Margin/infinite repagination bug

[Randy Wilson]

My sister and I have both seen this bug. She is using Word for
Windows XP and I'm using Word for Mac (v.X). Since it's in both
places, this isn't just a fluke.

Here's the bug:

On a document with several pages (like 20), with the page number
starting at something other than 1, and with pictures along the right
margin (or anywhere else, according to my sister), and with page
numbers in the footer, we go to Format->Document and then change the
margins from .75" to 1". At that point, even though there are only 20
or so pages in the document, it starts trying to repaginate the
document forever. I have to hit cmd-period to get it to stop
("escape" on the PC), but there are already a couple of hundred new
pages at the end with nothing in them. If I try to do almost anything
else (like view the document in page layout view, or do a page
preview) then the repagination attempt begins again and goes on
forever.

This is completely lame. The only workaround my sister found was to
get rid of all of the page numbering first. That didn't work for me
when I tried it.

This bug should be very easy to track down because it's so
reproducible (in fact, it's unavoidable!). The question is, is there
any way to let Microsoft know about bugs so that they can fix them?

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

Hi Randy,

There are some things to do before calling in the troops.

First, be sure you have installed the updates available for Office X from
this URL:
http://www.microsoft.com/mac/downloads.aspx#OfficeX

Then use the Software Update panel to get any OSX updates.

After you install the office and system updates run Disk Utility First Aid
to repair permissions.

Similarly on windows visit http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ and be sure
you not only have installed all of the "critical updates" but that you click
the link to OfficeUpdate and install those, too.

You don't mention what version of Word is being used on Windows XP. It could
be anything from Word 97 through Word 2003. Word 2003 is the current Windows
version and it is most the likely version to be fixed if it is broken.

The reasons for all this updating:
1. The bug may already be fixed.
2. So that you and Microsoft are talking about the current version of
Office. This is the version that will be fixed if it is broken.

Once you are certain everything is up to date all around test again. If the
bug persists the URLs to report bugs are:

Mac:
http://www.microsoft.com/mac/feedback/suggestion.asp

Windows
http://register.microsoft.com/mswish/suggestion.asp

I tried in Word X your steps on a document created in an unknown version of
Word for Windows, but the repagination problem did not occur. It may make a
difference what version of Word created the document, inserted the pictures,
was opened in the Mac version first or the Windows version first.

Perhaps you or someone else can come up with the exact steps to take to get
this to happen and post the steps here before sending this bug off to
Microsoft.

-Jim Gordon
Mac MVP

All responses should be made to this newsgroup within the same thread.
Thanks.

About Microsoft MVPs:
http://www.mvps.org/

Search for help with the free Google search Excel add-in:
<http://www.rondebruin.nl/Google.htm>

----------

 

[Beth Rosengard]

Hi Wilson,

You can report the bug via the Feedback link on the Word X Help menu
or here: <www.microsoft.com/mac/feedback/suggestion.asp>.

It would be nice to know if others can replicate this. Anyone want to
try it (I'm not in Word X)?

Beth Rosengard
Mac MVP

 

[J.E. McGimpsey]

My sister and I have both seen this bug. She is using Word for
Windows XP and I'm using Word for Mac (v.X). Since it's in both
places, this isn't just a fluke.

Here's the bug:

On a document with several pages (like 20), with the page number
starting at something other than 1, and with pictures along the right
margin (or anywhere else, according to my sister), and with page
numbers in the footer, we go to Format->Document and then change the
margins from .75" to 1". At that point, even though there are only 20
or so pages in the document, it starts trying to repaginate the
document forever. I have to hit cmd-period to get it to stop
("escape" on the PC), but there are already a couple of hundred new
pages at the end with nothing in them. If I try to do almost anything
else (like view the document in page layout view, or do a page
preview) then the repagination attempt begins again and goes on
forever.

This is completely lame. The only workaround my sister found was to
get rid of all of the page numbering first. That didn't work for me
when I tried it.

This bug should be very easy to track down because it's so
reproducible (in fact, it's unavoidable!). The question is, is there
any way to let Microsoft know about bugs so that they can fix them?

It may be unavoidable for your document, but I can't reproduce it
(Word v.X 10.1.4, [030701], OS X 10.3.1)

Your report of what you did is rather vague, so here's what I did:

1) Created a 20 page document, all text, all margins 0.75"
2) Inserted page number in the footer of all pages, using
Insert/Page Numbers... page number on the right, show number on 1st
page.
3) Inserted 6 Pictures (Insert/Picture/Clip Art) at various points
in the document. All pics were about 1.5" x 1.25"
4) Formatted all pictures. Layout Wrap Type: Square,
Layout/Advanced: Horizontal Alignment: Right relative to Margin,
Vertical Layout (absolute - varied), move object with text checkbox
unchecked, lock anchor unchecked, allow overlap unchecked.
5) Chose Format/Document/Margins and changed margins for entire
document to 1" on all sides. Clicked OK

The document repaginated in about 1 second and did not appear to
cycle or loop.

Perhaps you can see from what I did how your document differs and
can post back with exact steps to create a document with the
repagination problem.