Loosing Graphics Links

[John Leeke]

I am using MSWord 2002, SP2

In my document that has many pictures (100+), many of the
pictures only show a box with red X. Some pictures show just fine. I have
been working on this file for a few months and this just happened all at
once, unexpectedly.

When I checked Edit>Links I see that the pictures that don't show have a
link to the following folder:

C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Application Data\Microsoft\Word

This is not the folder where the pictures are stored.

I usually insert the pictures with Insert, Link to File.

What could have caused this?

Is there a way to correct the links to the correct folder all at once?

How can I keep this from happening again?

Thanks for your help.

John

 

[macropod]

Hi John,

For a "simple" correction, where all the link references
should be to the same folder and they're all to a
common 'wrong' folder, you could press Ctrl-A then Shift-
F9 to expose all the fields, then use Search/Replace to
correct them. You'll need to keep the correct folder
syntax (ie double backslashes for folder separators) in
mind when doing this.

If it's anything more complicated, check out the Word
document at:
http://www.wopr.com/cgi-bin/w3t/showthreaded.pl?
Number=261488
(url all one line)
which has a 'link manager' macro to handle things.

Cheers

 

[Cindy M -WordMVP-]

Hi John,

Hmmm, if you press Alt+F9 you should see the IncludePicture fields that
support the links (assuming any pictures are "in-line" with the text and
not floating). Do you see a \* MergeFormatINET switch in the fields?

If you do, go to Tools/Options/General/Web Options/Files and turn off the
checkbox that's about updating file paths when saving. That's buggy, and
causes all manner of yuckiness.

I am using MSWord 2002, SP2

In my document that has many pictures (100+), many of the
pictures only show a box with red X. Some pictures show just fine. I have
been working on this file for a few months and this just happened all at
once, unexpectedly.

When I checked Edit>Links I see that the pictures that don't show have a
link to the following folder:

C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Application Data\Microsoft\Word

This is not the folder where the pictures are stored.

I usually insert the pictures with Insert, Link to File.

What could have caused this?

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Sep 30 2003)
http://www.mvps.org/word

This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or
reply in the newsgroup and not by e-mail

 

[John Leeke]

Thanks for the tips. The Link Updater macro really scrambled the page
layouts, but the simpler search/replace of the exposed fields worked
perfectly.

Thanks again for you help.

I'm an historic building specialist, so if you ever have any old-house
questions feel free to come to me.

John

John Leeke, Preservation Consultant
(e-mail address removed)
www.HistoricHomeWorks.com

 

[John Leeke]

Hi Cindy !

Thanks for your help.

Hmmm, if you press Alt+F9 you should see the IncludePicture fields that
support the links (assuming any pictures are "in-line" with the text and
not floating). Do you see a \* MergeFormatINET switch in the fields?

Yes, this switch is there.

If you do, go to Tools/Options/General/Web Options/Files and turn off the
checkbox that's about updating file paths when saving. That's buggy, and
causes all manner of yuckiness.

OK, I have turned it off. What does turning it off do? Just stop the
updating upon saving? Or also prevent the switch from being added when a new
graphic is inserted?

Should I edit out the \* MERGEFORMATINET switches in the fields? Most of
these graphics (.JPG files) are inserted in-line and formated with cropping,
scaling, etc.

How did that switch get in there? I'm not developing a web page with this
document. I don't even view it with View>Web Layout. I only use this
document to "print" to a PDF file.

Also, there is a \d switch. What does that do?


John
by hammer and hand great works do stand
by pen and thought best words are wrought

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

FWIW, this does *not* stop Word from adding this switch when you save a
document as a Web page, or from converting perfectly valid relative links
into incorrect absolute ones.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://www.mvps.org/word
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

 

[John Leeke]

FWIW, this does *not* stop Word from adding this switch when you save a
document as a Web page, or from converting perfectly valid relative links
into incorrect absolute ones.

Is Word2002 known to convert perfectly valid relative links into oncorrect
absolute ones? Does Word do this on its on volition, or is there something I
do, or some way it is set to do this? Can I change any setting to prevent
it?

I am not intending to save this file as a web page. I only use this file to
"print" to a pdf file. I intend to save this file (and believe that I am)
saving it as an ordinary doc file. The filename has .doc at the end of it.
How can I tell for sure if I am saving it as an ordinary doc and not as a
webpage?

John

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

You would know if you were saving it as a Web page; that is an option you
have to select. The problem I am struggling with is actually encountered on
opening a file, not on saving it, so I've learned that if I keep the
document as a .doc, then save it to .htm and immediately upload it to my Web
site, the links will remain correct.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://www.mvps.org/word
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

 

[Cindy M -WordMVP-]

Hi John,

The option I mentioned should only trigger when saving to a web page.
Unfortunately, it was broken in Word 2002 and triggers on all Word files - I
discovered this while writing a book with numerous pictures, and ended up
having to redo them all!

\* MergeFormatINET changes how Word saves formatting (resizing) applied to the
linked graphic to a more web-compatible sizing. I don't remember the exact
change, but the end result I was seeing was that the pictures were no longer
sized proportionally (too wide or too high). The Word document \* MergeFormat
saves the sizing proportionally.

I'd use Find/Replace to remove the switches, force field updates (be ready for
nasty surprises), then go back through and, where you have to resize, put the
\* Mergeformat switch back in.

What this option does, in addition, is change the file paths, inserting 20%
instead of spaces and doing other "internetty" things to paths. Mostly, this
only kicks in when the linked files have been moved to another folder relative
to the file path in which they are inserted.

Yes, this switch is there.


OK, I have turned it off. What does turning it off do? Just stop the
updating upon saving? Or also prevent the switch from being added when a new
graphic is inserted?

Should I edit out the \* MERGEFORMATINET switches in the fields? Most of
these graphics (.JPG files) are inserted in-line and formated with cropping,
scaling, etc.

How did that switch get in there? I'm not developing a web page with this
document. I don't even view it with View>Web Layout. I only use this
document to "print" to a PDF file.

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Sep 30 2003)
http://www.mvps.org/word

This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or
reply in the newsgroup and not by e-mail

 

[Christina Mantecon]

Hi there,

I just read your description because THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT
HAPPENED TO ME TODAY!!!

Did you ever get a resolution on this phenomenon?

Please let me know: christina

(e-mail address removed)