OFF97: IPF Exiting With File Containing Long Property Strings

• Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
• Microsoft PowerPoint 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

If you close a document and then quit Microsoft Word, you may receive the following error message:

   This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down.
   If the problem persists, contact the program vendor.

   If you click Details, you receive the following message:

   WINWORD caused an invalid page fault in module WINWORD.EXE.

   PowerPoint encountered an error that it could not correct.

CAUSE

The problem occurs if both of the following are true:

The file properties keywords contain more than 255 characters.

-and-

Journaling of Microsoft Word or Microsoft PowerPoint is enabled in Microsoft Outlook.

WORKAROUND

Use one of the following methods to work around the problem.

Method 1: Reduce the Length of the Keywords

The problem occurs only if the file keywords contain more than 255 characters. If you delete or shorten the document keywords so that they contain fewer than 255 characters, the problem will not occur.

Method 2: Disable Outlook Journaling of Word or PowerPoint

Outlook journaling is a feature in Microsoft Outlook that tracks and records when files are opened, closed, or modified. If you disable this feature for Microsoft Word and Microsoft PowerPoint, the problem will no longer occur on that particular computer. To disable Outlook journaling for Microsoft Word or Microsoft PowerPoint, follow these steps:

1. Start Microsoft Outlook.

2. On the Tools menu, click Options.

3. Click the Journal tab.

4. Click to clear the "Always record files from Microsoft Word" or the "Always record files from Microsoft PowerPoint" check boxes, and then click OK.

5. Quit and then restart Microsoft Outlook.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

This problem does not occur with other file properties because they will only accept a maximum of 255 characters.

This problem does not occur in Microsoft Excel because Microsoft Excel does not support journaling for the keyword strings.

REFERENCES

For more information about Outlook journaling, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE ID: Q161182
   TITLE     : OL97: Outlook Journaling White Paper Available on MSL

   ARTICLE ID: Q161032
   TITLE     : OL97: Blank Item in Deleted Items Folder While Journaling

For more information about finding documents using keywords, click the Office Assistant in Microsoft Word, type "keyword search," click Search, and then click "Find Files".

NOTE: If the Assistant is hidden, click the Office Assistant button on the Standard toolbar. If Word Help is not installed on your computer, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q120802
   TITLE     : Office: How to Add/Remove a Single Office
               Program or Component