WD: Error Message: "The Subdocument Is Missing..."

• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 7.0, 7.0a
• Microsoft Word for the Macintosh, version 6.0, 6.0.1, 6.o.1a
• Microsoft Word 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

Word 98

When you try to expand the subdocuments, the following error message occurs:

   The subdocument c:\<foldername>\<file name> is missing. Do you want
   to expand the master document without this subdocument?

Word 97

When you try to open a master document, the following error message occurs:

   The subdocument c:\<foldername>\<file name> is missing. Do you want
   to expand the master document without this subdocument?

Word 6.x, 7.0

   The subdocument <file name> is missing. Do you want to open
   the master document without the subdocument?

CAUSE/RESOLUTION/STATUS

CASE 1

CAUSE          Word cannot find the subdocument if you move it to a
               different location relative to the master document, if the
               subdocument is located on a network drive that is no longer
               valid, or if you delete the subdocument file.

RESOLUTION     If you want to move subdocuments to a new location
               relative to the master document, refer to the instructions
               in the "Rename a subdocument" (Word 97, 98 and Word 7) topic
               or the "Renaming or removing a subdocument" (Word 6) topic 
               in Word Help, or see your printed Word documentation.

STATUS         When you move a master document, Word will automatically
               search for the subdocuments in a manner that is relative
               to the master document. This feature, which is by design,
               makes it easy for you to move an entire master document
               directory tree while preserving the subdocument references.

MORE           When you open a master document, Word searches for the
INFORMATION    subdocuments relative to the master document. In other
               words, if the subdocuments are in a subdirectory of the
               master document directory, Word looks for the
               subdocuments in the same subdirectory of the new master
               document location. The following table illustrates this
               search pattern.

                     If the former               Then Word automatically
                     location is                 searches here
                     ---------------------------------------------------

      Master         C:\WORD 6.0\MASTER          F:\CATALOG\1993
      Subdocuments   C:\WORD 6.0\MASTER\SUBDOCS  F:\CATALOG\1993\SUBDOCS

                                                  -then-


                                                 C:\WORD6.0\MASTER\SUBDOCS

               If Word cannot find the subdocuments in the relative
               location, it searches in the original subdocument location
               (in this case, C:\WORD 6.0\MASTER\SUBDOCS). If Word still
               cannot find the subdocument, the "The subdocument is
               missing..." error message occurs.

CASE 2

CAUSE          This error can occur if you try to open a master
               document that has too many subdocuments, if you have other
               files open and/or other applications running, or if a large,
               complex master document was originally created on a
               workstation running Windows NT and the current workstation
               is running Windows 3.1 or Windows for Workgroups 3.1 or
               3.11.

WORKAROUNDS    There are several workarounds that can allow you to
               successfully open the master document, provided that the
               subdocument files in question still exist.

               Method 1: Close all other open files and other
                         applications that are currently running before
                         attempting to open the master document.

               Method 2: Open the master document on a workstation with
                         Windows NT or Windows 95 running.

               Method 3: If Windows NT or Windows 95 is not available,
                         choose "Yes" to the error message and finish
                         opening the master document. Simplify the
                         master document by combining subdocuments until
                         there are fewer than 20 subdocuments, then insert
                         the missing subdocuments using the Insert
                         Subdocument tool on the Master Document
                         toolbar.

                         This should allow the master document and
                         subdocuments to be saved and reopened without
                         generating an error.

STATUS         Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem with Word
               versions 6.0, 6.0a, and 6.0c for Windows. This problem
               was corrected in Word version 7.0 for Windows 95.

MORE           If Word is running on a workstation operating under
INFORMATION    Windows NT or Windows 95, it is possible to build a
               master document that has many more subdocuments than is
               possible on a workstation that is operating under Windows
               3.1 or Windows for Workgroups. If this complex master
               document is then opened by a workstation operating on
               Windows 3.1 or Windows for Workgroups, then the "The
               subdocument is missing..." error occurs. This is due to
               Windows 3.1 or Windows for Workgroups running out of
               available file handles before it can completely open the
               document. Under these conditions, the subdocuments are still
               there and intact, but Word cannot access them and the above
               error message is generated.

REFERENCES

"Microsoft Word User's Guide," version 6.0, Chapter 24, "Using Master Documents to Manage Long Documents"