Drag & Drop of Word 6.0 Icon Fails to Open Document on Desktop

• Microsoft Windows 95
• Microsoft Word for Windows, version 6.0

SYMPTOMS

When you drag a Microsoft Word 6.0 for Windows document icon to a Microsoft Word 6.0 application shortcut on the desktop, you receive an error indicating that Word cannot open the document two separate times. Word seems to be trying to open two separate documents.

CAUSE

This problem occurs because Word 6.0 for Windows recognizes only those files that conform to the 8.3 file specification. If the filename for the document contains a space, Word does not recognize it as a valid filename. Instead, Word interprets the filename as two different files: the first file using the letters before the space, and the second file using the letters after the space. For example, the filename "TEST FILE.DOC" is recognized as the files TEST.DOC and FILE.DOC.

RESOLUTION

To correct this problem, rename the file to a name that contains no spaces and conforms to the 8.3 file specification.