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General discussion

Bizarre refusal to Paste in "Word-97-Disabled" Doc./Table

Nov 19, 2010 3:48AM PST

Im editing a Word (Office XP) document under Windows XP Pro (SP3). As I have for the past several years, I have the Word-XP Options and Document Template Save Options set to "Disable features introduced after Word 97." Ive generated hundreds of documents cutting and pasting within this template that contains a table. I have on numerous occasions cut and pasted items in the document table and saved it as a Word97 document.

Today for the first time upon pasting, it pops up with an error "Feature is disabled because it is not compatible with Word 97." Ive tried both <Ctrl+V> & <Ctrl+P> method, and via the dropdown menu options to cut and paste. I even tried a "Special, Unformatted Text" paste to no avail. Still same message. The Microsoft Knowledgebase had absolutely no information that even came close to this phenomenon.

First of all, the cut and paste of unformatted text is compatible with all versions of Word97. Secondly, Ive done this to the same template dozens of times and similar "Word97" documents hundreds of times.

Anyone have any clue? Could this be a virus of some kind?

Thanks.

Discussion is locked

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Re: pasting
Nov 19, 2010 3:54AM PST

Personally, I would work around the problem by unchecking that option in this particular document. What happens then?

Kees

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PS on Word97 Disabled Phenomenon
Nov 19, 2010 3:55AM PST

I just unchecked that Save Option. Performed the operation successfully. Re-checked the Option, saved and closed the document succesfully as a Word97 compatible document. I reopened it and tried another simillar operation and it still failed the Paste with the Disable Word97 checked. Weird!

Please continue with your suggestions. Thanks.

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Re: paste problem
Nov 19, 2010 3:58AM PST

If it's in only one document, I wouldn't mind. So that's my suggestion: don't mind.

Kees

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ITS NOT JUST ONE DOCUMENT
Nov 19, 2010 4:21AM PST

No Kees. Its not just this one document. I just went and got a "Virgin-Template" and had the same problems. In the process however I did verify that the problem is hidden within the document's code, and not in the Paste function, utilizing a Virgin Template, with the Word97 Option Disabled:

1. SUCCESSFUL: Copied/Pasted from Notepad to the Document/Table.
2. UNSUCCESSFUL: Copied/Pasted Formatted Table-Text to next Row.
3. SUCCESSFUL: Copied/Pasted Unformatted Table-Text to next Row.

BTW, thankfully, it didn't care if there were profane-gerunds and other expletives in that text ;D

Conclusion: Theres some hidden formatting that the Paste function checks on, but when it comes time to actually SAVE that Word97 prohibited formatting (with 97 checked), it doesnt give a damn.

I would still like a definitive answer and solution since its not just this one document its affecting, and why all of a sudden this phenomenon when Ive been using it for months and havent changed a thing on my system?

Thanks again.

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Thoughts.
Nov 19, 2010 9:20AM PST

1. Exit word, delete/rename normal.dot (sorry but it's been discussed so much I stop here) and retest.

2. Go with what works. Just save it in a current format, open it again and save in the old 97 format.
Bob