Word will not open files from directory

[LBWeber]

Hello,
Mac Word 2004 for teachers/students was working smoothly for me until the last month. It seemed as though the problem started when I tried to open (by mistake) an excel doc in Word - or vice versa. Now, Word will not let me open a file from the directory. (It will let me select the recently opened docs on the drop-down menu.) When I click "File" and "Open", the screen freezes and eventually pulls up a white screen with lines on it - looks like a writing tablet, which is the edition's logo - and it says "Open" on top.

I think I've exhausted my search of previously posted similar problems. Any ideas? LBW

 

[MisterMe]

Word is supposed to be able to open Excel files and vice-versa. Doing so will not damage the application and did not in your case.

Are the files in your inaccessible directory among your recently opened documents?

That white page with lines on it is the notebook in Notebook View. To access it, click the View menu.

It appears that you are new to the Mac. You clearly don't know enough about Word 2004 to adequately describe your setup or your problem if there is a problem. You are getting flummoxed, possibly over nothing. Step back and relax.

To open a file on the Mac, use the Finder to navigate to it and then double-click on the document icon. This is so much more efficient than using the application's File/Open dialog box. As you get the time, take the time to explore your menus and options.

 

[LBWeber]

MisterMe,
Thank you for your response. I have been working with WORD for 15+ years on a PC and I haven't seen any discernible difference in its format and operation on the Mac. Yes, the Finder icon on my notebook desktop will open documents. But if I am already in WORD, doesn't it make sense to use the File option in the tool bar if I want to open other WORD documents? And that's what is not working. If I even try and open a document, the screen freezes and then I have to Force Quit.

You might be right that it is something very simple to correct, but I just haven't found it yet. LBW

 

[LBWeber]

Correction about the white "tablet" screen that pops-up. From memory, I thought it looked like the notebook logo, but it's not. I just pulled it up again and it is actually a large window with columns and at the top it says OPEN, but it is frozen and doesn't do anything.

 

[demar002]

I have the same problem

The only way I can not open a word or excel document is by saving it to my desktop or a file and then going to file - open - in either program. It worked fine for the first month and then that was it. Need help please

 

[jeffw11]

I just recently started having this same problem with not being able to open Word 2004 files from the file selector within Word. If I do try to open the file this way, I get the same white page with a few column lines on it and "OPEN" at the top. The only way to get past this is to force quit Word.

Has anyone figured out what is going on here? I know I can open the files from finder but as the other user said, why do that when I am in the program?

 

[LBWeber]

Word problem

Jeff,
About a month or two after I posted that note, the problem corrected itself. I didn't reload the software or anything. It just corrected itself. So, hang in there, maybe you will luck out too. Linda

 

[jeffw11]

Thanks, Linda. I'll hang in there. It is just a strange situation. Not sure what has caused it but I'll wait it out for now.

 

[mbrenman]

Has anyone solved this problem? I am having exactly the same. Thx

 

[mcjz]

I have this problem too.. appreciate any advice

 

[madisonsammy]

word will not open files

Same issue. Word opens up some infinite window that does nothing. Very strange.

 

[LBWeber]

Word problem

I can't tell you the problem, but I can tell you how to get back to your document. The large white screen with lines is waiting for you to give it a command. The document is very large, so take you cursor and and keep bring the outer (right side) edge towards you. Eventually, you'll see an icon at the bottom of the screen that says cancel. Click on it and you'll get out of the dcument. Next time, use finder instead of Word to find the document. LBW

 

[sumuam]

i am having this exact problem but i can't drag the infinite page because whenever i am on the columned page i am represented by the thinking, working and twirling, colorful pinwheel. i have reinstalled word several times but the problem persists. the only way to get rid of the columned page is to force quit...help?