Can't open existing documents

[HerbSmith]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

I can open the Word program. However, when I click on the open icon, hoping to see my entire list of available documents I get the beach ball for a few seconds and then a screen titled "open" again with the beach ball which spins endlessly. This screen looks like the documents screen (in finder) except that nothing is in it. Eventually, I have to force quit.

I can open documents by using finder or by going through the gallery. I know that this isn't a very good explanation, but can anyone help? Thanks in advance.

 

[CyberTaz]

Do you have Office fully updated?

What about OS X? The Open & Save As dialogs are actually supplied by the OS.
Run the 10.5 6 Combo Update available from:
http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/

Are you attempting to run Word in Spaces?

Also, run Disk Utility - Repair Disk Permissions.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[HerbSmith]

Using Office 2008 (trial) downloaded and updated 2 days ago

Using 10.5.6

Repaired Disc Permissions - no change in problem

Not attempting to work in spaces

This problem only happens in Word. I can open existing spreadsheets in Excel and existing presentations in PowerPoint.

Herb Smith

 

[CyberTaz]

I don't know if there is anything faulty with the trial version or not - I
haven't seen any indications of it, so let's proceed this way: In a Finder
window select one of the problem files & key Command+I (Get Info). Near the
bottom of the Get Info dialog select Word (even if it's already indicated)
as the program to open with, then select the option for all files of that
type [I forget exactly how it's worded]. Restart your Mac & try again.

BTW: I understand that you're using 10.5.6, but the Combo Updaters are more
comprehensive than what's supplied via Software Update. I still wouldn't
rule that out

If that doesn't correct it post back for other suggestions.

 

[HerbSmith]

Sorry, I don't know that term - Combo Updater. What is that?

Herb Smith

I don't know if there is anything faulty with the trial version or not - I
haven't seen any indications of it, so let's proceed this way: In a Finder
window select one of the problem files & key Command+I (Get Info). Near the
bottom of the Get Info dialog select Word (even if it's already indicated)
as the program to open with, then select the option for all files of that
type [I forget exactly how it's worded]. Restart your Mac & try again.

BTW: I understand that you're using 10.5.6, but the Combo Updaters are more
comprehensive than what's supplied via Software Update. I still wouldn't
rule that out

If that doesn't correct it post back for other suggestions.

--
HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
Office:Mac MVP

wrote in message

Using Office 2008 (trial) downloaded and updated 2 days ago

Using 10.5.6

Repaired Disc Permissions - no change in problem

Not attempting to work in spaces

This problem only happens in Word. I can open existing spreadsheets in
Excel and existing presentations in PowerPoint.

Herb Smith

 

[John McGhie]

OK, let me have a guess If Bob's suggestion doesn't fix it...

That would have to be a corrupted preference! I have asked, several times,
where Microsoft stores the Most Recently Used list in Word 2008, but they
won't tell me...

So blow away the entire Microsoft Prefs folder (ALL Microsoft applications
must be Quit, not just minimised, when you do this, or any one of them will
simply write the same old junk straight back to disk from memory when they
quit).

Do steps 3 to 6 here:

3) Track down all instances of pre-2008 Normal template on your computer,
and drag them to your desktop. The file is called simply "Normal" and has
no extension.

4) Find and drag the file Normal.dotm to your desktop. Unless you have
moved it, it should be in
/Users/ ~ /Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Office/User Templates/

5) If the following files exist, Remove or rename them:

~/Library/Preferences/Microsoft/Word Settings (10)

~/Library/Preferences/Microsoft/Word Settings (11)

User/Library/Preferences/com.Microsoft.Word.plist

User/Library/Preferences/Microsoft/Office 2008 (the whole folder!)

6) Then Repair Permissions with Disk Utility.

Hope this helps

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

I can open the Word program. However, when I click on the open icon, hoping to
see my entire list of available documents I get the beach ball for a few
seconds and then a screen titled "open" again with the beach ball which spins
endlessly. This screen looks like the documents screen (in finder) except that
nothing is in it. Eventually, I have to force quit.

I can open documents by using finder or by going through the gallery. I know
that this isn't a very good explanation, but can anyone help? Thanks in
advance.

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP, Word and Word:Mac
Sydney, Australia. mailto:[email protected]

 

[John McGhie]

A "Combo Updater" is Apple's term for a "Service Release". It contains
complete replacement files, instead of patches to files.

A Combo can be applied to "any" version of the base operating system. So
the latest Combo for OS X version 5 will update ANY version 5 level of OS X.

As opposed to a "Service Pack" or "Updater" or "Patch", which will apply
only to the specified (most recent...) update level of the base product
because it contains only "patches", not complete files.

Cheers

Sorry, I don't know that term - Combo Updater. What is that?

Herb Smith

I don't know if there is anything faulty with the trial version or not - I
haven't seen any indications of it, so let's proceed this way: In a Finder
window select one of the problem files & key Command+I (Get Info). Near the
bottom of the Get Info dialog select Word (even if it's already indicated)
as the program to open with, then select the option for all files of that
type [I forget exactly how it's worded]. Restart your Mac & try again.

BTW: I understand that you're using 10.5.6, but the Combo Updaters are more
comprehensive than what's supplied via Software Update. I still wouldn't
rule that out

If that doesn't correct it post back for other suggestions.

--
HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
Office:Mac MVP

wrote in message

Using Office 2008 (trial) downloaded and updated 2 days ago

Using 10.5.6

Repaired Disc Permissions - no change in problem

Not attempting to work in spaces

This problem only happens in Word. I can open existing spreadsheets in
Excel and existing presentations in PowerPoint.

Herb Smith

Do you have Office fully updated?

What about OS X? The Open & Save As dialogs are actually supplied by the
OS.
Run the 10.5 6 Combo Update available from:


Are you attempting to run Word in Spaces?

Also, run Disk Utility - Repair Disk Permissions.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac
On 4/16/09 12:43 PM, in article (e-mail address removed)9absDaxw,
:

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

I can open the Word program. However, when I click on the open icon,
hoping to
see my entire list of available documents I get the beach ball for a
few
seconds and then a screen titled "open" again with the beach ball which
spins
endlessly. This screen looks like the documents screen (in finder)
except that
nothing is in it. Eventually, I have to force quit.

I can open documents by using finder or by going through the gallery. I
know
that this isn't a very good explanation, but can anyone help? Thanks in
advance.

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP, Word and Word:Mac
Sydney, Australia. mailto:[email protected]

 

[HerbSmith]

Thanks for your response. I ended up calling MS help line and we did resolve the problem which was a corrupt Preferences file. Essentially, we did the same things that you suggested in your message. thanks to you and to Bob Jones for your efforts.

Herb Smith

 

[John McGhie]

Hi Herb:

Yep: That's why I posted those instructions.

Glad you got it sorted.

Cheers

Thanks for your response. I ended up calling MS help line and we did resolve
the problem which was a corrupt Preferences file. Essentially, we did the same
things that you suggested in your message. thanks to you and to Bob Jones for
your efforts.

Herb Smith

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP, Word and Word:Mac
Sydney, Australia. mailto:[email protected]