Out of memory when applying outline numbering in large doc - how to fix?

[Ganeth]

The situation
I have a 1111 page document (compiled from 100s of smaller docs, a huge undertaking in itself). Background repagination is currently turned off

The problem
During compilation of this document, Word 2000 has stripped the outline numbering format from many of my lists (thanks awfully, Microsoft, I was just thinking how my deadlines were too easy to meet), and when I try to re-apply it, it refuses to do so. I put the commands into a macro and tried it that way - and apparently I don't have enough memory. I'm running XP on a very high spec machine - plenty of processor power and memory here

The solution
1 - Some kind of one-click fix would be great, but I ain't holding my breath
2 - What are the bare bones that MS Word 2000 needs to run on an XP box? I'm thinking that maybe if I end as many processes as poss, that'll free up some memory
3 - Can you adjust the memory allocation for MS Word to give it what it needs

Many thanks in advance

Ganeth

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

Show us your macro by pasting the code into a message and someone may be
able to suggest ways in which it can be optimised to overcome the problem.

If you automated the process of compilation and you do not want the
numbering to change from that in the original documents, it might be worth
doing it again and this time including the command to ConvertNumbersToText
to be run on each document before it is added.

--
Please post any further questions or followup to the newsgroups for the
benefit of others who may be interested. Unsolicited questions forwarded
directly to me will only be answered on a paid consulting basis.

Hope this helps
Doug Robbins - Word MVP

The situation:
I have a 1111 page document (compiled from 100s of smaller docs, a huge

undertaking in itself). Background repagination is currently turned off.

The problem:
During compilation of this document, Word 2000 has stripped the outline

numbering format from many of my lists (thanks awfully, Microsoft, I was
just thinking how my deadlines were too easy to meet), and when I try to
re-apply it, it refuses to do so. I put the commands into a macro and tried
it that way - and apparently I don't have enough memory. I'm running XP on
a very high spec machine - plenty of processor power and memory here.

The solution:
1 - Some kind of one-click fix would be great, but I ain't holding my breath.
2 - What are the bare bones that MS Word 2000 needs to run on an XP box?

I'm thinking that maybe if I end as many processes as poss, that'll free up
some memory.

 

[Jonathan West]

Hi Ganeth,

I've hit similar problems in the past.

See if this knowledge base article addresses the issue.

WD2000: Error Message: "This Document May Be Corrupt" After Switching
Between Bullet and Number List Format
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;241581

--
Regards
Jonathan West - Word MVP
http://www.multilinker.com
Please reply to the newsgroup

The situation:
I have a 1111 page document (compiled from 100s of smaller docs, a huge

undertaking in itself). Background repagination is currently turned off.

The problem:
During compilation of this document, Word 2000 has stripped the outline

numbering format from many of my lists (thanks awfully, Microsoft, I was
just thinking how my deadlines were too easy to meet), and when I try to
re-apply it, it refuses to do so. I put the commands into a macro and tried
it that way - and apparently I don't have enough memory. I'm running XP on
a very high spec machine - plenty of processor power and memory here.

The solution:
1 - Some kind of one-click fix would be great, but I ain't holding my breath.
2 - What are the bare bones that MS Word 2000 needs to run on an XP box?

I'm thinking that maybe if I end as many processes as poss, that'll free up
some memory.

 

[Ganeth]

First off, thank you Doug and Jonathan

I've solved this problem by splitting the document into two smaller ones and recompiling - Word only seems to strip the numbering at 600 ish plus pages. Time consuming but it worked

I have indeed been getting 'document may be corrupt' messages - I've been ignoring these because a) the project plan called for my doc to be finished last week and b) it didn't seem to be actually affecting anything, so I decided I could live with it. When the next version of the manual comes out, I'll consult that article

The macro I was using was quick and dirty, and very verbose (289 LOC) and not really suitable for posting here - but it was just the output from recording a macro of myself doing Format->Bullets and Numbering->Outline Numbered and then clicking on one of the options. If anyone is interested in reproducing the problem for purposes of their own then it's easy to record yourself

It would have been very helpful to convert the numbers to text before compiling the document, I'm sure. I'll remember that for when the client comes back with the n-to-the-power-of-thirty-million revisions they'll no doubt want me to make and I have to recompile. ;-) (Can you tell I'm somewhat annoyed by all of this?

Thanks again for your help guys

Ganeth

 

[Ganeth]

And as a postscript.....I'm in trouble because my leviathan 1111 page document has broken the printer - it overheated and something melted! On the bright side, this creates a perfect excuse to call it a day and go home. ;-

Ganeth