Word hangs when creating List of Figures

[i_like_macs]

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

Hello,

Word 2008 hangs when I create a list of figures section in my dissertation from captions. It seems to be stuck in a repaginating operation. Of my 100+ page dissertation it seems to always hang on page 82, necessitating a Force Quit.

I would like to know whether there are more stable ways to create a list of figures. Thank you very much in advance.

 

[i_like_macs]

If it helps, I have confirmed that creating a table of contents from heading styles also hangs word during the repagination.

I have deleted preferences and the font cache, additionally to the normal template. I have also repaired permissions after the latest (12.1.3) update.

It also seems that it is only this file in question that hangs during creating a list of figures or a table of contents. I tried the tip I read somewhere to copy and paste the original document minus the last paragraph indicator ("Maggie the File" method?), but without success.

Perhaps I have a corrupted file, but I would like to avoid recompiling the 100+ page document, if possible.

 

[John McGhie]

Right. You have at least one corrupted paragraph in that document. A
Maggie won't fix corrupted text components.

Let's try saving to a Web Page: That forces Word to re-create the internal
code of the document. It may fix this (if Word doesn't hang trying to do
it...)

Save as Web Page

1. Open the document
2. File>Save As... And choose Web Page
3. In the bottom of the dialog, make CERTAIN ³Save entire file² is checked.
4. Save the file and close the document
5. Quit Word and re-start it
6. Open the Web Page version of the file
7. File>Save as and this time choose ³Document²
8. Give the file a different name, so you have the old one to go back to.
9. Check the file for missing bits.

If you choose ³Save Display information only² you strip out the code in the
file that enables Word to re-create a document from it later. By forcing
Word to re-express the file in a different format, you cause it to discard
any code it cannot understand. That fixes the problem, but it can lead to
missing text.

Hope this helps

If it helps, I have confirmed that creating a table of contents from heading
styles also hangs word during the repagination.

I have deleted preferences and the font cache, additionally to the normal
template. I have also repaired permissions after the latest (12.1.3) update.

It also seems that it is only this file in question that hangs during creating
a list of figures or a table of contents. I tried the tip I read somewhere to
copy and paste the original document minus the last paragraph indicator
("Maggie the File" method?), but without success.

Perhaps I have a corrupted file, but I would like to avoid recompiling the
100+ page document, if possible.

--

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
Nhulunbuy, NT, Australia. mailto:[email protected]

 

[i_like_macs]

For my final dissertation file format, I have chosen .docx, as it was mentioned that this was more suitable for longer documents. It is unfortunate then, that my file is already corrupted!

Anyhow, I thank you John for your generous help. I will try your suggestion to save my file as a web page. However, as I do have hourly Time Machine backups, I will initially attempt to use a known uncorrupt file to see whether I can recreate my "Table of Contents" and "List of Figures and Tables" without incident. Fingers crossed...

 

[i_like_macs]

Update: I used an earlier, uncorrupt version of the dissertation file, recovered from Time Machine, and could get my "Table of Contents" and "List of Figures and Tables" sections working once again! I hope my file doesn't get corrupt any more. Fingers crossed...

Otherwise, I would have used the "Save as Web Page" technique. Thanks again John for answering this and my other enquiries.