WD97: Document Opened as Text Only If Already Open (160347)

SYMPTOMS

When you open a Word 97 document in Word 6.0 or 7.0 and the Word 97 document is currently open, the document opens as text only. The problem occurs even when the Word 97 converter is installed correctly.

Note that when you open a document that is currently open, Word prompts you to make a copy of the document. If you choose OK, when either of the following conditions is true, the document contains garbled characters:

The Confirm Conversions option is not selected.

-or-
The Confirm Conversions option is selected, and you open the document using the default (Text Only) converter in the Confirm Conversions dialog box.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, use the appropriate method:

Method 1: Use the Word 97 Converter

On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the General tab.
Click to select the Confirm Conversion At Open check box, and then click OK.
On the File menu, click Open, and then select the file you want. Click OK.
In the Confirm Conversions dialog box, select the Word 97 converter, and then click OK.

Method 2: Close the Document in Word 97

Close the document in Word 97 before you open it in Word 6.0 or 7.0.

For additional information about installing the Microsoft Word 97 converter, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

157091 WD97: How to Import Documents into an Earlier Version of Word

MORE INFORMATION

When you attempt to open a document that is already open, Word displays the following message:

<document name> is being used by <user name>. Do you want to make a copy?

When you click OK, Word 6.0 or 7.0 incorrectly selects the Text Only converter instead of the Word 97 converter.