Long document woes

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  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

I'm writing this practically in my sleep, but before I tackle again the 9th
version of a 97 page document tomorrow, I'd like to know whether you think it
is my imagination that size (and perhaps the number of versions?) is the
reason that the document is not only very slow to respond and tables and
graphics seem to become out of place and even, for example, increased in
physical size (there are about 17 tables and 4 or 5 pictures). A table that
easily fit onto one page in an earlier version now just--on its own--spreads
out to part of the next page.

I guess my question is does the number of versions make a difference also as
to ease of handling and the size as well. I'm pretty sure the size does, but
do problems increase with each new version?

Thanks for all you do. Catch your answer in the morning before work.
 
If you're using the File > Versions command, (a) yes, that can cause the
slowness you mentioned, and (b) you're risking a corrupted document that you
may not be able to open. That feature has been seriously broken for a number
of versions.

Make a new blank document. Copy everything from your latest version *except
the final paragraph mark* and paste it into the blank document. Save the new
document with a different name. You may need to fix up some formatting,
particularly headers and footers, but it's worth it.

Don't use File > Versions any more -- if you need to keep an old version,
use File > Save As to make a copy with a different name or in a different
folder. (I don't much like using the same name in different folders, because
it's too easy to overwrite a good working copy with an older version that
way. Make up a new name by inserting the date and time in the file name.)

If you do get a corrupted document, see
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/AppErrors/CorruptDoc.htm.

If the document without versions still slows Word's responsiveness, see
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/TblsFldsFms/FastTables.htm for some suggestions.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
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Thanks, Jay. I feel much better knowing that it isn't "just me." I was
worried that I had possibly done something to cause the problem. I'll follow
your instructions and I'm sure my headaches will diminish.

Thanks again, Jay!
 
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