SYMPTOMS
This article contains guidelines you can use to troubleshoot the following
file locking behaviors that may occur when you open a master document or
its subdocuments in Word.
Scenario 1: Master Document Opened as Read-Only
When you open a master document and then try to unlock or open a
subdocument, Word opens the file as read-only or the following error
message is displayed:
<Filename> is being used by <user name>. Do you want to make a copy?
Scenario 2: "Different Type of Protection..." Error Message
When you attempt to unlock a subdocument, the following error message is
displayed and Word does not unlock the subdocument:
The operation cannot be completed because the subdocument has a
different type of protection from the master document. Make the
protection the same for the master document and the subdocuments.
Scenario 3: "Unlocked Document Already Exists..." Error Message
When you attempt to unlock a subdocument, you receive the following error
message and Word does not unlock the document:
An unlocked subdocument already exists in another master document.
SCENARIO 1: MASTER DOCUMENT OPENS AS READ-ONLY
Cause 1
Over a network, another user has the master document open for editing.
Normal network file locking applies in this situation. When you attempt to
open the file over a network, you will receive the following error message:
<Filename> is being used by <user name>. Do you want to make a copy?
When you click OK, it will open the master document as read-only. It may
not indicate that the file is read-only; however, if you make a change to
the master document and try to save it, the following message will appear:
This file is in use by another application or user.
When you click OK, the Save As (Word 97) or Save Current Document As
(Word 98 Macintosh Edition) dialog box will appear where you could save
the file out as a different name or just press Cancel to make no
changes.
If you try to make a change to a subdocument, you will note that the
subdocuments will be locked. When you click into one of the subdocuments
and then click the Lock Document button on the Master Document toolbar, the
following message will appear:
The file cannot be opened with write privileges.
If you try to make a change to a subdocument, you will note that the
subdocuments will be locked. When you click into one of the
subdocuments and then click the Lock Document button on the Master
Document toolbar, one of the following will occur depending on the
version of Word:
Word 97 for Windows:
The following message will appear:
The file cannot be opened with write privileges.
Clicking OK will take you back to the master document. You will not be
able to open the subdocument.
Word 98 Macintosh Edition:
The subdocuments are expanded and it unlocks the documents. You can
open the subdocuments, make changes to them, save the changes, close
the subdocument, and then close the master document without saving any
changes and the changes to the subdocuments will be retained.
WORKAROUND
Over a network, the other user must close the master document before you
can open it as read-write.
Cause 2
If you are not the author of the master document, Word opens the document
as read-only. You are not the author if the Author field does not match the
Name field.
Use either of the following workarounds. The first one will temporarily
unlock the master document; the second one will permanently unlock the
master document.
Workaround 1:
If you are not the author of the master document, you must first unlock the
master document before you can edit it. To unlock a master document,
position the insertion point in the master document and click the Lock
Document button on the Master Document toolbar.
This will enable you to make changes to the master document and then to
save the master document. Keep in mind that the subdocuments may still be
locked. See scenario 1 for information about subdocuments being locked.
The next time you open the master document, it will be read-only again.
Workaround 2:
To prevent the master document from being opened as read-only, in the
master document, change the Name field so it matches the Author field. When
you close and then reopen the master document, Word opens it as read-write.
To locate the Name and Author fields, use the procedure below that is
appropriate for your version of Word.
Word 97 for Windows
- To locate the Name field, click Options on the Tools menu, and
then click the User Information tab.
- To locate the Author field, click Properties on the File menu and
then click the Summary tab.
Word 98 Macintosh Edition
- To locate the Author field, click Properties on the File menu, and
then click the Summary tab.
- To locate the Name field, click Preferences on the Tools menu, and
then click the User Information tab.
SCENARIO 2: "DIFFERENT TYPE OF PROTECTION..." ERROR MESSAGE
Message
The operation cannot be completed because the subdocument has a different
type of protection from the master document. Make the protection the same
for the master document and the subdocuments.
Cause
You tried to unlock a subdocument whose document protection type is
different from that of the master document. This error occurs if any of the
following documentation protection combinations exist:
- The master document is unprotected and the subdocument is protected for
Tracked Changes, Comments, or Forms.
-or-
- Tracked Changes while editing is turned on in either the subdocument or
the master document (not both).
-or-
- Both the subdocument and master document are protected, but each one is
protected for a different type, such as Tracked Changes, Comments, or
Forms.
Workaround
Change or remove the document protection in the master document and open
the subdocument by itself and change or remove the document protection so
the protection type matches that of the master document. To change the
document protection, follow these steps:
- On the Tools menu, click Protect Document.
- Select whichever of the following protection types matches that of the
master document:
Tracked Changes
Comments
Forms
- Click OK.
SCENARIO 3: "UNLOCKED DOCUMENT ALREADY EXISTS..." ERROR MESSAGE
Message
An unlocked subdocument already exists in another master document.
Cause
You inserted a subdocument twice in the same master document.
The subdocument you want to unlock is already unlocked in another open
master document.
Workaround
A subdocument can be unlocked in only one master document at a time, so you
must do one or both of the following before you can unlock your
subdocument:
- Close the other master document.
-or-
- If the subdocument is inserted twice in the current master document,
lock both instances of the subdocument, and then unlock the one you want
to edit or simply delete the unlocked version of the subdocument.