WD97: Opening Word Document in Text Editor Displays Deleted Text

ID: Q190733

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Word 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

If you open a Word for Windows document in a text editor such as Windows Notepad, the file may contain text that was previously deleted.


CAUSE

This behavior is by design in Microsoft Word when you save a document with the Allow Fast Saves option selected. Word records only the changes to the document and appends them to the end of the file. This means your document still contains the deleted text, even though it does not appear on the screen. Word removes deleted text from your document only when you perform a full save. (To display the Allow Fast Saves option, click Options on the Tools menu, and click the Save tab.)


WORKAROUND

Use either of the following methods if you do not want a document to contain deleted text.

Method 1: Disable Allow Fast Saves

To prevent a document from containing deleted text that someone could view with a text editor, disable the Allow Fast Saves option and perform a full save. To do this, follow these steps:

  1. On the Tools menu, click Options, and click the Save tab.


  2. Click to clear the Allow Fast Saves check box.


  3. Save your document.


When you do this, Word incorporates all the changes into your document and removes deleted text.

Method 2: Copy and Paste into a New Document

This method allows you to continue to use the Fast Save feature. To use this method, follow these steps:

  1. When all final revisions are completed, select the entire document and click Copy on the Edit menu.


  2. Start a new document and click Paste on the Edit menu to copy the original document into a new document.


The new document will be free of previous editing changes (deleted text).


MORE INFORMATION

Word always performs a full save when the Allow Fast Saves option is turned off. In addition, even with the Allow Fast Saves option turned on, Word periodically performs a full save of your document.

The Allow Fast Saves option provides greater operating speed while working in Word. It requires less time to append changes (fast save) than to incorporate them in your document (full save).

Additional query words: fastsave safety confidential

Keywords : kbdta word97
Version : WINDOWS:97
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbprb


Last Reviewed: August 18, 1999
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