Word 97-2003 merge docs on Vista

[Brent]

Since transitioning to Vista a couple of weeks ago, and old Word 97-2003
merge documents will only open as read only. The main document will open
normally, and I can make and save changes. But the data source file in Word
will not accept any changes. When I go to exit and save my updates to my
data source I keep getting the response it is a read only. I've already
checked the properties and attributes, and all are set where they should be.
Any ideas?

 

[solon fox]

Since transitioning to Vista a couple of weeks ago, and old Word 97-2003
merge documents will only open as read only.  The main document will open
normally, and I can make and save changes.  But the data source file in Word
will not accept any changes.  When I go to exit and save my updates to my
data source I keep getting the response it is a read only.  I've already
checked the properties and attributes, and all are set where they should be.  
Any ideas?

Have you tried 'Save As' a new file and then attempting the merge with
a new copy of each file?

-solon fox

 

[Brent]

I've tried that as well - no luck.

Have you tried 'Save As' a new file and then attempting the merge with
a new copy of each file?

-solon fox

 

[solon fox]

Are you running Word 2007? Did you try saving both documents as Word
2007, performing the merge and then saving the merged document back as
Word 97-2003?

The only thing I can guess is that the document(s) have some
extraneous compatiblity setting and that a "Save As" would have
normally removed the document history tracking letting you start
afresh. Apparently, whatever is in it is still there. Do you have
"track changes" on? If you do, then you might try accepting all
changes prior to "Save As" and then merge.

Another method on particularly stubborn documents is to remove all
formatting, save as RTF, merge and then apply formatting.

By now, you've probably given up and gone to a brute force merge by
keying the two documents together... If you figure it out, let me know
in case I run into the same thing another day.

-solon fox