[Nadine]

Performing a mail merge, edit recipients, add a new recipient, complete the
merge.

When close out of the form letter, and prompts to save the data source, file
is read only unable to save the added recipient.

But if go directly into the data source, add a row, manually add the
receiptant, no problems saving the file

Both form letter and data source are stored on a network drive. Both word
documents, tried convert up to 2007 tested, same unable to save changes to
the data source.

Running Vista Enterprise with Office 2007.

Other users in office have no problems using the same merge files, and can
perform a live update of the data source without problems.

Tried giving user local administrator rights and running word as
administrator, try the merge with live update, still unable to save the data
source file is read only. No one else has the data source file open at the
time doing the mail merge.

I'm stumped.
Help

[Peter Jamieson]

There is certainly a problem with Word 2007 (possibly with Vista) to do
with data files on network drives that did not exist in earlier
versions. Whether there is a solution, or precisely what that might be,
I cannot tell for sure.

Things you may be able to check include:
a. are the "users that work" also using Vista, or are they using XP?
b. do you have the same permissions as the "users that work" to both
the file and the folder, and the network share?
c. do you have the same settings in Internet Explorer under
Tools-Internet Settings-Security as the "users that work"? In
particular, select Local Intranet click the Sites button, and compare
settings there. (For example, if I do not select Automatically detect
intranet network" or the first of the three options, I get all sorts of
problems even opening the data source, although that does look like a
different problem to me)
d. if your organisation uses a proxy server, it is worth checking
whether you have different settings from the others. I'm sorry, I don't
know much about that.
e. there may be a difference in behaviour depending on whether you
access your network folder via a Windows network share (e.g. using a UNC
pathname such as \\server\share\filename.ext) or using a mapped drive
letter such as Z:, depending on the settings in (b)

I believe that one of the things that happened in Word 2007 /in
conjunction with Vista/ is that software works in a different way with
files it thinks are "from the Internet". In some cases, a local copy is
made of the file (whereas with a file on a traditional network share,
you would expect the 'original" file to be opened. You may have seen
messages with odd file names such as H2345675 and so on - these are
local copies.

Something I have not tried on the "proxy" front but which you may be
able to experiment with is as follows:

1. Go IE-Tools-Internet Options-Connections-LAN settings
2. Set up a fake proxy as follows
3. Click the Proxy Server checkbox. Set the address to "fake proxy"
without the quotes, and the port to 80.
4. Click the "Bypass proxy server for local addresses" checkbox.
5. Click Advanced and put an * in the Exceptions list to cause all
addresses (including external ones) to be bypassed.

That should only be for experimental purposes - it is not a secure solution.

This solution is taken from:
http://blogs.msdn.com/sharepoint/arc...2007-site.aspx

clearly, that isn't to do with Word, but I believe some of the issues
may be the same.

Another approach described in there is - in effect - to install Office
in Windows XP compatibility mode.

Peter Jamieson

http://tips.pjmsn.me.uk

On 24/11/2009 22:01, Nadine wrote:
Performing a mail merge, edit recipients, add a new recipient, complete the
merge.

When close out of the form letter, and prompts to save the data source, file
is read only unable to save the added recipient.

But if go directly into the data source, add a row, manually add the
receiptant, no problems saving the file

Both form letter and data source are stored on a network drive. Both word
documents, tried convert up to 2007 tested, same unable to save changes to
the data source.

Running Vista Enterprise with Office 2007.

Other users in office have no problems using the same merge files, and can
perform a live update of the data source without problems.

Tried giving user local administrator rights and running word as
administrator, try the merge with live update, still unable to save the data
source file is read only. No one else has the data source file open at the
time doing the mail merge.

I'm stumped.
Help

[Nadine]

Both using Vista and Office 2007, same OS same IE settings
Not files from sharepoint
Files stored on network drives, drives are mapped via drive letter. Same
permissions to the shared drive. Drives mapped via login script.
Not using local drive, local drive restricted for users.
We don't use proxy servers.
Not documents from internet or intranet.

One of technical experts thinks we may need SP2 for Office 2007, they are
testing that out now. Will let you know if that does the trick.

Thanks

"Peter Jamieson" wrote:

There is certainly a problem with Word 2007 (possibly with Vista) to do
with data files on network drives that did not exist in earlier
versions. Whether there is a solution, or precisely what that might be,
I cannot tell for sure.

Things you may be able to check include:
a. are the "users that work" also using Vista, or are they using XP?
b. do you have the same permissions as the "users that work" to both
the file and the folder, and the network share?
c. do you have the same settings in Internet Explorer under
Tools-Internet Settings-Security as the "users that work"? In
particular, select Local Intranet click the Sites button, and compare
settings there. (For example, if I do not select Automatically detect
intranet network" or the first of the three options, I get all sorts of
problems even opening the data source, although that does look like a
different problem to me)
d. if your organisation uses a proxy server, it is worth checking
whether you have different settings from the others. I'm sorry, I don't
know much about that.
e. there may be a difference in behaviour depending on whether you
access your network folder via a Windows network share (e.g. using a UNC
pathname such as \\server\share\filename.ext) or using a mapped drive
letter such as Z:, depending on the settings in (b)

I believe that one of the things that happened in Word 2007 /in
conjunction with Vista/ is that software works in a different way with
files it thinks are "from the Internet". In some cases, a local copy is
made of the file (whereas with a file on a traditional network share,
you would expect the 'original" file to be opened. You may have seen
messages with odd file names such as H2345675 and so on - these are
local copies.

Something I have not tried on the "proxy" front but which you may be
able to experiment with is as follows:

1. Go IE-Tools-Internet Options-Connections-LAN settings
2. Set up a fake proxy as follows
3. Click the Proxy Server checkbox. Set the address to "fake proxy"
without the quotes, and the port to 80.
4. Click the "Bypass proxy server for local addresses" checkbox.
5. Click Advanced and put an * in the Exceptions list to cause all
addresses (including external ones) to be bypassed.

That should only be for experimental purposes - it is not a secure solution.

This solution is taken from:
http://blogs.msdn.com/sharepoint/arc...2007-site.aspx

clearly, that isn't to do with Word, but I believe some of the issues
may be the same.

Another approach described in there is - in effect - to install Office
in Windows XP compatibility mode.

Peter Jamieson

http://tips.pjmsn.me.uk

On 24/11/2009 22:01, Nadine wrote:
Performing a mail merge, edit recipients, add a new recipient, complete the
merge.

When close out of the form letter, and prompts to save the data source, file
is read only unable to save the added recipient.

But if go directly into the data source, add a row, manually add the
receiptant, no problems saving the file

Both form letter and data source are stored on a network drive. Both word
documents, tried convert up to 2007 tested, same unable to save changes to
the data source.

Running Vista Enterprise with Office 2007.

Other users in office have no problems using the same merge files, and can
perform a live update of the data source without problems.

Tried giving user local administrator rights and running word as
administrator, try the merge with live update, still unable to save the data
source file is read only. No one else has the data source file open at the
time doing the mail merge.

I'm stumped.
Help
.

[Peter Jamieson]

Not documents from internet or intranet.

Just in case there is any misunderstanding, the problem here is that
when you open a document that is on a Windows network share (whether you
map via a drive letter or not) it looks as if that should have nothing
to do with Intranet/Internet. It's the "Windows network, right?"

That's what I used to think.

But what has happened is that the way software on Vista opens files
depends on whether it perceives that they /are/ in the Intranet or not.
In other words, it doesn't look at your file, see that's it's on a
Windows network share, and say "that's OK then". It looks at your share,
asks whether your share is in your Intranet, and if it is, says "that's
OK then".

Or something like that. Which is why it is at least worth checking your
IE settings. But from the sound of things, they will be exactly the same
as everyone else's.

I suppose the only thing I could think of at that point would be that
some Internet caching problem was getting in the way and that doing
something like deleting Internet temp files, etc. etc. might make a
difference.

Good luck with your investigation - if you do find out more it may help
a lot of people if you can post back your findings.

Peter Jamieson

http://tips.pjmsn.me.uk

On 25/11/2009 19:41, Nadine wrote:
Not documents from internet or intranet.

[Nadine]

SP2 Office pack resolved the problem. But all the information was helpful
for us. Thanks

"Peter Jamieson" wrote:

Not documents from internet or intranet.

Just in case there is any misunderstanding, the problem here is that
when you open a document that is on a Windows network share (whether you
map via a drive letter or not) it looks as if that should have nothing
to do with Intranet/Internet. It's the "Windows network, right?"

That's what I used to think.

But what has happened is that the way software on Vista opens files
depends on whether it perceives that they /are/ in the Intranet or not.
In other words, it doesn't look at your file, see that's it's on a
Windows network share, and say "that's OK then". It looks at your share,
asks whether your share is in your Intranet, and if it is, says "that's
OK then".

Or something like that. Which is why it is at least worth checking your
IE settings. But from the sound of things, they will be exactly the same
as everyone else's.

I suppose the only thing I could think of at that point would be that
some Internet caching problem was getting in the way and that doing
something like deleting Internet temp files, etc. etc. might make a
difference.

Good luck with your investigation - if you do find out more it may help
a lot of people if you can post back your findings.

Peter Jamieson

http://tips.pjmsn.me.uk

On 25/11/2009 19:41, Nadine wrote:
Not documents from internet or intranet.
.

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

Be aware that there is a serious bug in SP2 for Word 2007 that causes it to
corrupt values stored in document variables.

The following is a communication that I have sent to my contacts at
Microsoft on the matter:

Quote

....., there is the following very serious issue that does not seem to be
getting the required attention:

1. Service Pack 2 for Office 2007 was widely distributed and would have been
in many cases automatically installed.
2. On a computer with Service Pack 2 installed, document variables are
corrupted when the document is saved, or when a saved document is
re-opened €“ it is not know at what point it happens, but that is not really
significant. The thing is that it happens and the user is not aware that it
happens until the document is re-opened, and only then if they look at a
place in the document where the value of the variable is displayed by means
of a Docvariable field.
3. Many users would not even be aware that they are creating documents in
which the variables are, or will be corrupted.
4. A hotfix
(http://support.microsoft.com/default...rss&spid=11377)
has been issued that does fix (prevent) the problem from occurring.
5. As it is a hotfix, it is only available to people who (a) know they have
a problem (which some would not), (b) know that there is a hotfix, and (c)
specifically request it.

My contention is that as this €œvirus€� was released by an automatic update
(SP2), the fix for it should be distributed in the same manner.

Unquote

If you run into this problem, go to the website for which the link is given
in item 4. and get a copy of the hotfix.


--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP, originally posted via msnews.microsoft.com

"Nadine" wrote in message
...
SP2 Office pack resolved the problem. But all the information was helpful
for us. Thanks

"Peter Jamieson" wrote:

Not documents from internet or intranet.

Just in case there is any misunderstanding, the problem here is that
when you open a document that is on a Windows network share (whether you
map via a drive letter or not) it looks as if that should have nothing
to do with Intranet/Internet. It's the "Windows network, right?"

That's what I used to think.

But what has happened is that the way software on Vista opens files
depends on whether it perceives that they /are/ in the Intranet or not.
In other words, it doesn't look at your file, see that's it's on a
Windows network share, and say "that's OK then". It looks at your share,
asks whether your share is in your Intranet, and if it is, says "that's
OK then".

Or something like that. Which is why it is at least worth checking your
IE settings. But from the sound of things, they will be exactly the same
as everyone else's.

I suppose the only thing I could think of at that point would be that
some Internet caching problem was getting in the way and that doing
something like deleting Internet temp files, etc. etc. might make a
difference.

Good luck with your investigation - if you do find out more it may help
a lot of people if you can post back your findings.

Peter Jamieson

http://tips.pjmsn.me.uk

On 25/11/2009 19:41, Nadine wrote:
Not documents from internet or intranet.
.

[Peter Jamieson]

Thanks Doug, particularly for arguing that the hotfix should be
distributed automatically.

Peter Jamieson

http://tips.pjmsn.me.uk

On 27/11/2009 08:39, Doug Robbins - Word MVP wrote:
Be aware that there is a serious bug in SP2 for Word 2007 that causes it
to corrupt values stored in document variables.

The following is a communication that I have sent to my contacts at
Microsoft on the matter:

Quote

...., there is the following very serious issue that does not seem to be
getting the required attention:

1. Service Pack 2 for Office 2007 was widely distributed and would have
been
in many cases automatically installed.
2. On a computer with Service Pack 2 installed, document variables are
corrupted when the document is saved, or when a saved document is
re-opened €“ it is not know at what point it happens, but that is not really
significant. The thing is that it happens and the user is not aware that it
happens until the document is re-opened, and only then if they look at a
place in the document where the value of the variable is displayed by means
of a Docvariable field.
3. Many users would not even be aware that they are creating documents in
which the variables are, or will be corrupted.
4. A hotfix
(http://support.microsoft.com/default...rss&spid=11377)

has been issued that does fix (prevent) the problem from occurring.
5. As it is a hotfix, it is only available to people who (a) know they have
a problem (which some would not), (b) know that there is a hotfix, and (c)
specifically request it.

My contention is that as this €œvirus€� was released by an automatic update
(SP2), the fix for it should be distributed in the same manner.

Unquote

If you run into this problem, go to the website for which the link is
given in item 4. and get a copy of the hotfix.

[carbon06]

I also have the same issue, but I am using XP Professional, so it's not
strictly a Vita/Office 2007 problem. I will try Office 2007 sp2 and see if it
resolves the problem. Thanks.

"Peter Jamieson" wrote:

Thanks Doug, particularly for arguing that the hotfix should be
distributed automatically.

Peter Jamieson

http://tips.pjmsn.me.uk

On 27/11/2009 08:39, Doug Robbins - Word MVP wrote:
Be aware that there is a serious bug in SP2 for Word 2007 that causes it
to corrupt values stored in document variables.

The following is a communication that I have sent to my contacts at
Microsoft on the matter:

Quote

...., there is the following very serious issue that does not seem to be
getting the required attention:

1. Service Pack 2 for Office 2007 was widely distributed and would have
been
in many cases automatically installed.
2. On a computer with Service Pack 2 installed, document variables are
corrupted when the document is saved, or when a saved document is
re-opened €“ it is not know at what point it happens, but that is not really
significant. The thing is that it happens and the user is not aware that it
happens until the document is re-opened, and only then if they look at a
place in the document where the value of the variable is displayed by means
of a Docvariable field.
3. Many users would not even be aware that they are creating documents in
which the variables are, or will be corrupted.
4. A hotfix
(http://support.microsoft.com/default...rss&spid=11377)

has been issued that does fix (prevent) the problem from occurring.
5. As it is a hotfix, it is only available to people who (a) know they have
a problem (which some would not), (b) know that there is a hotfix, and (c)
specifically request it.

My contention is that as this €œvirus€� was released by an automatic update
(SP2), the fix for it should be distributed in the same manner.

Unquote

If you run into this problem, go to the website for which the link is
given in item 4. and get a copy of the hotfix.


.

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

It is Office SP2 that causes the problem. I am not aware of a similar
problem with Word XP.

--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP, originally posted via msnews.microsoft.com

"carbon06" wrote in message
...
I also have the same issue, but I am using XP Professional, so it's not
strictly a Vita/Office 2007 problem. I will try Office 2007 sp2 and see if
it
resolves the problem. Thanks.

"Peter Jamieson" wrote:

Thanks Doug, particularly for arguing that the hotfix should be
distributed automatically.

Peter Jamieson

http://tips.pjmsn.me.uk

On 27/11/2009 08:39, Doug Robbins - Word MVP wrote:
Be aware that there is a serious bug in SP2 for Word 2007 that causes
it
to corrupt values stored in document variables.

The following is a communication that I have sent to my contacts at
Microsoft on the matter:

Quote

...., there is the following very serious issue that does not seem to
be
getting the required attention:

1. Service Pack 2 for Office 2007 was widely distributed and would have
been
in many cases automatically installed.
2. On a computer with Service Pack 2 installed, document variables are
corrupted when the document is saved, or when a saved document is
re-opened €“ it is not know at what point it happens, but that is not
really
significant. The thing is that it happens and the user is not aware
that it
happens until the document is re-opened, and only then if they look at
a
place in the document where the value of the variable is displayed by
means
of a Docvariable field.
3. Many users would not even be aware that they are creating documents
in
which the variables are, or will be corrupted.
4. A hotfix
(http://support.microsoft.com/default...rss&spid=11377)

has been issued that does fix (prevent) the problem from occurring.
5. As it is a hotfix, it is only available to people who (a) know they
have
a problem (which some would not), (b) know that there is a hotfix, and
(c)
specifically request it.

My contention is that as this €œvirus€� was released by an automatic
update
(SP2), the fix for it should be distributed in the same manner.

Unquote

If you run into this problem, go to the website for which the link is
given in item 4. and get a copy of the hotfix.


.