Hi!

I had multiple 2010 Word documents as .docx and .doc onto my desktop. They sat there for a month and when I looked today, they each had their own folder and they were in XML format! I do not know how this happened, when they were all saved as the .docx and .doc.

I'm SO upset by this. I've done as much research as I can, tried multiple programs to convert, and I am now at my wits end!

Is there a way to convert the XML documents BACK to Word so I can read my son's Christmas list, and my recipe, a poem, and my son's story...I don't know what to do!!

Any help you can pass on would be GREATLY appreciated!

Thank you so much!

Hi Synful,

Can you upload one of the affected documents? I'd be surprised if they're actually XML files.

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

Hi!

Thank you for your reply!

I have attached a zip file of the folder that has all the files for that one document. I do not know what all the files are for...

I hope it is attached, anyway...I've never attached anything to one of these forums before!

Thank you so much!

Attached Files

MONKEY BREAD RECIPE.zip (13.7 KB, 27 views)

Hi Synful,

When Word 2010s saves a document in the new docx format, the document actually consists of a zip archive containing the file's various parts in xml format. You can see this if you take any docx file, change its extension to zip and open it from Windows Explorer. That's what you've posted, except that the zip file now includes 'MONKEY BREAD RECIPE' in the path - merely changing the extension of the attachment back to docx isn't sufficient for Word to open the attachment. If you save the contents of each document's 'folder' back to a zip file (thus getting rid of the filename as part of the path name) and change the extension to docx, Word should be able to open it. See attached.

Attached Files

MONKEY BREAD RECIPE.docx (12.9 KB, 19 views)

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

First, I wanted to kiss you. lmaooooooooo You have NO idea how much I was fretting over this! When I put that folder into a winzip file and attached it, I thought for sure you were going to say there was nothing you could do! lol

Second, I have no idea what you are telling me

When I save, I make sure it's in .docx and then I shifted to using .doc so it could be used at work. I don't understand how it saved it as the folder thing you are talking about...and I don't understand how to change it back...

When I saved it as a .docx on my desktop...it showed the pic of the Word document. Not a folder. Then a couple of weeks later I came back and noticed it was now a folder of documents that were not the Word document I had saved.

So you are saying, in order to turn it back into my Word doc, I have to go into the folder and save each item as a rename them "zip.docx"? I know I didn't understand that right. UGH! I'm sorry for not catching on!

Hi Synful,

Without actually seeing what's on your system, I can't comment on the apparent change from filenames to folders. How are you opening these folders (eg with Word or with Windows Explorer)? What happens if you simply drag the folders off your desktop into another folder (eg 'My Documents')? Do you get back the docx extensions?

If you open the zip file you posted, you'll see that each file's path includes 'MONKEY BREAD RECIPE'. Basically, what you need to do to turn that back into a document is to create an equivalent file without 'MONKEY BREAD RECIPE', and with the docx extension. That's what I did, but with further info about your system I may be able to describe a simpler process for you.

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

Well, I use either way. I mean I will open Windows Explorer and search through my desktop and double click on the document I want to open. It opens in Word. I've never had a problem doing that before. This is the first time this has ever happened and I've had Windows 7 and Office 2010 for a year now.

If I drag the folders from my desktop into Windows Explorer and drop it into the library called Documents it continues to be a folder with the XML contents.

I'm sorry, but I tried what I think you are saying and it's not working for me...it's obvious I'm not doing something right.

I opened the original folder I had used to make a zip to attach and send to you earlier. I changed all the .xml extensions to .docx The only thing I saw named "Monkey Bread Recipe" was the folder name. Nothing happened when I changed everything to .docx

What information are you needing from my computer?

Can you just tell me step by step what you did, such as double click to open zip or right click and extract. Copy file called, [Content_Types] and paste it with a new extension, whatever you did and in the order you did it. Somewhere I am messing up...big time!

Hi Synful,

In Windows 7, zip files can be opened from Windows Explorer just like a folder, even though they're actually a single file containing compressed copies of one or more other files.

What you can do is:
1. Open a given document's folder using Windows Explorer.
2. Select all files & folders within that folder (eg Ctrl-A).
3. With Windows Explorer use Send To > Compressed (zipped) folder.
4. Give the new zipped file the same name as its parent folder and a docx extension.
5. Drag the new zipped file out of the existing folder into, say, your 'My Documents' folder.
6. Check that the new file opens in Word and, if so, delete the errant folder.

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

OH! It worked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!!! Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!

Now, why the heck would one day these be perfectly normal Word documents one day and then the next they turn into XML folders?

I really appreciate your help!

I could only speculate - it's not something I've ever encountered.

Enjoy.

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

Sorry to revive an old thread but I have recently experienced this same problem, but the fix suggested doesn't work.

One day almost all my word documents changed to have the file extension .XML. What is further strange, is the icon for the .XML files can be one of two pictures, colour or Final Cut Pro. The file even has in the description "Kind: Color XML or Kind: FCP XML" I cannot begin to understand what has happened.

I have FCP on a Mac laptop, but these word files were made on a windows laptop at work, and saved on an external HD which I have formatted for Mac and Windows. These files of course were saved on the windows partition.

The only contact they have had with my mac machine is my plugging in the external HD and copying some of the files over to take a look outside work hours.

Now these files are utterly bizarre and have names such as:

Monthly CMD Performance.xls.XML

Then you got ones which are NAME.doc.XML

.url.XML

And hundreds more...

What in blazes has happened, and how would I fix it?

That suggests something wrong was done with the copying and you now have pieces of multiple documents extracted into the same folder. Putting it all back together would be rather like trying to reassemble a pig from a bag of sausages. I suggest you review the contents of your windows laptop and external HD.

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

I am having the same problem.. anyone can help??

See post #12. Assuming, like the post you quoted, that a Mac is involved, that is likely to be where the difficulty lays. For example, there is a setting in Safari ("General" pane) to allow "trusted" files to be automatically opened. This may be a source of problems. Similarly, Stuffit Expander on Macs seems to sometimes go awry and decide to go about extracting the contents of Office XML-format files (.docx, etc.), which are really zip archives with another name.

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]