WD6X: Drag-and-Drop Launch Opens Any Type of File in MacWord

• Microsoft Word for the Macintosh, version 6.0

SYMPTOMS

When you inadvertent drag one of your program or data file icons onto the Word icon, Word opens the file. (Also, after you close the document, you may discover that the dragged program or data file is damaged.)

CAUSE

By design in Word 6.0 for the Macintosh, you can drag any file or application onto the Word icon to be opened by Word. This is referred to as Drag-and-Drop-Launching/Opening. (This functionality excludes folders and aliases.)

This functionality can cause a problem if you inadvertently drag a program onto the Word icon, the program "opens" in a Word document, and you then save the Word document before you close it. Saving causes Word to overwrite the program with a blank text file.

WORKAROUND

If you inadvertently drag a program onto the Word icon, close the resulting document without saving, and the program will remain intact. If you accidentally save the document, you should reinstall the software, as there may be irreparable damage to the file.

MORE INFORMATION

The conventional method for recognizing and opening a file on the Macintosh is by way of a file's Creator and File type. However, for Word to open documents in non-Word formats that do not contain the Creator or File type (files from the MS-DOS/Windows platform), Word ignores this information and is, therefore, capable of opening files (applications or data files) of any type. To convert the file, Word uses its installed converters.

If you open a program in Word, Word will usually open a blank document with the title of the program. If you save this newly opened file, Word will overwrite the program with a blank text file. This file maintains the resource fork of the original application, but the program is now not functional.