WD97: Creating Large Numbers of Styles Creates Huge Scratch File

• Microsoft Word 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

You may receive one of the following error messages when trying to save, open, or close a document in Word, or while performing other Windows functions while Word is running:

• The disk is full trying to write to <drive>. Free some space on this drive, or save the document on another disk.

  -or-

• The disk is full or too many files are open.

  -or-

• Saving the AutoRecovery file is postponed for <file name>.

CAUSE

When you add a large number of styles to a document (or to several documents), the Word temporary scratch file, ~Wrs0001.tmp may become extremely large. Closing the original document has no effect on the scratch file.

These error messages may occur if the ~Wrs0001.tmp file becomes too large, causing your computer to run out of disk space.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, quit and restart Microsoft Word. Quitting Word will remove the scratch file.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Word 97. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.