Word 2007 "Read-Only" error when changing source data

[kndg99]

I have two word documents (originally created in word 2000) one is the
form and the other is the data contents.

When ever I change the data, through the edit recipients wizard, and
then close the document, it asks me to save the data source [expected
notification]. When I select "YES" to save the data source, I get a
message that the data source is read-only. I have followed the
directions in the help menu. This has not corrected the issue. The file
itself is NOT a read-only file, it is; however, on a network share.

Matt

 

[Peter Jamieson]

FWIW I experience this too. It makes no difference whether the mail merge
main document or data source is .doc or .docx, it doesn't appear to be a
permissions-related thing, and if the mail merge main document is located on
the network share, Word gives you the wrong name for the document when it
pops up its message. It doesn't make any difference whether you use the
shar's UNC name or a drive letter. The impression I have is that Word is
keeping the original open, then making a local copy, then failing to
overwrite the original because it's already open, although that's not what
the error message says.

There doesn't appear to be a workaround except "move your data source to
your local disk".

I've submitted a support incident. Last time I did that it took several
weeks or months for a credible response but I live in hope...

Peter Jamieson

 

[Peter Jamieson]

FWIW, today, after a couple of prods, I eventually had a response from a
"Support Professional", which was to contact "Professional Support".

I tried to contact "Professional Support" here in the UK, but apprarently
they only operate between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. The telephonist expertly (I
mean, really smoothly - very impressive!) ignored my suggestion that perhaps
they weren't really "professional".

I hope I don't eventually find myself in front of a hanging judge

Peter Jamieson

FWIW I experience this too. It makes no difference whether the mail merge
main document or data source is .doc or .docx, it doesn't appear to be a
permissions-related thing, and if the mail merge main document is located
on the network share, Word gives you the wrong name for the document when
it pops up its message. It doesn't make any difference whether you use the
shar's UNC name or a drive letter. The impression I have is that Word is
keeping the original open, then making a local copy, then failing to
overwrite the original because it's already open, although that's not what
the error message says.

There doesn't appear to be a workaround except "move your data source to
your local disk".

I've submitted a support incident. Last time I did that it took several
weeks or months for a credible response but I live in hope...

Peter Jamieson

I have two word documents (originally created in word 2000) one is the
form and the other is the data contents.

When ever I change the data, through the edit recipients wizard, and then
close the document, it asks me to save the data source [expected
notification]. When I select "YES" to save the data source, I get a
message that the data source is read-only. I have followed the directions
in the help menu. This has not corrected the issue. The file itself is
NOT a read-only file, it is; however, on a network share.

Matt

 

[Peter Jamieson]

In case you are still reading this thread, I have now been contacted by the
right people: the issue is known and being investigated. Whether and when
that might result in a fix I cannot tell you.

Peter Jamieson

FWIW, today, after a couple of prods, I eventually had a response from a
"Support Professional", which was to contact "Professional Support".

I tried to contact "Professional Support" here in the UK, but apprarently
they only operate between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. The telephonist expertly (I
mean, really smoothly - very impressive!) ignored my suggestion that
perhaps they weren't really "professional".

I hope I don't eventually find myself in front of a hanging judge

Peter Jamieson

FWIW I experience this too. It makes no difference whether the mail merge
main document or data source is .doc or .docx, it doesn't appear to be a
permissions-related thing, and if the mail merge main document is located
on the network share, Word gives you the wrong name for the document when
it pops up its message. It doesn't make any difference whether you use
the shar's UNC name or a drive letter. The impression I have is that Word
is keeping the original open, then making a local copy, then failing to
overwrite the original because it's already open, although that's not
what the error message says.

There doesn't appear to be a workaround except "move your data source to
your local disk".

I've submitted a support incident. Last time I did that it took several
weeks or months for a credible response but I live in hope...

Peter Jamieson

I have two word documents (originally created in word 2000) one is the
form and the other is the data contents.

When ever I change the data, through the edit recipients wizard, and
then close the document, it asks me to save the data source [expected
notification]. When I select "YES" to save the data source, I get a
message that the data source is read-only. I have followed the
directions in the help menu. This has not corrected the issue. The file
itself is NOT a read-only file, it is; however, on a network share.

Matt

 

[kndg99]

I am still reading the thread.

My workaround came with creating an access database and putting one
table in it and linking to that table. That allowed us to use the same
data (after some converting...) and change it directly from word2007.

It is my presumption that this works because it opens the access
database as a linked file rather than a read-only access file. Since
Access inherently locks the file once it is open it prevents others from
accessing it at the same time, so i think that it has prevented the
"read-only" issue.

KNDG99

In case you are still reading this thread, I have now been contacted by the
right people: the issue is known and being investigated. Whether and when
that might result in a fix I cannot tell you.

Peter Jamieson

FWIW, today, after a couple of prods, I eventually had a response from a
"Support Professional", which was to contact "Professional Support".

I tried to contact "Professional Support" here in the UK, but apprarently
they only operate between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. The telephonist expertly (I
mean, really smoothly - very impressive!) ignored my suggestion that
perhaps they weren't really "professional".

I hope I don't eventually find myself in front of a hanging judge

Peter Jamieson

FWIW I experience this too. It makes no difference whether the mail merge
main document or data source is .doc or .docx, it doesn't appear to be a
permissions-related thing, and if the mail merge main document is located
on the network share, Word gives you the wrong name for the document when
it pops up its message. It doesn't make any difference whether you use
the shar's UNC name or a drive letter. The impression I have is that Word
is keeping the original open, then making a local copy, then failing to
overwrite the original because it's already open, although that's not
what the error message says.

There doesn't appear to be a workaround except "move your data source to
your local disk".

I've submitted a support incident. Last time I did that it took several
weeks or months for a credible response but I live in hope...

Peter Jamieson

I have two word documents (originally created in word 2000) one is the
form and the other is the data contents.

When ever I change the data, through the edit recipients wizard, and
then close the document, it asks me to save the data source [expected
notification]. When I select "YES" to save the data source, I get a
message that the data source is read-only. I have followed the
directions in the help menu. This has not corrected the issue. The file
itself is NOT a read-only file, it is; however, on a network share.

Matt

 

[Peter Jamieson]

It is my presumption that this works because it opens the access database

as a linked file rather than a read-only access file.

I think it's simpler than that: Word 2007 will read Access data via the
Access ACE OLE DB provider, which isn't part of Word and is inherently
multi-user. (unless you have explicitly specified DDE or ODBC access). One
of two good multi-user solutions - the other might be to go direct to
storing your data in a SQL Server or other server-based database.

Peter Jamieson

I am still reading the thread.

My workaround came with creating an access database and putting one table
in it and linking to that table. That allowed us to use the same data
(after some converting...) and change it directly from word2007.

It is my presumption that this works because it opens the access database
as a linked file rather than a read-only access file. Since Access
inherently locks the file once it is open it prevents others from
accessing it at the same time, so i think that it has prevented the
"read-only" issue.

KNDG99

In case you are still reading this thread, I have now been contacted by
the right people: the issue is known and being investigated. Whether and
when that might result in a fix I cannot tell you.

Peter Jamieson

FWIW, today, after a couple of prods, I eventually had a response from a
"Support Professional", which was to contact "Professional Support".

I tried to contact "Professional Support" here in the UK, but
apprarently they only operate between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. The telephonist
expertly (I mean, really smoothly - very impressive!) ignored my
suggestion that perhaps they weren't really "professional".

I hope I don't eventually find myself in front of a hanging judge

Peter Jamieson

FWIW I experience this too. It makes no difference whether the mail
merge main document or data source is .doc or .docx, it doesn't appear
to be a permissions-related thing, and if the mail merge main document
is located on the network share, Word gives you the wrong name for the
document when it pops up its message. It doesn't make any difference
whether you use the shar's UNC name or a drive letter. The impression I
have is that Word is keeping the original open, then making a local
copy, then failing to overwrite the original because it's already open,
although that's not what the error message says.

There doesn't appear to be a workaround except "move your data source
to your local disk".

I've submitted a support incident. Last time I did that it took several
weeks or months for a credible response but I live in hope...

Peter Jamieson

I have two word documents (originally created in word 2000) one is the
form and the other is the data contents.

When ever I change the data, through the edit recipients wizard, and
then close the document, it asks me to save the data source [expected
notification]. When I select "YES" to save the data source, I get a
message that the data source is read-only. I have followed the
directions in the help menu. This has not corrected the issue. The
file itself is NOT a read-only file, it is; however, on a network
share.

Matt

 

[Average PC GUY]

Humm.. I too have this problem and I wonder if works in access if it will
work in excel.

It is my presumption that this works because it opens the access database
as a linked file rather than a read-only access file.

I think it's simpler than that: Word 2007 will read Access data via the
Access ACE OLE DB provider, which isn't part of Word and is inherently
multi-user. (unless you have explicitly specified DDE or ODBC access). One
of two good multi-user solutions - the other might be to go direct to
storing your data in a SQL Server or other server-based database.

Peter Jamieson

I am still reading the thread.

My workaround came with creating an access database and putting one table
in it and linking to that table. That allowed us to use the same data
(after some converting...) and change it directly from word2007.

It is my presumption that this works because it opens the access database
as a linked file rather than a read-only access file. Since Access
inherently locks the file once it is open it prevents others from
accessing it at the same time, so i think that it has prevented the
"read-only" issue.

KNDG99

In case you are still reading this thread, I have now been contacted by
the right people: the issue is known and being investigated. Whether and
when that might result in a fix I cannot tell you.

Peter Jamieson

FWIW, today, after a couple of prods, I eventually had a response from a
"Support Professional", which was to contact "Professional Support".

I tried to contact "Professional Support" here in the UK, but
apprarently they only operate between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. The telephonist
expertly (I mean, really smoothly - very impressive!) ignored my
suggestion that perhaps they weren't really "professional".

I hope I don't eventually find myself in front of a hanging judge

Peter Jamieson

FWIW I experience this too. It makes no difference whether the mail
merge main document or data source is .doc or .docx, it doesn't appear
to be a permissions-related thing, and if the mail merge main document
is located on the network share, Word gives you the wrong name for the
document when it pops up its message. It doesn't make any difference
whether you use the shar's UNC name or a drive letter. The impression I
have is that Word is keeping the original open, then making a local
copy, then failing to overwrite the original because it's already open,
although that's not what the error message says.

There doesn't appear to be a workaround except "move your data source
to your local disk".

I've submitted a support incident. Last time I did that it took several
weeks or months for a credible response but I live in hope...

Peter Jamieson

I have two word documents (originally created in word 2000) one is the
form and the other is the data contents.

When ever I change the data, through the edit recipients wizard, and
then close the document, it asks me to save the data source [expected
notification]. When I select "YES" to save the data source, I get a
message that the data source is read-only. I have followed the
directions in the help menu. This has not corrected the issue. The
file itself is NOT a read-only file, it is; however, on a network
share.

Matt

 

[Peter Jamieson]

Hi,

I's quite possible. If your data source is a .xls or .xslx (or whatever else
it can be in Excel 2007) then Word will connect, by default, using OLE DB. I
suspect it's where Word opens the data source file itself (or via a
converter rather than an ODBC driver or OLE DB provider) that it goes wrong.

You can but try...

BTW, don't expect to be able to get more than 255 columns from your Excel
sheet, even though Excel can now do more columns. That's the subject of
another recent incident report to Microsoft...

Peter Jamieson

Humm.. I too have this problem and I wonder if works in access if it will
work in excel.

It is my presumption that this works because it opens the access
database
as a linked file rather than a read-only access file.

I think it's simpler than that: Word 2007 will read Access data via the
Access ACE OLE DB provider, which isn't part of Word and is inherently
multi-user. (unless you have explicitly specified DDE or ODBC access).
One
of two good multi-user solutions - the other might be to go direct to
storing your data in a SQL Server or other server-based database.

Peter Jamieson

I am still reading the thread.

My workaround came with creating an access database and putting one
table
in it and linking to that table. That allowed us to use the same data
(after some converting...) and change it directly from word2007.

It is my presumption that this works because it opens the access
database
as a linked file rather than a read-only access file. Since Access
inherently locks the file once it is open it prevents others from
accessing it at the same time, so i think that it has prevented the
"read-only" issue.

KNDG99

Peter Jamieson wrote:
In case you are still reading this thread, I have now been contacted
by
the right people: the issue is known and being investigated. Whether
and
when that might result in a fix I cannot tell you.

Peter Jamieson

FWIW, today, after a couple of prods, I eventually had a response
from a
"Support Professional", which was to contact "Professional Support".

I tried to contact "Professional Support" here in the UK, but
apprarently they only operate between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. The
telephonist
expertly (I mean, really smoothly - very impressive!) ignored my
suggestion that perhaps they weren't really "professional".

I hope I don't eventually find myself in front of a hanging judge

Peter Jamieson

FWIW I experience this too. It makes no difference whether the mail
merge main document or data source is .doc or .docx, it doesn't
appear
to be a permissions-related thing, and if the mail merge main
document
is located on the network share, Word gives you the wrong name for
the
document when it pops up its message. It doesn't make any difference
whether you use the shar's UNC name or a drive letter. The
impression I
have is that Word is keeping the original open, then making a local
copy, then failing to overwrite the original because it's already
open,
although that's not what the error message says.

There doesn't appear to be a workaround except "move your data
source
to your local disk".

I've submitted a support incident. Last time I did that it took
several
weeks or months for a credible response but I live in hope...

Peter Jamieson

I have two word documents (originally created in word 2000) one is
the
form and the other is the data contents.

When ever I change the data, through the edit recipients wizard,
and
then close the document, it asks me to save the data source
[expected
notification]. When I select "YES" to save the data source, I get a
message that the data source is read-only. I have followed the
directions in the help menu. This has not corrected the issue. The
file itself is NOT a read-only file, it is; however, on a network
share.

Matt