Word Overwrites Foreign File Format Without Warning

ID: Q145237

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Word for Windows 95, version 7.0

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, you should first make a backup copy of the registry files (System.dat and User.dat). Both are hidden files in the Windows folder.

SYMPTOMS

If you open a file into Word from any of the following formats and choose Save, the foreign file format is overwritten by Word's binary format without warning.

   Microsoft Excel Worksheet
   Schedule+ Contact List
   Personal Address Book
   WordPerfect 6.x
   Lotus 1-2-3
   Word (Asian Versions) 6.0-7.0

By contrast, if you open a document via a Read/Write DLL and choose Save, you will be prompted to choose whether to save the document in Word format or in the foreign format. If you choose Save As instead of Save, Word will write back to the foreign format.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Word version 7.0 for Windows 95. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

WORKAROUND

Although there is no work around if you have already saved a document created in one of the formats listed in the Symptoms section, you can use the following work around to prevent Word from overwriting your original file when you choose Save.

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall Windows 95 or Windows NT. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the Changing Keys And Values online Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe). Note that you should make a backup copy of the registry files (System.dat and User.dat) before you edit the registry.

 1. Quit all applications.

 2. Click the Windows Start button, and then click Run.

 3. In the Open box, type "regedit" (without the quotation marks), and then
    click OK.

 4. Select the following Registry key:

       hkey_current_user\Software\Microsoft\Word\7.0\Text Converters\Export

 5. Click Edit, point to New, and then click Key. Type the name of the
    converter key, for example, Mspab, and then press ENTER.

 6. Select the Mspab key, click Edit, point to New, and then click String.
    Type "Name" (without quotation marks), and then press ENTER.

 7. Select the Mspab key, click Edit, point to New, and then click String.
    Type "Path" (without quotation marks), and then press ENTER.

 8. Select the Mspab key, click Edit, point to New, and then click String.
    Type "Extensions" (without quotation marks), and then press ENTER.

 9. Double-click the Import key for the corresponding Export converter key
    (see step 5). For example, double-click the following key:

    Hkey_Current_User\Software\Microsoft\Word\7.0\Text Converters\ 
    Import\Mspab

    Identify the values of the strings for Name, Path, and Extensions.

    The values specified in these keys must identically match the values
    that you specify under the Export key. For example, let's assume you
    have the following settings for the Mspab import filter:

    Name             Personal Address Book
    Path             C:\Msoffice\Winword\Wwpab.cnv
    Extensions       pab

10. Double-click the Mspab key under the Export key.

    Hkey_Current_User\Software\Microsoft\Word\7.0\Text Converters\ 
    Export\Mspab

11. Double-click the Name key, type "Personal Address Book" (without

    quotation marks) in the Value Data text box, and then click OK.

12. Double-click the Path key, type "C:\Msoffice\Winword\Wwpab.cnv"

    (without quotation marks) in the Value Data text box, and then click
    OK.

13. Double-click the Extensions key, type "pab" (without quotation marks)

    in the Value Data text box, and then click OK.

14. On the Registry menu, click Exit.

When you restart Word, open a document in one of the formats listed in the Symptoms section, and then attempt to save the document, Word will prompt you to save in either Word format or in the native format. If you choose the native format, Word will display an error similar to the one below. Click OK and then close the document without saving changes. Or, if you want to save the new version of the document, click Save As on the File menu, change the name of the document, and then click Save.

   Word cannot save <application name> files. The converter for this
   format can only open files.

For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: Q136832

TITLE     : Editing Address Book in MS Word 7.0 Renders File Unusable

KBCategory: KBSubcategory:

Additional query words: 7.0 plus word7 word95 converter converting conversion

Keywords          : kbinterop
Version           : 7.0
Platform          : WINDOWS

Last Reviewed: January 20, 1999