Can't save Word document in specific folders

[Bob Morris]

I am having trouble saving my Word documents in specific folders. It
just started happening. Didn't have this problem previously. When I go
to Save a document the dialogue box does not give me the option of
choosing a subfolder within a main folder. For instance, it will let
me save in Documents, but will not let me choose the specific folder
in Documents where I want to save the file. As a result, I am forced
to save everything on Desktop and then drag it to the folder where I
want it.

I am working on Mac OSX 10.3.2. Thanks for any help anyone can
offer...

 

[Beth Rosengard]

Hi Bob,

There's another thread in this newsgroup (titled "Cannot save properly:
Word saves document onprevious(enclosing) folder with a different name! -
MORE") which may be relevant.

How long are your file names and path names? By path name, I mean the
hierarchy of folders all the way from your user's folder to the file name.
Word limits file names to 31 characters and path names to about 130
characters. My guess is that your path names are too long and Word is
forcing you to save in a folder farther up the folder hierarchy.

As you've discovered, Word will nevertheless let you save the document in
the Finder and then move it to whatever folder you wish. The problem then,
however, is that when you try to make changes to that document, Word will
create a new, renamed document in the next higher folder up the hierarchy,
instead of saving to the original document.

The workaround is to shorten your file names and path names. This will
probably mean reorganizing some folder hierarchies.

I had been under the impression that the 130 character path name limit "bug"
had been fixed, but apparently not (it's supposed to be both an Apple and a
Word issue). I'm trying to find out more information on this and will post
it if/when I do.

If this scenario does not fit your situation, then please post back with
more details. If it *does* fit your situation, please post back with a
confirmation so we can get to the bottom of this.

--
Beth Rosengard
Mac MVP

Mac Word FAQ: <http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/WordMac/index.htm>
Entourage Help Page: <http://www.entourage.mvps.org/toc.html>

 

[Dayo Mitchell]

Hey Beth and Bob,

The 130 character filename might have been fixed--what I was hearing of was
a 255-character limit, which seems to be linked to unix or some other
program, or in any case is a well-known limitation rather than a bug.
Googling for "255-character limit" produced a lot of hits but little that I
really understood.

Dayo

 

[John McGhie [MVP Office Systems -- Word]]

Unix (i.e. OS X) has an absolute limit on file names of 255 characters.

I don't recall what the total path name limit is. I guess I should ask
someone who does know.


This responds to article

Hey Beth and Bob,

The 130 character filename might have been fixed--what I was hearing of was
a 255-character limit, which seems to be linked to unix or some other
program, or in any case is a well-known limitation rather than a bug.
Googling for "255-character limit" produced a lot of hits but little that I
really understood.

Dayo

--

Please respond only to the newsgroup to preserve the thread.

John McGhie, Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. GMT + 10 Hrs
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]