Word97 Autorecover - change file location, no effect

[vklrc]

Yes, I know it's old and crumbly, but we still have it.

I just noticed that if I'm editing a document with autorecovery on, and
after a while I change the autorecover file location option, Word still uses
the original location.

That continues until I open another document (new or old). Then it switches
to the new location for both. Or if I close and reopen my first document.

Is this behavior also present in more recent versions of Word? If so, it
might be worth putting a fix for this on a list of low-priority
nice-to-haves. It just isn't what the user would expect, although it isn't a
serious problem, either.

 

[TF]

When you change the location (using Tools, Options, File Locations tab), are
you remembering to close Word and make sure that you save the changes to
normal.dot on exit?



: Yes, I know it's old and crumbly, but we still have it.
:
: I just noticed that if I'm editing a document with autorecovery on, and
: after a while I change the autorecover file location option, Word still
uses
: the original location.
:
: That continues until I open another document (new or old). Then it
switches
: to the new location for both. Or if I close and reopen my first document.
:
: Is this behavior also present in more recent versions of Word? If so, it
: might be worth putting a fix for this on a list of low-priority
: nice-to-haves. It just isn't what the user would expect, although it
isn't a
: serious problem, either.

 

[vklrc]

Thanks for the thought...

Actually, it doesn't require closing Word and saving normal.dot. Word
"notices" the change as soon as you open another document (like, by clicking
on the New Document tool button). Most Word options take effect immediately,
at least in the instance you have opened.

Like I said, it isn't a serious problem, just an internal inconsistency
which I, as a compulsive person, find annoying.

 

[TF]

But it doesn't remember them until the changes are saved to normal.dot. Once
it is saved to normal.dot, it should be indelibly imprinted in its core and
won't change again.

Terry

: Thanks for the thought...
:
: Actually, it doesn't require closing Word and saving normal.dot. Word
: "notices" the change as soon as you open another document (like, by
clicking
: on the New Document tool button). Most Word options take effect
immediately,
: at least in the instance you have opened.
:
: Like I said, it isn't a serious problem, just an internal inconsistency
: which I, as a compulsive person, find annoying.
:
:
: "TF" wrote:
:
: > When you change the location (using Tools, Options, File Locations tab),
are
: > you remembering to close Word and make sure that you save the changes to
: > normal.dot on exit?
: >
: > --
: > Terry Farrell - Word MVP
:
: >
: > : > : Yes, I know it's old and crumbly, but we still have it.
: > :
: > : I just noticed that if I'm editing a document with autorecovery on,
and
: > : after a while I change the autorecover file location option, Word
still
: > uses
: > : the original location.
: > :
: > : That continues until I open another document (new or old). Then it
: > switches
: > : to the new location for both. Or if I close and reopen my first
document.
: > :
: > : Is this behavior also present in more recent versions of Word? If so,
it
: > : might be worth putting a fix for this on a list of low-priority
: > : nice-to-haves. It just isn't what the user would expect, although it
: > isn't a
: > : serious problem, either.
: >
: >
: >

 

[vklrc]

Yep, that's true.

Not to go around in circles, but it was the behavior of Word _before_ saving
normal.dot that I was talking about.

I realize that if I opened another _instance_ of Word before saving
normal.dot, the changes would not show up in the second instance.

But they don't show up in the first instance, either -- except they do
after, say, you click the New Document button. And I don't think that causes
normal.dot to get saved.

Let me repeat, though: This is not a serious problem, just something I
noticed.

Thanks for your attention, though.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Options settings are not stored in Normal.dot, anyway, but in the Registry.
The principle is the same, though; I suspect they're not permanently written
to the Registry till you close Word. I suspect it would cause problems,
actually, if Word switched AutoRecover paths for a single document in
midstream. If you are really concerned about this inconsistency, save and
close the document after changing the path, then reopen it.

 

[Beth Melton]

I've never encountered Word 97, or any version, switching my
AutoRecover file location. I'd say the reason Word is unable to
maintain the AutoRecover location is due to how this information is
stored and how it was programmed. IOW, this isn't something that needs
'fixed' - it's how is was designed to operate.

The location of the AutoRecover folder is stored in the Registry. In
Word 97, when an AutoRecover save is preformed the location of the
save and file name is stored in the document. Also, Word 'knows' an
AutoRecover save file was created so it will replace/update the
document at the next save interval instead of attempting to create a
new AutoRecover file using the same file name which would result in an
error.

So...with the above in mind, if you are switching the AutoRecover
location after an AutoRecover save document is created then Word
recognizes it's already preformed an AutoRecover save, since the
location has been changed it can not file the original file to
update/replace it on the next save so as a 'fail safe' it defaults to
the same folder as the document and creates the file.

I can't seem to follow why you are modifying the AutoRecover file
location 'after awhile'. I'm wondering if perhaps you are using
AutoRecover as more of a means of backup rather than 'for emergency
use only'??

You should pick a location for AutoRecover files and stick with it.
Otherwise AutoRecover may not work correctly when you need it. Here's
how an AutoRecover file it works for Word 97 (it changed slightly for
other versions):

Word creates a duplicate of the document but uses an *.asd file
extension in your AutoRecover folder. The location of this folder is
stored in the Registry under
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Word\Options.

If you close the document the AutoRecover file is automatically
deleted. In the event Word should crash, any open documents with
AutoRecover files are not deleted.

Each time Word starts it checks the AutoRecover file location and if
any *.asd files are found it will automatically open them so you can
recover your work.

They changed the AutoRecover behavior due to PII concerns, since the
AutoRecover save locations were saved with the document, and now this
information is stored in the Registry. But this data is used only so
Word can locate the original file if you opt to recover the document.

So I'd say you will encounter the same issues regardless of the
version you are using and if you are continuously modifying your
AutoRecover file location then Word will not 'find' your AutoRecover
files if needed. Granted you can manually locate them but that wasn't
how the programmers envisioned the feature to work.

Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for
assistance by email can not be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word
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