Troubleshooting Guide: Converting Docs in Word for Windows

• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 1.0, 1.1, 1.1a, 2.0, 2.0a, 2.0a-CD, 2.0b, 2.0c, 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
• Microsoft Word for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
• Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Windows, versions 3.1, 3.11, 95

SUMMARY

This article contains a series of questions you can use to troubleshoot problems converting from a foreign file format in Word for Windows.

MORE INFORMATION

General Troubleshooting

• How much hard disk space is available?

       The amount of free disk space should be approximately 20 MB or
       higher.
  

       Note: There is no specific minimum amount of free disk space required
       to run Office applications.  However, most PC systems do require a
       certain amount of free space to perform file I\O and printing
       functions.  20 MB is a general recommendation.
  

       If your hard disk has less than 20 MB of free disk space available,
       you should consider removing unused data files, temporary files or
       programs. Once you have cleared 20 MB or more on your primary hard
       disk, restart windows and re-open the affected file.
  

• How much RAM is available on your computer?

       Make sure it at least meets the minimum requirements for the
       applications you are running.
  

• How much RAM is allocated to specific devices?

       For example, how much RAM is allocated to SMARTDrive and/or RAMDrive
       in Windows 3.x? What are the BITMAPCACHE and/or CACHESIZE settings in
       the WIN.INI file (Word 2.x), WINWORD6.INI file (Word 6.0x), or the
       registry (Word 7.0x and Word 97)?
  

• Is the SET TEMP statement valid?
• Is there a TEMP directory?
• Is the TEMP directory located where the SET TEMP statement indicates it should be?
• In Word, check to see if the converter in question is working by following these steps:

       1. Open a new Word document.
  

       2. Type "Have a nice day."
  

       3. Save in the foreign format desired.
  

       4. Reopen the file in Word.
  

       Note: If the converter is import only, try opening another document
       that is in the same foreign file format.
  

Working with the File

• From where did the file originate?
• Can the creator application open the file? For example, can WordPerfect still open the WordPerfect file?
• What's in the document (graphics, text only, tables, equations, memo fields, objects, and so on)?
• Repaginate the document in the originating application, resave it, and then open it in Word.
• Can Word for Windows open ANY files made by the creator application?
• If possible, create a new document in the source application. Can Word open the new document?
• Can you convert any part of the problem file? Cut and paste a portion of the document into a new file and try converting it.
• Is the file damaged? Save the file in RTF file format, reopen the RTF file, save the RTF file in the originating format. (In Word, you could also try to cut and paste all but the last paragraph mark into a new document.)

       For more information on dealing with damaged files, please see the
       following article in the Microsoft Knowledge:
  

       ARTICLE ID: Q87856
       TITLE: Troubleshooting Damaged Documents in Word for Windows
  

Opening a Document from a Foreign Format

• Is the conversion just going so slow it appears as if the file is not converting? (Do you still see the status bar?)
• What conversion choice does Word choose for you after selecting Open from the File menu?
• Is the correct converter installed? To see a list of the currently installed converters,

       In Word 1.x - 6.0x:
  

          1. On the File menu, click Open.
  
          2. Turn on the Confirm Conversions checkbox.
  
          3. Open a non-Word document.
  
       In Word 7.0 - 97:
  
         1. On the Tools menu click Options
  
         2. Click on the General tab.
  
         3. Turn on the Confirm Conversion at Open checkbox.
  
         4. Open a non-Word document.
  
       Word displays the Convert File dialog box, showing all of the
       installed import converters.
  
  

• Is the converter (*.CNV file)and any supporting DLLs in the correct location? The files should be in the \TEXTCONV directory or in the program directory.

Supplemental Converters

• Is there a supplemental converter available? For information on obtaining supplemental converters, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

       ARTICLE ID: Q104949
       TITLE: Supported Foreign File Formats in WinWord 6.0 / 6.0a / 6.0c
  

       ARTICLE ID: Q107141
       TITLE: Word 6.0 for Windows Supplemental File Conversions Disks
  

       ARTICLE ID: Q136385
       TITLE: Supported Foreign File Formats in Word and Office 95
  

       ARTICLE ID: Q162987
       TITLE: Word 97: Supported Non-Word File Formats
  

  the converter?

     Word 2.x - Check the [MSWord Text Converters] section of the WIN.INI.

     Word 6.0 - Check the [MS Text Converters] section of the WIN.INI file
     for shared text converters or the [MSWord Text Converters] section of
     the WINWORD6.INI file for Word specific converters.

     Word 7.0x - See the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge
     Base:
         ARTICLE ID: Q135783
         TITLE: Converter Registration and File Locations in Word/Office
                95

     Word 97 - See the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge
     Base:

         ARTICLE ID: Q157464
         TITLE: Where Settings Are Stored in the Registry