiskOutput functions in this range and retry!
Simulation RDK4_DefineOutput 92

Response:

Text fields in Microsoft Project are limited to 255 characters.   If you have a long task name, and one of the fields of that task is an @RISK output, the output name may exceed the limit.  @RISK adds some information to the task name to create the default output name, so you probably want to keep your task names under about 200 characters. 

As an alternative, if you want to keep a long task name, you can specify a non-default output name by editing the RiskOutput function in the @RISK Functions column for that output: change Fieldname=RiskOutput() to Fieldname=RiskOutput("your short name for the output").

last edited: 2012-08-08

6.34. "Error on page" (@RISK 4.x)

Applies To:
@RISK for Project 4.1
Evolver Developer's Kit (EDK)
@RISK Developer's Kit (RDK)

Problem:
When I load RISKPJ41\Tutorial\rp4Tutorial.html (or another tutorial mentioned above) and press any of the PLAY buttons, there is just the little message in the lower left hand corner "Error on page" and nothing happens.

The same thing happens when I attempt to run the tutorial from your Web site.

Response:
Installing an updated version of Windows Media Player (7.0 or higher), or Internet Explorer (6.0 or higher), or both, should cure this problem. These free downloads are available from Microsoft.

Note: If you are running Windows 95 or Windows NT, you will be unable to upgrade your Windows Media Player to the required version. You will need to either install a more up-to-date operating system or run the tutorial from a different computer that has a more recent operating system installed.

last edited: 2012-11-23

6.35. "File not found" (@RISK 4.x)

Applies to:
@RISK for Project 4.x

Problem:
When I open my project, I get one or more "file not found" messages. It doesn't tell me which file it's looking for.

Response:
Please try our examples, which are in folder RISKPJ41\Examples or RISKPJ40\Examples under your Palisade installation directory. If those projects run, your particular project file may be corrupt.

To fix a corrupt project file:

1. Open Microsoft Project (not @RISK) and open the project.
2. Do File » Save As and select the type XML.
3. Close the original project.
4. Open the XML project, making a note of any error messages.
5. Save the XML project as an MPP project under a new name, then fix whatever problems the messages revealed.

We found this solution by a Web search, leading to the article "How to troubleshoot damaged projects in Microsoft Project" (accessed 2009-08-29). It is no longer in its original location, but this archived copy is still available.

last edited: 2012-11-22

6.36. "Object library invalid or contains references ..." (@RISK 4.x)

Applies to:
@RISK for Project 4.1, released 2008 or earlier

Problem:
When I try to start @RISK, I get the message

Object library invalid or contains references to object definitions that could not be found

Solution:
This is related to a problem with a Microsoft Windows security update of 2008-12-09: MS08-070: Vulnerabilities in Visual Basic 6.0 Runtime Extended Files (ActiveX Controls) could allow remote code execution (accessed 2012-11-16).

The error message will appear in a new installation of @RISK for Project if the Windows update has already been applied to your system. It can also appear in a previously working installation of @RISK, if you apply the Windows update or it's applied automatically.

In January 2009 we released @RISK for Project 4.1.4r2, which is compatible with that Windows security update. If you have an earlier version of @RISK for Project—4.1.3 or earlier, or 4.1.4 without an "r" number—you should upgrade to a later version to resolve this problem. Your Palisade sales manager can assist you with the upgrade.

To determine your @RISK for Project version, open Computer or My Computer and select C: » Program Files (x86) or Program Files » Palisade » RISKPJ41 » Version History. If you have @RISK 4.1.4r2 or later and you got this error message, the cause is something other than the Windows security update; please contact Palisade Technical Support for assistance.

last edited: 2012-11-16

6.37. "The argument value is not valid." (@RISK 4.x)

Applies to:
@RISK for Project 4.1

Problem:
When I try to show Risk Categories, I get the error message

Runtime error 1101. The argument value is not valid.

What is wrong?

Response:
This is actually a problem in Project rather than in @RISK: You do not have a valid Gantt view in this project because a table on which it is based has been deleted, or the project file is corrupted.

The solution:

1. Open Project (not @RISK).
2. Use the Organizer to copy over the default Gantt Chart from the Global.MPT to your project. If Project says that your file already has a Gantt chart, go ahead and overwrite it.
3. Then resave the project file.

last edited: 2013-06-19

6.38. Issues with Microsoft Project Files crashing Excel

Applies to: @RISK for Project

Versions: 6.x/7.x



When working with Risk for Project files, there's a possibility Excel crashes causing errors like "Automation Error: System Call Failed" when running or ending a simulation file.

After troubleshooting with some of the affected users, the problem has been discovered after Excel 64-bit doesn't talk to MS Project causing the error described, and as a workaround, installing Office 32-bits has solved the problem.

If these steps will be followed it is important to make sure you see: Removing Outdated References to Office from the System Registry to remove any outdated keys from previous Office installations, this way the Excel and MS Project can communicate properly.

Last update: 2020-10-06