Windows to Mac Word problem

[jeh]

I am running Word 2004 version 11.3.8 on Mac OS 10.4.11. I received a zip file from a Windows user, and then unzipped it. This is a large document that I was sent to review (2.9 MB). I can open the document but can not save it after adding a comment. I tried to copy the contents into a new document. I could not save the new document.

I have had no problems with earlier versions of the same document that we sent to me for review. Any one else have the same problem.

 

[CyberTaz]

Let's get the most likely out of the way first

Are you sure the sender isn't now using Word 2007, saving in .docx format &
sending you that this time? It *looks* like a zipped file to StuffIt, but
once unzipped it loses its integrity. I believe that if it is a .docx which
has also been zipped that StuffIt may very well unzip the file as well as
the archive. You need the OOXML converters to convert the file before Word
2004 can open/edit/save it. It might be better to have the other party save
it in 97-2004 (.doc) format & send you that.

If you're certain that isn't the problem please provide as much additional
detail as possible re the nature of the file & where it's stored.

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

 

[jeh]

The document was a zip document with a password. I opened it with Suffit. As far as I know it is not a docx document. I have gotten earlier versions of this document and had not problems. I am going to find out Monday if any of the editors is using Word 2007.

Also, the date on the document was earlier that the date on the zip file.

 

[Beth Rosengard]

Hi jeh,

Try this.

Command>click (right>click) on the file name/icon and select Get Info.
Under Ownership & Permissions, make sure it says you can "Read & Write".

--
***Please always reply to the newsgroup!***

Beth Rosengard
Mac MVP

Mac Word FAQ: <http://word.mvps.org/Mac/WordMacHome.html>
My Site: <http://www.bethrosengard.com>

 

[jeh]

I have read & write permission. It starts to save and then just hangs there. I tried copying the contents to a new document. The new document does the same thing.

 

[CyberTaz]

When you did this did you include the last ¶ in what you copied? If so, the
copy/paste would do no good you're just copying the problem along with
everything else. Try selecting all but the last ¶ (Cmd+A, Shift+Left Arrow,
Cmd+C) then paste to a new doc & see if it behaves better.

Have you tried unzipping another copy of the file?

If that doesn't work, either, it could be that there is content within the
doc that is causing the problem -table, image, etc. You might have a look at
the following link & try the other steps provided there:

http://word.mvps.org/Mac/DocumentCorruption.html

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

 

[jeh]

Thank you. I tried to copy the document as you said but a paragraph symbol showed up in the new document. It still hung up when I saved it.

I also found out that my disk was full, so I cleared 3 G off of the disk but still have the problem.

 

[Clive Huggan]

There will always be a paragraph mark at the very end of a document. When
you have non-printing characters set to show, it is the visible
manifestation of invisible coding after it that contains huge amounts of
formatting instructions. That's what can get corrupted. The significant
factor is that if you paste in your text without the final paragraph mark
that was in your document, the final paragraph mark of the new document will
be free of corruption (if that's where the problem is).

Clive Huggan
============

 

[CyberTaz]

It seems the first thing you need to do is get your HD cleaned up - 3 GB may
seem like a lot but in the overall scheme of things it really isn't much.
Based on how the OS & software work there needs to be no less than 20% free
space at all times. If you can't clean up more than that it's well worth
investing in an additional internal or external drive to store user data on.

Until that's addressed it's hard to tell if the other possibilities I
mentioned re internal corruption need to be investigated.

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

 

[jeh]

I got the spare disk space up to 8 GB and still have the problem. I also tried to save to a memory stick and it still did not work.

 

[CyberTaz]

Have you followed the directions at the link I provided in my last post?
What were the results of each method?

I'd also suggest that you *never* save directly to or open files directly
from a USB "memory stick" - always copy from/to your HD.

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

 

[jeh]

I got my self an external hard drive. Before I set up the drive I found out that my spare space on the internal hard drive had shrunk to 3 GB! I now have 13.2 GB spare on the drive and am watching it to see what is causing the loss of storage space. It looks like I have a problem that is not caused by
Word.

I will keep the community posted on what I find.