.rtf file size in Word 2007

[quadmama]

I hope this hasn't been answered somewhere else, but I've searched and can't
find an answer that might work.

I am a medical transcriptionist. I use templates to type all of my reports.
I pull up the template, then file, save as .rtf, then name the report. I
recently upgraded to Office 2007 from 2000. Since doing so, the file size of
these reports has increased significantly, thus making transfer time to the
physician's server incredibly long!

I can take the same document saved as an .rtf, save it as .docx, and the
file size decreases to a normal size. What is causing this problem, and how
do I fix it. The physician's office needs them in .rtf, but this is taking a
lot of transfer time!

I did try to take off the "Allow Background Saves" as advised in another
thread, but that didn't make a difference in this case.

If anyone can help, I'd appreciate it.

 

[Opinicus]

I am a medical transcriptionist. I use templates to type all of my
reports.
I pull up the template, then file, save as .rtf, then name the report. I
recently upgraded to Office 2007 from 2000. Since doing so, the file size
of
these reports has increased significantly, thus making transfer time to
the
physician's server incredibly long!

I can take the same document saved as an .rtf, save it as .docx, and the
file size decreases to a normal size. What is causing this problem, and
how
do I fix it. The physician's office needs them in .rtf, but this is
taking a
lot of transfer time!

I've been using .rtf for almost as long as I've been using Word (since
Windows 3.0) because it was more compact than .doc and had a number of other
advantages. I'm currently using Word 2002 and I too have noticed that .rtf
is no longer as economical with file size as it used to be. One thing you
must be careful of with .rtf is graphics. If you've got any kind of
graphical material (pictures, etc) in your file, .rtf is VERY inefficient.
Could that be your problem?

 

[quadmama]

Thanks for your reply. I doubt that's the problem, as I have only one
graphic in my header (the medical group's logo). The rest of the document is
complete text. Thanks again for your reply.

 

[Opinicus]

Thanks for your reply. I doubt that's the problem, as I have only one
graphic in my header (the medical group's logo). The rest of the document
is
complete text.

Even that logo's enough to drive .rtf bonkers. Instead of translating the
logo into .rtf, try inserting a link to the graphic. That will reduce file
size considerably. (Of course that won't help if you have to send the file
to someone else; the graphic would have to accompany it.)

In your case .doc might actually be more efficient.

 

[quadmama]

Thanks again. I do have to include the graphic when transferring, and
unfortunately the office I type for requires .rtf format. That's why I can't
use .doc. Thanks for your input!

 

[Bob Buckland ?:-\)]

Hi Mama,

If you remove the graphic in the header for testing is the RTF file size still larger than in prior Word versions?

(The .docx format contains zipped .XML files, so it's probably not much of a comparative basis for the uncompressed RTF files).
What format is the graphic file in?

=======
Thanks again. I do have to include the graphic when transferring, and
unfortunately the office I type for requires .rtf format. That's why I can't
use .doc. Thanks for your input!>>
--

Bob Buckland ?
MS Office System Products MVP

*Courtesy is not expensive and can pay big dividends*

 

[quadmama]

Bob-

Thanks for your reply. I have tried several different things to test this,
i.e., saving the file as an .rtf, then saving it just as a .docx. I tried
again this morning, this time removing the graphic. As an .rtf with the
graphic it is 7.21 MB. As an .rtf w/o the graphic it is 6.79. These are
much larger than what I used to have in 2000. I checked again this morning,
and saving it as .docx with the graphic is only 173 KB, which is about the
size of my old documents saved in the 2000 version. I have also tested just
creating a new file, typing a paragraph of text (not using my template), and
the file size when saved as .rtf is always much larger than the .docx.

What is causing this problem in the new Word as opposed to the old Word?

BTW, I have no idea what type of graphic it it. It was inserted into the
header of my template from the office I type for. I've tried to determine
what type it is, but can't. It is really just a circular type logo with the
name of the office. But, like I said, it didn't make much difference to
remove it.

In another thread, someone mentioned deleting the "normal" template, as this
might be a problem. Any feedback regarding this?

Thanks so much! I need so much to resolve this issue.

Quad Mama