When we create a MS Word 2007 document we often include a text file object in the document containing commonly used instructions.



Later, when we open the document, we find that we can't open the object. This happens when the Word document is opened as read-only. If the "Edit Document" button is clicked, we can open our objects without any problem.

This is an issue as we don't want the users to be editing the document.

Is it possible to change this behavior? It seems kind of silly to be able to attach objects and then not be able to access them.

Thanks!

Unless you're password-protecting the document, what's to stop users opening it for editing?

IMHO you'd do better to leave the document unprotected at that level and, instead, use the 'Restrict Editing' button on the Developer tab to apply read-only protection to all of the document but with whatever is allowed to be edited (including the embedded object, which can have its own read-only protection if you want) marked as an exception.

See attached.

Attached Files

ReadOnly.docx (44.8 KB, 7 views)

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

Our problem is that the documents are opened as read-only by default, so they can't see the objects until they specifically set the document for editing.

We just need the objects to be accessible once the document is opened, without clicking other stuff first.

OK, but why are you doing that? It isn't necessary.

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

They just are... I have not made any changes.

If it makes a difference, these are stored on a SharePoint portal.

The SharePoint configuration is probably the issue then. A web search for:
SharePoint "Read Only" "Word 2007"
turns up many discussions on the issue, but I can't tell which of these might apply to your situation.

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

FWIW, Sometimes the document doesn't open as read-only, but after a period of time we are no longer able to save the document without specifying a new file name. It's very frustrating.