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My documents

Jeff Corey

New York Skeptic
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
13,714
When I try to open up a document in My Documents, the Save As box comes up and I can't get at the document to edit it. I'm running Windows XP.
This is bad because I need to complete this project today or tomorrow at the latest.
 
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Jeff,

Sounds like an issue with your file types and/or extensions. Try right-clicking on the document and see if you get an option for "edit" or "Open".

Also, I ran into a similar issue before. I had the PowerPoint 2007/2003 converter on my system, so when I clicked on a Powerpoint file it brought up a "Save As" box to save it as the other type.

Any info you can provide will help. Specifically, what type of file is it? DO you have a screenshot fo the Save As box that comes up? What options are listed on the Save As box?

ETA: I'm out for a couple hours, but anyone else who can help will probably want the same type of info. I'll check back to see if you've been fixed of not after I get done.
 
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Jeff,

Sounds like an issue with your file types and/or extensions. Try right-clicking on the document and see if you get an option for "edit" or "Open".

Also, I ran into a similar issue before. I had the PowerPoint 2007/2003 converter on my system, so when I clicked on a Powerpoint file it brought up a "Save As" box to save it as the other type.

Any info you can provide will help. Specifically, what type of file is it? DO you have a screenshot fo the Save As box that comes up? What options are listed on the Save As box?

ETA: I'm out for a couple hours, but anyone else who can help will probably want the same type of info. I'll check back to see if you've been fixed of not after I get done.

Right click options, Open, Save as, Open with, etc., but no Edit.
It's a Mircosoft Office Word 97-2003 Doc.
When I try to save it to a CD RW, the message is "the converter failed to save the file".
 
If you copied the file from a CD or DVD, it may be marked as read-only, which would explain why you can't open it (and the save dialog might be looking to save a working copy or a writeable copy). You can right-click the file and select "Properties" and see if it's checked as read only.

And you should be able to select "Open" from the right-click menu to open the file in Word.
 
Is Save As bolded? That would indicate Save as is the default. Can you use Open or Open With to open it with Word? Can you start Word and then do File -> the Open to get to it?
Open is the only thing bolded. and it won't let me open in Word, just
Word Perfect and some others. When I get it to open in Word perfect, I can edit it, but can't export it.
I miss my IBM Selectric.
Thanks.
 
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If you copied the file from a CD or DVD, it may be marked as read-only, which would explain why you can't open it (and the save dialog might be looking to save a working copy or a writeable copy). You can right-click the file and select "Properties" and see if it's checked as read only.

And you should be able to select "Open" from the right-click menu to open the file in Word.
Properties is not checked as Read Only and I typed this in the Word option in Word Perfect. .
 
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Have you tried opening the file from within Word, using the File/Open option, rather than double-clicking the file in File Manager (or whatever it's called these days)? That should tell you if it's a Word file or not.
 
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If you want to email me a copy I'll see if it can be loaded in Word or Write and send you back a copy.
Or (mode=strawclutch) try right-click, copy, paste a new copy and see if you can edit the new copy of the file. (Eg corrupted working copy in Temp screwing things up, you could delete temp files).
 
Sometimes it's just a matter of going into My Documents and renaming it. If you got it from someone else and they didn't have the dot doc extension, try "save as" with the same name but put in the .doc at the end. If you have another copy, just try renaming it abcdefghxyz.doc . (I know.... it's a primitive solution, but sometimes the really simple things work.)
 
Well, I traveled the 60 miles to see our friendly IT guy and he set me up with Microsoft Office Word 2007 and everything is working out fine. So far. He also gave me a tool to clean out the temp files and things are a lot faster.

Thanks for all the advice, folks. I was hoping not to have to make a 120 mile trip with gas now over $4/gal.
Jeff
 
I hesitate to ask, but if money is so tight, why not use the free OpenOffice instead of the not free Micro$oft Office?

And don't get me started on British fuel prices...
 
I hesitate to ask, but if money is so tight, why not use the free OpenOffice instead of the not free Micro$oft Office?

And don't get me started on British fuel prices...
Because my friend in IT has a *hitload of programs he can give me for for free and you Brits should have never bugged out of the Mideast. Think of all that petrol you could have had for mere pence per litre.
 
Was that sarcastic? I took it that way.

Sorry, I was being a bit sarcastic. when someone has a problem and it is Windows OS, there is always the obligatory Mac vs. PC plug, even though it does nothing to solve the problem at hand. If I misread that, then my apologies.
 
Sorry, I was being a bit sarcastic. when someone has a problem and it is Windows OS, there is always the obligatory Mac vs. PC plug, even though it does nothing to solve the problem at hand. If I misread that, then my apologies.

Well, I use a Mac (one of the last PPC PowerBooks) AND I use an old version (2004) of Word on it. So I, at least, was trying to be helpful. But don't tell anyone - it would ruin my image ;)
 

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