Huge File

[DrJ]

Version: 2004
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: intel

I'm trying to open a huge text file (4.3 GB). Word keeps crashing before loading. My Mac has 2GB memory, but that shouldn't be a problem, right? Can anyone explain the size limitations of Word and how i might be able to work with this file? thanks.

 

[CyberTaz]

Sorry DrJ but you'll need to regroup & give us another shot at this one -
Word has a 32 MB limit on file size. The actual KB spec is:

"The maximum file size is limited to 32 MB for the total document text only
and does not include graphics, regardless of how the graphics image is
inserted (Link to file, Save with document, or Wrapping style) into the
document. Therefore, if the file contains graphics, the maximum file size
can be larger than 32 MB."

But if this is actually a text file (.txt) it can't have any graphics
anyway, so 32 MB is it.

The only suggestion I can offer is to see if you can open it in TextEdit,
than copy portions and save as a series of separate files. What you'll be
able to do with it after that is questionable but I doubt you'll find
many programs that will handle a 4 gig file when it comes time to put it
together again.

One possibility would be to consider Word's Master Document feature, but I
wouldn't recommend it unless you upgrade to 2008 or have access to 2007 on a
PC. The Office 97-2004 file format doesn't support the feature very well &
would most likely wind up highly corrupted in short order.

 

[DrJ]

Thanks, i thought there were limits, but couldn't find the documentation. Unfortunately, it's also too big for TextEdit. I'll try another approach.

 

[CyberTaz]

I don't think I've ever seen anything - other than a database file -
anywhere near that size. I have no idea where it came from, but I have a
feeling you may need to go back to the source & have it output in smaller
"bite-size" chunks

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[John McGhie]

There *are* limits, but on a 32-bit Operating System, they are higher than
32 MB. Microsoft has not updated that information since Word 6, which was a
16-bit machine

Sadly, I think 4 GB is pushing the envelope a little too far, but you might
get away with 2 GB.

Cheers

Thanks, i thought there were limits, but couldn't find the documentation.
Unfortunately, it's also too big for TextEdit. I'll try another approach.

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John McGhie, Microsoft MVP, Word and Word:Mac
Nhulunbuy, NT, Australia. mailto:[email protected]