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Mac Forum / Applications / Word / June 2008PROBLEM: 12.1 version of Word 2008 will not open WinWord .doc files?
I have a folder of word documents -- all of these opened on Office 2008 with the 12.0.1 patch. I updated my Office 2008 with the manual 12.1 download. Now, only *some* of the documents will open when double-clicked. There's a finder action that makes it look like it's opening, but it doesn't. A "File --> Open" works to open the documents. I can "save as" the document and just rename it and it works to open the "save as" document. I passed some of these files on to a colleague in another department and he couldn't double-click open the files, either. It's *possible* these documents that aren't opening were created on some version of WinWord (I'd have to track this down as to what version if that's the problem. Anybody else seeing this? - Steve Hi Steve - Have you tried Control/Right-clicking one of the files in Finder & using Open With, then specifying Word 2008? If that works, use Get Info to set Word 2008 as the associated program for all files of that type. Also, if you didn't run Disk Utility - Repair Disk Permissions after applying the update do that first, restart your Mac... you may not have to change the association.  SignatureHTH |:>) Bob Jones [MVP] Office:Mac >I have a folder of word documents -- all of these opened on Office 2008 > with the 12.0.1 patch. [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > > - Steve > Hi Steve - > > Have you tried Control/Right-clicking one of the files in Finder & using > Open With, then specifying Word 2008? Does not matter. I had a coworker create a one word .doc file in Office 2007 and e-mail it to me (zipped). When I unzipped it, if I double-click on it, Word 2008 12.1 will launch and show me the "Project Gallery" -- just as if I had double-clicked on the program icon only. (Assuming Word wasn't running -- if it was running, the focus *changes to Word*, but the document doesn't open. > If that works, use Get Info to set Word 2008 as the associated program for > all files of that type. It's not that issue. The association *is* there. I can double-click/open other .doc and .docx files that I've created with Office 2004/2008. it's something about some flag in the Windows creation that is now not letting Office 2008 12.1 open the document. > Also, if you didn't run Disk Utility - Repair Disk Permissions after > applying the update do that first, restart your Mac... you may not have to > change the association. Didn't help. Tried this. I've had two other admins from other departments reproduce this on their machines now, too. If you want to shoot me an e-mail, I'll be happy to send you a couple of attachments back showing you this problem. MS should pull this update back for a couple of days to fix this... - Steve It looks like the docs that won't open - Word and Excel (and likely PPT too) are those that came from PCs. If you get info on one that won't open, it has a generic icon. If you get info, select the new Excel app, and then check "change all" it seems to make it work. Also, I reset my launchservices database. What a mess. Does anyone beta test???? Scott On 5/14/08 2:06 PM 5/14/08, in article 140520081706187560%maser@umich.edu, >> Hi Steve - >> [quoted text clipped - 32 lines] > > - Steve Yes. I have been beta-testing the 12.1.0 patch here for the past month. Office 2007 files open just fine on a double-click on this MacBook. So do .docx files created in Word 2003 on the PC. So please provide as much detail as you can, and we will try to help you track the issue down. However: Apparently some users are getting strange results if the file extensions are wrong. Mac OS X does not recognise some of the file types if there is no extension, or if the extension is incorrect. Cheers On 15/05/08 7:30 AM, in article C450AEF5.15B6E%scott.boettcher@umusic.com, > It looks like the docs that won't open - Word and Excel (and likely PPT too) > are those that came from PCs. [quoted text clipped - 46 lines] >> >> - Steve SignatureDon't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/ Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to. John McGhie, Microsoft MVP, Word and Word:Mac Nhulunbuy, NT, Australia. mailto:john@mcghie.name > Yes. I have been beta-testing the 12.1.0 patch here for the past month. > Office 2007 files open just fine on a double-click on this MacBook. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Cheers I'm not sure how else to give more detail: Started with Office 12.0 on a Powerbook G4 running 10.5.2. Had installed the AutoUpdate update and then the 12.0.1 update (via autoupdate) when they were released. I have some documents that were created on Vista SP1 with Word 2007 (with SP1 and all current patches). I have both .doc and .docx files. These documents will open when I double-click on them. I then (last night) let this laptop update via autoupdate to the 12.1 patch. I rebooted after the patch installed. double-clicking on the documents *will launch Word* -- but will not open the documents (the Project Gallery comes up.) I have other documents that were created on the Mac that *will open* fine. It's really that simple. - Steve > Yes. I have been beta-testing the 12.1.0 patch here for the past month. > Office 2007 files open just fine on a double-click on this MacBook. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > extensions are wrong. Mac OS X does not recognise some of the file types if > there is no extension, or if the extension is incorrect. So it was tested for Windows-created files... The plot thickens! Al the PC files are Office 2003/2003 SP1. It's not us, MS - it's something with your software. Scott On 5/15/08 6:11 AM 5/15/08, in article copespaz-C5FF84.09114415052008@sn-radius.vsrv-sjc.supernews.net, "MC" <copespaz@mapca.inter.net> wrote: >> Yes. I have been beta-testing the 12.1.0 patch here for the past month. >> Office 2007 files open just fine on a double-click on this MacBook. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > So it was tested for Windows-created files... The plot thickens! I'm not sure what to tell you, Steve. I'd be happy to take a look but just FYI: I have 2007 running in Fusion on my MBP. Just launched it, created a Word 97-2003 (.doc) file & dragged it to my Mac's desktop. When I double-clicked it Word 2008 (12.1.0) launched & opened the file in [Compatibility Mode] as expected. That suggests that there's something specific to your situation. Fire a couple off to: typegeneraltaz1ATcomcastdotnet Remove the word "type" & substitute the appropriate symbols for AT & dot SignatureRegards |:>) Bob Jones [MVP] Office:Mac >> Hi Steve - >> [quoted text clipped - 34 lines] > > - Steve I'm having the same problem. Before the update I didn't have any problems, and now that I've updated, I cannot open .doc files that were created on Windows computers. Word itself opens, but it creates a blank document--which doesn't really do me any good. I don't think I should have to attempt fifty different workarounds (though i have) in order to open a simple file-- it should just work. In case you need to know, I am running a macbook w/ the leopard os. > Hi Steve - > [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > > > > - Steve > I don't think I should have to attempt fifty > different workarounds Try one: File/Open. If desired, make a minor edit. Delete the edits. Save. Done. > > I don't think I should have to attempt fifty > > different workarounds [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Done. Your 1500 users clearly don't have thousands of documents extremely deep within subfolder upon subfolder upon subfolder -- on multiple server volumes, etc. You must not work in a higher-ed environment where you have faculty with documents going back decades, etc... It would be *less of a problem* if a user could drag-and-drop the document on the Office application in the dock. But that's not even an option. - Steve > Your 1500 users clearly don't have thousands of documents extremely > deep within subfolder upon subfolder upon subfolder -- on multiple > server volumes, etc. You must not work in a higher-ed environment > where you have faculty with documents going back decades, etc... K-12 to doctoral programs... And yes, rat's nests of subfolders on dozens of servers. Spotlight is their friend... and it works within File/Open! Most users haven't been using XL or Word since 1984/5 (90% of the students weren't even born then), but many have documents going back to the early 90's at least. OTOH, they don't *use* those documents very frequently. In any case, go back much before 1988 and NO version of Word or XL can open the 1.x docs, so it doesn't matter a bit. But, as has been previously mentioned, that's largely irrelevant. Since the third-party bug affects NEW documents that they touch, most of the times we've seen the problem have not been with pre-Office98 docs.. > It would be *less of a problem* if a user could drag-and-drop the > document on the Office application in the dock. But that's not even > an option. Of course not! That's using the same OS X Launch Services path as double-clicking... > In article , > > FWIW, we also have regularly told them that they should, if they plan to > work on a document, save it first and work off the saved copy. That's > far more stable than editing docs in a temporary directory, and just > good practice. Don't know anyone who works like this. Open the attachment document with a double click, review the contents and then discard or file in the appropriate place is the way almost everyone I know works. > Or, as has been stated many times, they didn't realize that third-party > applications were applying type codes that hasn't been applied by an MS > app during this century, and which in 99% of cases is *incorrect*. > > It's a BUG, but in the third-party apps! You keep saying this but if they didnt know they didnt test it. > And FWIW, the WDBN file type has been deprecated since Office 98 when > the new type came out. Support for deprecated features are often carried > along by software developers for a version (or several), but in general, > removal of support for deprecated items is not typically announced in a > release note. Disagree, if you are introducing incompatibility and usability issues then it should be flagged up to prospective users. By the way how do you explain that when I double click a Word email attachment the focus is passed from the email client to Word which simply sits there with an empty document and does nothing? Based on previous explanations Word should not be advertising its handling of WDBN file types and therefore focus should not be passed to it - or am I missing something? > > I have gone back to 12.0.1 and will not upgrade until > > this is fixed. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > They'd rather be more productive than petulant. I'm not being petulant, but for me this undocumented, unannounced change in behaviour constitutes the biggest problem with SP1 and far outweighs any bug fixes I get in return. I work for a computer services company and my users are definitely not as compliant as yours seem to be, and neither am I. > Don't know anyone who works like this. Open the attachment document with a > double click, review the contents and then discard or file in the appropriate > place is the way almost everyone I know works. Probably 98% of our users do to. But since they've been told the proper procedure, they evidently try saving and opening when something doesn't work. I can only infer from what we're seeing (or not seeing)... > You keep saying this but if they didnt know they didnt test it. It's apparently true that they didn't test what file types Eudora assigns to Office documents. They also probably didn't test whether Eudora did anything else to their files - that's Eudora developers' responsibility. Same for FireFox. I doubt they tested Fetch, InterArchy, Newswatcher, Transmit, MacSoup, etc., for what file type those apps assign, either (though they may add that to the protocol). Why would they - they've published the specifications for 10 years now. Granted, when enough users are screwed by a third party, sometimes the only thing to do is come up with a workaround. I don't know if that can or will be done in this case. > By the way how do you explain that Other posts in these threads have addressed this better than I could. > I'm not being petulant, but for me this undocumented, unannounced change in > behaviour constitutes the biggest problem with SP1 and far outweighs any bug > fixes I get in return. OK. If your users don't get the value, there's no need to roll out the SP. It just seems like you're focusing on "undocumented, unannounced" part - which has nothing to do with the problem itself. Did your users really read the release documents? If so, they're more far more compliant than you imply below. If not, you're making a distinction without a difference. True, if it had been discovered before release you might have been able to address it in advance - but you can do that now. > I work for a computer services company and my users are definitely > not as compliant as yours seem to be, and neither am I. I won't say my clients are *happy*, but at least for now, they're far happier being able to use the Office features that were fixed. > I doubt they tested Fetch, InterArchy, Newswatcher, Transmit, MacSoup, > etc., I just tested roudn-tripping a file through Interarchy and the fule type and creator are simply stripped. :-) Corentin Signature--- Mac:MS MVP http://www.cortig.net/wordpress/ --- http://www.mvps.org - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com MVPs are not MS employees - Les MVP ne travaillent pas pour MS Remove "NoSpam" to e-mail me - Retirez "NoSpam" pour m'écrire That's the proper method for Interarchy. PC's send files with the extension to a FTP server. And if Mac users have use extension turned on when they save documents they should to. FTP goes strictly by extension only. >> I doubt they tested Fetch, InterArchy, Newswatcher, Transmit, MacSoup, >> etc., [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Corentin Signature------------------------------------------------------------------------ Phillip M. Jones, CET |LIFE MEMBER: VPEA ETA-I, NESDA, ISCET, Sterling 616 Liberty Street |Who's Who. PHONE:276-632-5045, FAX:276-632-0868 Martinsville Va 24112 |pjones@kimbanet.com, ICQ11269732, AIM pjonescet ------------------------------------------------------------------------ If it's "fixed", don't "break it"! mailto:pjones@kimbanet.com <http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/default.htm> <http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/90th_Birthday/index.htm> <http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Fulcher/default.html> <http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Harris/default.htm> <http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Jones/default.htm> <http://www.vpea.org> Hi Steve, me too. Same Thing! But, on mine it is documents that I have created with office 2008 word. It acts as though it will open it into word, but ceases the operation. I go on to do the open with feature and then associate all .doc files to open in word... same thing. I am trying the recommended repair permissions now to see if this does the trick. FYI. compliance doctor > I have a folder of word documents -- all of these opened on Office 2008 > with the 12.0.1 patch. [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > > - Steve If your problem is happening with documents created in Word 2008 in .docx format, you do not have THIS problem (the one in this thread). Post a new question and let's analyse your specific problem :-) On 25/05/08 4:43 PM, in article ee9b714.124@webcrossing.caR9absDaxw, "compliancedoctor@officeformac.com" <compliancedoctor@officeformac.com> wrote: > Hi Steve, me too. Same Thing! But, on mine it is documents that I have created > with office 2008 word. It acts as though it will open it into word, but ceases [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] >> >> - Steve SignatureDon't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/ Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to. John McGhie, Microsoft MVP, Word and Word:Mac Sydney, Australia. mailto:john@mcghie.name > I doubt they tested Fetch, InterArchy, Newswatcher, Transmit, MacSoup, > etc., for what file type those apps assign, either (though they may add > that to the protocol). Why would they - they've published the > specifications for 10 years now. Firefox 2.x? Thunderbird 2.x? Why weren't those tested? They aren't "old" by any means... (And I realize, "you don't know" is an acceptable answer) Fetch 5.3 blanks things out, btw. Even non-blanked files uploaded and then downloaded.. So what *is* right? "blank" file types? "current" file types (with no guarantee that the same thing won't happen with Office 15 8 years down the road?) Really -- the continued silence from the MacBU on this is troublesome. - Steve > (And I realize, "you don't know" is an acceptable answer) And that's the only one I can give... > Really -- the continued silence from the MacBU on this is troublesome. I couldn't agree more. > But, as has been previously mentioned, that's largely irrelevant. Since > the third-party bug affects NEW documents that they touch, most of the > times we've seen the problem have not been with pre-Office98 docs.. I beg to offer up my scenario which is clearly different from yours.. If you've been using one of the "third-party" applications since the pre-Office 98 days (and Eudora has been around for about a decade now, I think, and was -- at one point -- considered one of the "premiere" Mac E-mail programs...) You'd likely have a significant number of files received via e-mail (flaged as "Microsoft Word 1.x-5.x document" files) -- those have type WDBN and Creator MSWD. I also have Word document files (openable by Word 12.1) that have type: "W6BN" (a Word 6.0/95 document) with creator MSWD and no extension. Were these e-mailed to me 8 years ago? Probably... For all I know, they came on floppy disk... And those can be opened by "File --> Open" -- so they are valid word files according to 12.1, but not double-clickable. And that's just on *my* computer where I have no documents later than 1997 (my home computer probably does...) This isn't touching the faculty computers that their documents have been moved from computer-to-computer from even longer than that... - Steve > I beg to offer up my scenario which is clearly different from yours.. "Irrelevant" was a bad choice of words. My intended point was only that since the user has no control over how documents are touched before they get to his or her machine, even if one were to do a painless and error-free batch conversion of all your old doc types, and strictly eschew the offending applications, the problem would still exist. The message to which you attached your reply goes back to the very beginning of this [exhaustive] thread, which has also become fragmented. In the messages posted since you'll find that you can, in deed, open the files and that there are no "workarounds" involved... Take a look at JE's reply to your message & you'll find that the only "workaround" involved is little more than to open the file using the most fundamental & basic technique for doing so. Further, it has nothing to do with Windows computers specifically. It's a matter of how the file has been handled by certain types of software which have decoded the attachments inappropriately and could have occurred anytime during the life of the file. Regards |:>) Bob Jones [MVP] Office:Mac On 5/19/08 1:27 PM, in article C74BA38F-A9DC-4BE4-97AB-DD568342F983@microsoft.com, "sb on mac" <sb on mac@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote: > I'm having the same problem. Before the update I didn't have any problems, > and now that I've updated, I cannot open .doc files that were created on [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] >>> >>> - Steve > I have a folder of word documents -- all of these opened on Office 2008 > with the 12.0.1 patch. [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > Anybody else seeing this? Yes I'm seeing exactly the same problems on some Word files since the upgrade to 12.1. If I double-click a file or use 'open with' Word opens a new blank document called 'Document 1'. I can open the file from within word file an open dialog. This makes it easier to open Word files using OpenOffice 3.0 than Microsoft's own product. On the the other hand my problems with Excel 2008 have been solved by someone with a microsoft.com email address so I'm happy that one door has opened as another closes. SignatureCheers, Steve The reply-to email address is a spam trap. Email steve 'at' shodgson 'dot' org 'dot' uk It looks like the docs that won't open - Word and Excel (and likely PPT too) are those that came from PCs. If you get info on one that won't open, it has a generic icon. If you get info, select the new Excel app, and then check "change all" it seems to make it work. Also, I reset my launchservices database. What a mess. Does anyone beta test???? Scott On 5/14/08 2:42 PM 5/14/08, in article 6914moF2v7i0dU1@mid.individual.net, >> I have a folder of word documents -- all of these opened on Office 2008 >> with the 12.0.1 patch. [quoted text clipped - 32 lines] > someone with a microsoft.com email address so I'm happy that one door > has opened as another closes. > It looks like the docs that won't open - Word and Excel (and likely PPT too) > are those that came from PCs. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > What a mess. > Does anyone beta test???? You'd think that at the very least someone would have beta tested *this*! I have the same issue. When I double click a file, Word comes to the forefront. And nothing else happens. If Word isn't running, Word will launch, but only creates a blank, as though I've launched Word from the dock. I've repaired permissions, rebuilt launch services, re-associated file types, the only thing that worked was to use File>Open. After doing a "Save As..." or just a "Save" the file will then open properly when double clicked It also stops Applescript from opening these files in Word. Will > I've repaired permissions, rebuilt launch services, re-associated file types, the only thing that worked was to use File>Open. After doing a "Save As..." or just a "Save" the file will then open properly when double clicked > Did you also check whether dragging the file and dropping it on the Word icon in the doc worked? > > I've repaired permissions, rebuilt launch services, re-associated file > > types, the only thing that worked was to use File>Open. After doing a "Save [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Did you also check whether dragging the file and dropping it on the Word > icon in the doc worked? I just tried this. Doing this just changes the focus to Word -- but no document (not even a blank document) opens. a number of people on macfixit.com are reporting the same issue with no obvious fix. Yet, I have another admin here who is *not* seeing the problem (like the MVPs apparently aren't...) Those of us who are seeing the problem are not running the same "load" of 10.5.2 -- we're all different. And, I did *not* see this on my 10.4.11-running G5 that I just auto-updated. That worked as expected. Are you MVPs who are not seeing the problem running under 10.4 or 10.5? - Steve I'm also having this issue. Double click, right click -> open with, drag and drop on Word icon all do not work with most documents. The same applies to Excel. I have not tried Power Point. All of the effected document have been sent to me from various sources. The documents that do work all appear to have been saved by me at least once. I can provide example documents that don't work, and a 'saved' version of the same document that does work. Word / Excel versions 12.1.0 (080409). Mac OS X 10.5.2 This has only been an issue since sp1 was installed. > I'm also having this issue. > Double click, right click -> open with, drag and drop on Word icon all do not [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > Mac OS X 10.5.2 > This has only been an issue since sp1 was installed. Out of curiousity - are those that are seeing this only seeing it in documents that were e-mailed to you? Looking more in depth here -- I have documents going back as far as 2003 (which would have been moved from computer to computer in the past 5 years) that are not opening. Both Excel and Word documents. But these were definitely e-mailed to me as attachments. If I go over to my co-workers PC and grab a file on a USB flash drive -- I *can* open those files. But if he e-mails them to me, I can not. - Steve > In article , > wrote: [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > > - Steve You are correct. Any word docs that I have been emailed, and have not been modified, I can not open by double clicking. Docs that have been copied over the network open fine. All of the test documents I have are originally from a Windows version or Word. I have not yet tested a Mac created version yet. Cheers, Jason Can someone test emailing yourself some docs created on the Mac (state which version), and see if the problem occurs? Does emailing yourself break docs that currently behave? What happens with new docs emailed to self? Difference between .doc and .docx files? And since emailing appear to be implicated, please state which email program you are using. Also, everyone, please note the OS version that is showing this problem for you. Be exact, not just 10.5 but 10.5.1 or 10.5.2? The first step in getting a problem fixed is figuring out what conditions allow it to happen to some and not others. > You are correct. Any word docs that I have been emailed, and have not been modified, I can not open by double clicking. Docs that have been copied over the network open fine. > All of the test documents I have are originally from a Windows version or Word. I have not yet tested a Mac created version yet. > > Cheers, > Jason Emailing myself is fine Entourage/Mail.app. I'm running another version of Leopard, but that's all I can say. It's still present. All the docs on my Mac(s) that caused the issue are PC-generated or PC-altered/saved. See this I posted on MacFixit: I have received messages that this has fixed for others as well...so, why is this happening? It only happened after applying 12.1.0. OK, it seems that people will not read all the threads, so try this one - it has worked on the Macs that had this issue for me... Rebuild the launchservices database - a number of free utilities do this, I prefer "OnyX" Now after doing that and logging out/in (or reboot, but not needed) you need to find a doc of each Office type (.doc, .xls, .ppt) that won't open. It appears as though the ones causing troubles are generated (or changed/saved) by Office on the PC (don't know if it's a certain version or not) Get Info on the file that won't open and associate it to Excel 2008 on your Mac. I noticed the icon was off on the ones not working. Before closing, select "Change all" Now, all of the Office docs open on my Mac(s) but this is not something I plan on doing on the machines I support so I will not roll out this version until MS fixes this. Please post on the MS Mac newsgroups or send them an email - they need pressure to get this fixed. Scott On 5/15/08 9:09 AM 5/15/08, in article urbGQYqtIHA.3968@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl, "Daiya Mitchell" <daiyaNOSPAM@mvps.org.INVALID> wrote: > Can someone test emailing yourself some docs created on the Mac (state > which version), and see if the problem occurs? Does emailing yourself [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] >> Jason >> > Emailing myself is fine Entourage/Mail.app. > I'm running another version of Leopard, but that's all I can say. > It's still present. > All the docs on my Mac(s) that caused the issue are PC-generated or > PC-altered/saved. Scott, did you also download those problem docs through Entourage/Mail, or through a web mail access? Do you know? Thanks for the specific fix instructions. Daiya > * > See this I posted on MacFixit: I have received messages that this has [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > Scott > / Have not tried webmail - but I will now. I have confirmed with another Apple seed tester that attachments emailed from a PC are not working. I don't know his specifics yet. Scott On 5/15/08 11:08 AM 5/15/08, in article eh2BpartIHA.4952@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl, "Daiya Mitchell" <daiyaNOSPAM@mvps.org.INVALID> wrote: >> Emailing myself is fine Entourage/Mail.app. >> I'm running another version of Leopard, but that's all I can say. [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] >> Scott >> / Another thing - apparently, some files emailed get a ".dot" extension added after the .doc - which might explain why it opens the app, but not the file. Scott On 5/15/08 11:08 AM 5/15/08, in article eh2BpartIHA.4952@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl, "Daiya Mitchell" <daiyaNOSPAM@mvps.org.INVALID> wrote: >> Emailing myself is fine Entourage/Mail.app. >> I'm running another version of Leopard, but that's all I can say. [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] >> Scott >> / I installed the 12.1 update and cannot get any office 08 apps to open. each time I launch an app the setup assistant opens...can't get around it. trashed many .plist prefs. any solution? Thx. dkstudio > Another thing - apparently, some files emailed get a ".dot" extension added > after the .doc - which might explain why it opens the app, but not the file. In my case they all have ".doc" extensions. Charles > In article , Daiya Mitchell > wrote: [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > > - Steve Steve, I think you are on to something here. The above thread talks about UTIs, Universal Type Indicators, which Leopard uses for application launch. The issue in the thread above related to a 'mismatch' in mimetype treatment between Leopard and Office resulting in Word documents having a .dot extension appended. The problem most people seem to be having with Office 2008 SP1 is with emailed attachments which will have a MIME envelope. When an attachment is opened or saved this information will be used to determine the file type and application to load. The target application will take action based on the information in it's info.plist file. Could it be that we have two related problems here, firstly email attachments either open or don't based on how the MIME envelope is handled by your particular mail program and how that affects the action taken based on the data in the info.plist file of the target application, secondly for stored files launched from the Finder, again the data in the info.plist file conflicts/is mis handled by Leopard causing the target application to load but then passing incorrect settings so that the application cannot load the document. The above probably has many technical inaccuracies but based on what I've read it looks like a plausible theory. > Another thing - apparently, some files emailed get a ".dot" extension added > after the .doc - which might explain why it opens the app, but not the file. > Uh, that's actually a different bug, I think limited to some conflict with Safari, which adds that on downloading. I thought I've seen conflicting reports on whether 12.0.1 fixed that or not. Deleting the .dot is the workaround. > > Another thing - apparently, some files emailed get a ".dot" extension added > > after the .doc - which might explain why it opens the app, but not the file. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > conflicting reports on whether 12.0.1 fixed that or not. Deleting the > .dot is the workaround. "different"? Or "related"? Might be worth asking if people seeing the double-click problem are having the .dot problem. I'm having both... - Steve Different - and there's no rule that states that you can't in deed have *both*:-) Regards |:>) Bob Jones [MVP] Office:Mac On 5/16/08 10:04 AM, in article 160520081004300179%maser@umich.edu, "Steve Maser" <maser@umich.edu> wrote: >>> Another thing - apparently, some files emailed get a ".dot" extension added >>> after the .doc - which might explain why it opens the app, but not the file. [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > - Steve > "different"? Or "related"? > > Might be worth asking if people seeing the double-click problem are > having the .dot problem. I haven't yet seen anyone using Safari and having the double-click problem. Can I ask you what browser and e-mail client you are using Steve?? Corentin Signature--- Mac:MS MVP http://www.cortig.net/wordpress/ --- http://www.mvps.org - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com MVPs are not MS employees - Les MVP ne travaillent pas pour MS Remove "NoSpam" to e-mail me - Retirez "NoSpam" pour m'écrire > > "different"? Or "related"? > > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Corentin Web browser -- Safari 3.1.1 E-mail program -- Eudora 6.2.4. I'm not seeing this in Eudora 8 (based on Thunderbird 3.0), but that seems to use a different method of decoding attachments. And if I .zip the attachments to myself and send them along that way, when they are unzipped they open. I'm certainly willing to point the finger at Eudora 6.2.4, based on it's age. However an office update shouldn't render thousands of documents (basically) unopenable. (And other posters have listed other e-mail applications so I don't think it's limited to Eudora -- but the MacBU can certainly test that...) And there is the odd twist to this that Safari 3.1.1/Office 2008 12.1 isn't having either problem under 10.4.11 (at least here.) But -- let's be real -- using "File --> Open" to manage documents is unreasonable these days... Microsoft changed something unexpectedly and it broke everything for many people. They need to fix this. - Steve > In article , > Corentin Cras-M�neur wrote: [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] > - Steve > Steve, 100% agree. Dalya says this thread has outlived its usefulness, completely disagree with that. The thread pointed at for 'useful information' has a worse than useless workaround and then blames other email clients for 'corrupting' Office documents. Why then if I restore to 12.0.1 does everything start to work again? >> Steve, 100% agree. Dalya says this thread has outlived its usefulness, completely disagree with that. The thread pointed at for 'useful information' has a worse than useless workaround and then blames other email clients for 'corrupting' Office documents. Why then if I restore to 12.0.1 does everything start to work again? >> Uh, I just meant that posting new information in this thread is unlikely to help find a solution, because MS has identified the cause of the problem. According to them, the specific browser/client you use to download the document doesn't matter, because the change could have happened anywhere along the doc's lifecycle. So a whole bunch of people posting about which browser they use, or where these files come from, or what makes the problem files different from other files, isn't going to get us anywhere useful. MS is already past that point. You are right that rolling back to 12.0.1 ought to be mentioned as a workaround for this. It would be better, I think, to post other workarounds in clearly marked new threads, rather than burying them in a complex and confusing list of attempts to identify the cause of the problem. > So a whole bunch of people posting about which browser they use, or > where these files come from, or what makes the problem files different > from other files, isn't going to get us anywhere useful. MS is > already past that point. Actually, I'm a little wrong there. It is connected to the browser or email client in use, but the files might have been tweaked at any point in their lifetime. So if you use Safari or Entourage to get a document that has been shared around a whole bunch of people and gone through a bunch of browsers, you might run into the problem even if Safari/Entourage isn't causing it. But, if you know that most of the files you receive are were probably created new by the person sending them, then you might experiment with getting your email in different programs or browsers. For instance, if the same document breaks via webmail access in Firefox but not Safari, then we know it's a conflict between Office and Firefox. Or vice versa. I don't know how useful knowing the exact conflict would be, though. It's be easy enough to switch browsers for webmail access in the future, but using File | Open a lot sounds less inconvenient to me than switching email clients. And it won't help with documents that already exist on your harddrive. (I have no clue whether the software the sender uses to send/upload the document would make a difference.) > Web browser -- Safari 3.1.1 > > E-mail program -- Eudora 6.2.4. Thanks Steve, [...] > But -- let's be real -- using "File --> Open" to manage documents is > unreasonable these days... Can you drag the files to the icon of the application to get them to open?? Corentin Signature--- Mac:MS MVP http://www.cortig.net/wordpress/ --- http://www.mvps.org - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com MVPs are not MS employees - Les MVP ne travaillent pas pour MS Remove "NoSpam" to e-mail me - Retirez "NoSpam" pour m'écrire > > But -- let's be real -- using "File --> Open" to manage documents is > > unreasonable these days... [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Corentin Nope. I wish I could that -- same issue as double-clicking. Focus changes to Word, but doesn't open the document. - Steve <snip> On 5/16/08 10:45 AM, in article 160520081045247131%maser@umich.edu, "Steve Maser" <maser@umich.edu> wrote: > But -- let's be real -- using "File --> Open" to manage documents is > unreasonable these days... You're absolutely right - Command +O is much more efficient... Unless it facilitates your workflow to bring up a Finder window then navigate from there in order to locate a file so you can dbl-click it to get a file open. >Microsoft changed something unexpectedly > and it broke everything for many people. They need to fix this. <snip> Right again - it's all a part of their master plan to get people to stop using Mac Office with the expectation that the demise of MacBU will put the corporation in a position to declare bankruptcy resulting in the undermining of the U.S. economy & paralysis of the nation in order to facilitate their global takeover... The end is near;-) Regards |:>) Bob Jones [MVP] Office:Mac My solution was to use Time Machine to restore my Office 2008 folder from the day before I applied the update. > My solution was to use Time Machine to restore my Office 2008 folder > from the day before I applied the update. Wellll, you shoudl be careful with that. If I quite remember, the update also updates various elements in /Library (though it might not bee too bad, snice they are limited. I believe the fonts get updated for instance). You also end up with a receipt for the package corresponding to 12.1.0 even though you effectively have 12.0.1 installed. Corentin Signature--- Mac:MS MVP http://www.cortig.net/wordpress/ --- http://www.mvps.org - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com MVPs are not MS employees - Les MVP ne travaillent pas pour MS Remove "NoSpam" to e-mail me - Retirez "NoSpam" pour m'écrire > Rebuild the launchservices database - a number of free utilities do this, I > prefer "OnyX" [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > Mac. I noticed the icon was off on the ones not working. > Before closing, select "Change all" I tried this with a Word .doc e-mailed to me this morning from a Windows PC but still the same problem. (I also have the problem with Excel and PowerPoint for Windows files e-mailed to me.) Here is my setup: MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo 2.33 GHz OS X 10.5.2 Office 12.1.0 (080409) Office 2004 (Word 11.4.2 [080415]; Excel 11.4.1 [080219]; PowerPoint 11.3.5 [070411]) Charles Add one more fact, Charles--how do you get your email? Program, web access, or what? How are these files arriving on your computer? > Here is my setup: > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Charles > Add one more fact, Charles--how do you get your email? Program, web > access, or what? How are these files arriving on your computer? I get my e-mail via POP using Eudora 6.2.4 (paid mode). Charles This thread has outlived its usefulness--please see the announcement here: http://www.officeformac.com/ProductForums/Office/1973 > >> Add one more fact, Charles--how do you get your email? Program, web [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Charles > This thread has outlived its usefulness--please see the announcement here: > http://www.officeformac.com/ProductForums/Office/1973 Huh? (I was answering your question.) Charles > >> This thread has outlived its usefulness--please see the announcement here: [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Huh? (I was answering your question.) > Oh, sorry, I wasn't especially replying to you, just to the most recent post on the thread. But my questions, attempting to find the cause of the problem, had become outdated, superseded by the announcement that MS has tracked down most of the cause. Which browser/email client you use might make a difference for new files, but files that have been shared and exchanged around could still trigger the problem even if the brower/email client you use isn't implicated. > Oh, sorry, I wasn't especially replying to you, just to the most recent > post on the thread. I see--I couldn't tell you weren't replying to me because you were replying to my message in which I was answering your question. Charles > Can someone test emailing yourself some docs created on the Mac (state > which version), and see if the problem occurs? Does emailing yourself [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > Also, everyone, please note the OS version that is showing this problem > for you. Be exact, not just 10.5 but 10.5.1 or 10.5.2? Related to this e-mail issue... under 10.5.2... If I e-mail myself a Word document <file.doc> and download it from our *webmail interface* with Safari 3.1.1 -- it's coming down as <file.doc.dot>. The thread below blames Office 2008: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=6549428 I don't know how much of this is interrelated to the problem at hand, but it makes me wonder if it is -- somehow .doc/.xls files *received* are being set incorrectly - Steve I'm seeing exactly the same thing. Documents that I could double click this morning, both Mac and PC created, by me or by others, will not open after the 12.1 update. Double click, drag and drop to the dock, drag and drop to the application in the apps folder, right click and select 'open with', all do the same. Bring the MS app to the front, but do not open the document. File, open does work to open the same documents. Macbook Pro, 10.5.2, Office 12.1.0 (080409) multi volume license (school). Updated with the office update assistant. > I'm also having this issue. > Double click, right click -> open with, drag and drop on Word icon all do not work with most documents. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Mac OS X 10.5.2 > This has only been an issue since sp1 was installed. > I've repaired permissions, rebuilt launch services, re-associated file types, > the only thing that worked was to use File>Open. After doing a "Save As..." > or just a "Save" the file will then open properly when double clicked Assuming that the problem is with files that were created in Windows, I would have thought this would be one the *first* things the programmers would test. Maybe they assumed it would work... Hi Steve, anything more you can say about the difference between the documents that open when double-clicked and the ones that don't? Extensions present? Emailed to you after the SP1 update? Version created in? Person or Persons coming from? Visual icon? Any commonalities you can find among the ones that don't open, not shared by the ones that do, would be very helpful in identifying why SOME documents show this behavior but not others. > I have a folder of word documents -- all of these opened on Office 2008 > with the 12.0.1 patch. [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > > - Steve I booted to cd and ran the disk util, both repair perms and disk. All documents I created now open when I double click. All Excel and PPT files appear to open, mine or others (including Windoze created). Word files created by others still do not open other than with file, open. These all have the .doc ext, from many different people, but I think all windows users (not too many mac users around here). The icons have the correct mini preview display, both ones that work and ones that do not. If I try to double click them open, then go to the file 'get info', it does show the last opened time as when I tried to open it and it did not open. These are files that I have had, and have opened in the past. No other visible differences I can think to check. > Hi Steve, > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > would be very helpful in identifying why SOME documents show this > behavior but not others. Thanks for all these details, Mike--it's pretty much been narrowed down to emailed documents, so now the question is (for everyone seeing this problem, not just Mike)-- how do you get your email and download these problem docs? If through webmail access, what browser? If through POP/IMAP access, what program? Any other relevant details? Exact versions, please, plus exact versions of OS and processor, in case it's Leopard-only or PPC only or somesuch. > I booted to cd and ran the disk util, both repair perms and disk. > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > These all have the .doc ext, from many different people, but I think all > windows users (not too many mac users around here). > <snip> > > No other visible differences I can think to check. > > These are docs that are on my desktop that I've opened before, too. POP3, Thunderbird version 2.0.0.14 (20080421) Webmail, gmail and gaggle (yes, gaggle, not google) MacBookPro, 10.5.2 > Thanks for all these details, Mike--it's pretty much been narrowed down > to emailed documents, so now the question is (for everyone seeing this [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > > > >> Hi. I have just finished running some tests and here is what I have found. It is definitely email related. I have use gmail (web interface), Thunderbird (2.0.0.14) and Mail.app (3.2) for testing. I'm running Mac OS X 10.5.2 on both the Macs ( Al 2.8 iMac and 2.2 2006 MacBook Pro) , Windows XP on the PC. Office 2008 12.1.0 on the iMac, office 2004 on the MacBook pro, and Office 2003 on the PC. All documents are word documents, and all have the .doc extension. All open Word when double clicked and show the Word icon. Any type of direct copying works, Mac to Mac, or Windows to Mac. If I email from a Mac to a Mac using Mail everything works as it should if I use Mail.app. If I send from Mail.app, and receive with either Thunderbird or gmail it works as expected. If I send from gmail on either Mac or Windows., and receive with Mail.app is works, but it does not work if I receive with Thunderbird. Double clicking opens Word but not the file. Comparing the files that do work, with the one that doesn't, the file sizes are slightly different. 19,456 bytes for the non-working version, and 19,742 bytes for the working version. Comparing the actual data, they are identical, byte for byte. I'm thinking that somehow the Finder meta data is missing or the resource fork. Previous versions didn't seem to care, but 12.1.0 appears to. I can provider examples of these files if need be. I have also tried the fix above and several others and they have not worked. Cheers, Jason > Thanks for all these details, Mike--it's pretty much been narrowed down > to emailed documents, so now the question is (for everyone seeing this [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > > No other visible differences I can think to check. > Thanks for all these details, Mike--it's pretty much been narrowed down > to emailed documents, so now the question is (for everyone seeing this [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > Exact versions, please, plus exact versions of OS and processor, in > case it's Leopard-only or PPC only or somesuch. I am seeing the problem with emailed documents received via POP using the Mailsmith 2.2 (245) beta. I am running Office 2008 12.1.0 under 10.5.2 on a MacBook Pro. SignatureCheers, Steve The reply-to email address is a spam trap. Email steve 'at' shodgson 'dot' org 'dot' uk > > Thanks for all these details, Mike--it's pretty much been narrowed down > > to emailed documents, so now the question is (for everyone seeing this [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > I am running Office 2008 12.1.0 under 10.5.2 on a MacBook Pro. I am using Eudora 6.2.4 and see this problem. I have e-mailed attachments going back 10 years (so this would be using multiple versions of Eudora over the years) where those files will not open. As other posters have mentioned direct file copying (ie, moving a file through the network from PC to Mac or copying to USB stick) -- those same files will open (but will not open when e-mailed...) - Steve Just to post an answer here that Steve already knows: The issue is that the File Type or Creator Code inside the documents is not one that Mac Word is expecting. This may have happened because the file was edited by an application other than Word, or because the file was emailed by Lotus Notes, or because the file was downloaded with one of a few (usually, older) applications that are writing the wrong file type and creator code into the file on save. The cure, in each case, is to use File>Open from within Word to open the file. Make a change (for example, add and remove a space) then save the file. Word will correct the file type and creator code and the file extension, if it is missing. After that, the file will open on a double-click each time. Hope this helps On 16/05/08 6:09 AM, in article 150520081639165151%maser@umich.edu, "Steve Maser" <maser@umich.edu> wrote: >>> Thanks for all these details, Mike--it's pretty much been narrowed down >>> to emailed documents, so now the question is (for everyone seeing this [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > > - Steve SignatureDon't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/ Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to. John McGhie, Microsoft MVP, Word and Word:Mac Nhulunbuy, NT, Australia. mailto:john@mcghie.name > This may have happened because the file was edited by an application other > than Word, or because the file was emailed by Lotus Notes, or because the > file was downloaded with one of a few (usually, older) applications that are > writing the wrong file type and creator code into the file on save. Presumably been doing that for years and it's only this version of Word that chokes on them? SignatureCheers, Steve The reply-to email address is a spam trap. Email steve 'at' shodgson 'dot' org 'dot' uk Exactly. It's not the files, it's the SP1 UDPATE. It should be a simple fix. Let's hope it arrives soon. No rollout of SP1 until then. Scott On 5/17/08 4:55 AM 5/17/08, in article 697vdhF318fj1U1@mid.individual.net, >> This may have happened because the file was edited by an application other >> than Word, or because the file was emailed by Lotus Notes, or because the [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Presumably been doing that for years and it's only this version of Word > that chokes on them? > No rollout of SP1 until then. Right. God forbid that users get the hundreds of real productivity improvements in SP1 because they may have to use File/Open (CMO-o) on a few (or even a lot of) files... Sorry, but that sounds remarkably like the IT guys I've known who thought that all those hundreds of other people working in the business existed to allow them to play with their servers. Maybe I'm missing something - perhaps your users store all their files on the desktop and can't or don't use menus or keyboard shortcuts. In that case, I can see why you'd think that the advanced features, like formatting, charts, picture handling, keyboard compatibility, being able to open XL07 workbooks, page break manipulation, second displays, proper date formats, sync services stability, SSL v3 authentication, no longer duplicating contacts when syncing, proper font sizes, etc., etc., etc., aren't worth it. YMM(obviously)V. You don't support many people do you "JE"? I do. Many of whom may or may not be lazy/irrational or just don't like changing work-flow. It's not up to THEM or ME to work-around a bad update. It's up to Microsoft to fix what they broke. Until then, please don't waste space here with this kind of drivel. Scott On 5/17/08 2:20 PM 5/17/08, in article jemcgimpsey-215087.15205917052008@news.microsoft.com, "JE McGimpsey" <jemcgimpsey@mvps.org> wrote: >> No rollout of SP1 until then. > [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > YMM(obviously)V. > You don't support many people do you "JE"? About 1500 desks of Office 2004 and 2008... From a phone, I bet. On 5/19/08 1:35 PM 5/19/08, in article jemcgimpsey-2360FD.14350119052008@news.microsoft.com, "JE McGimpsey" <jemcgimpsey@mvps.org> wrote: >> You don't support many people do you "JE"? > > About 1500 desks of Office 2004 and 2008... > From a phone, I bet. Phone, sure. Also on-site, via email, video, remote sessions, the occasional house call... Fortunately for my time, my contracts are second-tier, rather than at the front-line interface. And, apparently fortunately, the on-site first responders report that telling those users having problems with opening files to use File/Open, rather than double-clicking, is being met with equanimity and acceptance. I've only had one executive call me directly - and he seemed to get it. > In article , > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > acceptance. I've only had one executive call me directly - and he seemed > to get it. JE, do those same users have the issue of not being able to double click an email attachment? If, like me, they have to save the attachment then go to Word and then do a File/Open I'm sure they wouldn't 'get it'. Everyone is assuming that MS have deprecated the WDBN file type, as far as I know there's nothing in the release notes and I still say that either MS did not test this properly or they have a blatant disregard for the usability of their software on the Mac platform. I have gone back to 12.0.1 and will not upgrade until this is fixed. > JE, do those same users have the issue of not being able to double click an > email attachment? If, like me, they have to save the attachment then go to > Word and then do a File/Open I'm sure they wouldn't 'get it'. Of course they do. After the initial confusion (where we got a half-dozen or so calls), we put out a message to the users reminding them to use File/Open, and we haven't had a complaint since. Can't be 100% positive that all the desks are updated yet, but the vast majority are. FWIW, we also have regularly told them that they should, if they plan to work on a document, save it first and work off the saved copy. That's far more stable than editing docs in a temporary directory, and just good practice. > Everyone is assuming that MS have deprecated the WDBN file type, as > far as I know there's nothing in the release notes and I still say > that either MS did not test this properly or they have a blatant > disregard for the usability of their software on the Mac platform. Or, as has been stated many times, they didn't realize that third-party applications were applying type codes that hasn't been applied by an MS app during this century, and which in 99% of cases is *incorrect*. It's a BUG, but in the third-party apps! And FWIW, the WDBN file type has been deprecated since Office 98 when the new type came out. Support for deprecated features are often carried along by software developers for a version (or several), but in general, removal of support for deprecated items is not typically announced in a release note. > I have gone back to 12.0.1 and will not upgrade until > this is fixed. Well, living with dozens of bugs may work for you, and that's fine. It doesn't for the users I support. They'd rather be more productive than petulant. Bugs in 3rd party apps? LOL Docs created with MS Office on PC Docs sent via Exchange server to Entourage/MS Webmail users. Files fail to open with double-click. Where's the third-party software, JE? That's the best one yet. Are you really Steve Balmer? Your methods or best practices may work in some Bank of America environment, but not where I work. Scott On 5/20/08 7:15 AM 5/20/08, in article jemcgimpsey-F8CA19.08150720052008@news.microsoft.com, "JE McGimpsey" <jemcgimpsey@mvps.org> wrote: >> JE, do those same users have the issue of not being able to double click an >> email attachment? If, like me, they have to save the attachment then go to [quoted text clipped - 36 lines] > > They'd rather be more productive than petulant. > Bugs in 3rd party apps? > LOL > Docs created with MS Office on PC > Docs sent via Exchange server to Entourage/MS Webmail users. > Files fail to open with double-click. Hey Scott... Really? What file type is Entourage putting on the Word documents? WDBN? Not W8BN (or "blank"?) (And, yes, Firefox 2.x certainly should have been tested -- there's little excuse for not testing that after 14 revisions of the Firefox 2 code base of a "not-10-year-old app"...) - Steve > Bugs in 3rd party apps? Well, if not bugs, at least failure to follow decade-old specifications. > LOL > Docs created with MS Office on PC Which don't HAVE Mac file types, and therefore (AFAICT) aren't assigning bad ones... > Docs sent via Exchange server to Entourage/MS Webmail users. > Files fail to open with double-click. > Where's the third-party software, JE? So far, Eudora and Firefox have been directly shown to cause the problem. Perhaps I've missed it, but I've not seen any reports of problems that have been documented here to involve files that have ONLY been touched by the above MS apps (including the templates they're created from), and I can't recreate the problem on the systems that I have access to. Nor have I had any user reports of that occurring. > That's the best one yet. > Are you really Steve Balmer? No. I just try to help users sort out problems. JE, my point was that our workflow is all MS, and the docs are not "double-clickable" No third-party stuff here. They all worked fine before 12.1. Did EXCH break it? Did some PC version of Office break it? Or did the 12.1 update break things? I'm not mad at you, but I am mad that people here seem to think USERS should pay the price for this. Finding and using Open/File is not acceptable. I don't even like/accept it and I get what's going on. When you deal with people who have deals to make; contracts to create/edit and time is of the essence, this is stupid. I don't care why - if 12.0 and 12.0.1 can open these docs, so should 21.1 and 21.2 etc. Still no reason for this, and the MS site still calls this an "issue" It IS an issue. Scott On 5/20/08 10:30 AM 5/20/08, in article jemcgimpsey-D393F8.11301520052008@news.microsoft.com, "JE McGimpsey" <jemcgimpsey@mvps.org> wrote: >> Bugs in 3rd party apps? > [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > > No. I just try to help users sort out problems. > Perhaps I've missed it, but I've not seen any reports of problems that > have been documented here to involve files that have ONLY been touched > by the above MS apps (including the templates they're created from), and > I can't recreate the problem on the systems that I have access to. Nor > have I had any user reports of that occurring. JE, you've hit the nail on the head! We live in a world where interoperability and usability are key. You cannot expect everyone buying and using Office 2008 (or Office 2007 on Vista) to be using a complete MS stack (much as MS would like us to). Scott is absolutely right, this isn't acceptable and no amount of justification will change that. > JE, you've hit the nail on the head! We live in a world where > interoperability and usability are key. You cannot expect everyone buying and > using Office 2008 (or Office 2007 on Vista) to be using a complete MS stack > (much as MS would like us to). Scott is absolutely right, this isn't > acceptable and no amount of justification will change that. Neither can a major software vendor leave security vulnerabilities open just because someone else is making non-standard changes to their files. That too is unacceptable and unjustifiable. It's a balancing act, but in general, I'd prefer my vendors err on the side of making the other guys fix *their* broken stuff. I don't know, but I would guess that there's a lot of discussion at MacBU right now about how much *system* testing needs to be added to their protocols. And how much the price of Office 14 will increase because of it... > I don't care why - if 12.0 and 12.0.1 can open these docs, so should 21.1 > and 21.2 etc. Sorry, I think we'll just have to disagree here. AFAIC, 12.1 can and does open these docs, and so will 12.2. However, even at the rate of one version every two years, I'd say the odds are long that 21.1 will open them... Hi Richard - I promised myself that I'd stay out of this melee but I simply can't resist the temptation:-) It's not an assumption. One of the major points that many seem to overlook (or choose to ignore) is that the WDBN file type was deprecated when Word 6 was introduced over 10 years ago and brought along a new format on both Mac as well as PC. It's only those programs involved which have continued to assign it to documents, and that's where the problem originates. Simple question: How many people do you know who are still using the *same version* of the *same email/browser* they were using 10 years ago? If the involved software had been revised appropriately the number of affected documents would be miniscule. Ergo, that's where the "fix" needs to be made. I can't - and don't presume to - speak for MS, but FWIW there's no doubt in my feeble mind that |
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