Bug in Bullets and Numbering

[Alan]

There are major bugs in Microsoft Word's bullets and numbering. I am using
Word 2003 at work. We use it for all our major documents, unfortunately. Is
there any chance this bug might eventually be worked out? There's no way I'm
going to be able to convince the whole company to switch to 2007 (which I've
heard is less buggy for bullets and numbering).

There are many bugs I think I'm experiencing, but most will probably meet
with some work around or "advanced method" which I'd have to explain that
I've already tried. Here's a bug I can prove: using bullets and numbering
adds junk bytes to a file.

Here's my proof of the bug:

Create a new file.
Create a numbered list in the file. Save it.
In Windows, make a copy of it in the same folder.
Open the file again, right click on one of the numbers. Select "Bullets and
Numbering" Just click cancel... don't make any changes.
Now, close the file. Notice that it asks "Do You Want to save Changes?" even
though no changes have been made. Click Yes.

Now right click on the file in Windows and select properties. Check the
size. Now check the size of the copy. Notice that the file has gotten bigger.
If you repeat the same steps, the file gets continuously larger. This isn't
just a flag getting set, more useless bytes are added every single time.

In addition, if I just close this file without quitting Microsoft word
completely and then open another file, these junk bytes get added to it as
well. I don't even have to check bullets and numbering. I don't have to check
or change ANYTHING. Just open it and immediately close it, and it asks to
save changes, which would ultimately add more useless bytes to the file.

Obviously, these exact steps I would never do working on an actual document.
But I work with bullets and numbering often, and often have multiple files
open which I do make changes. This means, this extra junk is getting added
everytime I do that, and I have made many files until I noticed this today.
It explains why some of my file sizes are getting larger and larger EVEN WHEN
I TAKE INFORMATION OUT. This is creating quite a problem.

 

[Beth Melton]

A file shouldn't increase in file size just because you added numbering in
any version.

Based on your description of the issue, check File/Versions and see if you
are automatically saving a version upon closing the file.

There are other causes of file bloat so if you aren't automatically saving a
version when the file is closed let us know and we'll post the list.

Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for
assistance by email cannot be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

Coauthor of Word 2007 Inside Out:
http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/books/9801.aspx#AboutTheBook

Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word
TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/
MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/

 

[Klaus Linke]

Hi Alan,

Notice that it asks "Do You Want to save Changes?" even
though no changes have been made.

Doesn't happen here. You're sure you haven't intercepted
"FormatBulletsAndNumbering" with your own macro, or maybe some AddIn is
messing with you?
I'd test first if it happens in safe mode (... hold down the Ctrl key while
starting Word). If it doesn't, you might try to figure out which macro or
add-in causes the trouble.

Regards,
Klaus