Techsurvivors

Archives => 2008 => Topic started by: Gregg on June 16, 2008, 01:22:08 PM

Title: Word Paste not sticky
Post by: Gregg on June 16, 2008, 01:22:08 PM
Strange goings on:
Copy text from a Word 2004 file - only the last line makes the grade when pasting into web based e-mail

Save same Word file as pdf - that opens up in Preview - copy text, paste into same web based e-mail - everything shows up!

This happened consistently. (In other words, I tried it multiple times, expecting a different result.)

Bonus:
Sending e-mail from same web based account with attachments - wouldn't go - attachments might be too big, it says - I just sent one with the same attachments, says I - Wait! Pinwheel is still rotating. When it stops, hitting Send again does the trick!
Title: Word Paste not sticky
Post by: Gregg on June 17, 2008, 12:53:49 PM
Ok, so I'll ask the implied question:

Anybody know why the clipboard is not copying and then pasting everything that was highlighted?
Title: Word Paste not sticky
Post by: Paddy on June 17, 2008, 01:23:08 PM
Not sure what's going on there, Gregg. Did you try dumping the Word or Entourage .plist files? Restarting? Reinstalling Office 2004? Can't find any similar complaints online.
Title: Word Paste not sticky
Post by: Gregg on June 17, 2008, 04:24:50 PM
I have no experience with .plist files. When you say "Word .plist file" do you mean to say there should be a file called "Word.plist" or some otherwise named .plist file in a "Word" folder inside the Office for Mac 2004 folder? (If the latter, not so on my Mac. if the former, I can't find it.)

Seems that .plist files are scattered all about. I suppose I should browse the Apple site for a tutorial of sorts, or read up on it in Help.
Title: Word Paste not sticky
Post by: Paddy on June 17, 2008, 04:49:02 PM
No, generally they're not scattered about, but found in your (user) Library->Preferences folder. You're looking for com.microsoft.Word.plist (have a look at the list in the preferences - you'll soon get the drift. smile.gif ) You can also try the Entourage .plist file too. Drag them to the trash, but don't empty it. Restart the applications. They'll make new preference files. You'd be amazed at how often some very wacky things can be solved by simply dumping .plist files. Note: if you have a lot of custom settings that you've set in the application preferences, you may want to rescue the .plist file from the trash and put it back in the Library IF dumping it and restarting the application didn't help. I generally don't have so many non-default preference settings that I'd feel it was warranted, but YMMV.
Title: Word Paste not sticky
Post by: Gregg on June 17, 2008, 07:39:05 PM
QUOTE(Paddy @ Jun 17 2008, 04:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
No, generally they're not scattered about, but found in your (user) Library->Preferences folder. You're looking for com.microsoft.Word.plist


Ok, found 33 items in that folder, but not that file. In fact, ain't nuthin' with "microsoft" or "word" in the file name. dntknw.gif
Title: Word Paste not sticky
Post by: Paddy on June 17, 2008, 11:24:22 PM
Um...did you look in the Library in your user account or in the main Library? You want the Library in your USER account. They haven't moved it - if you have Office installed and you've used it, it's got to be there. Honest. Or there is something very weird going on.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/887298
Title: Word Paste not sticky
Post by: Gregg on June 18, 2008, 07:49:50 AM
Yep. I went to the first Library I saw. I mean, I go to the closest brick and mortar library when I need one! Usually, the Main Library has more stuff!

I did notice you directed me to the user/Library, but I didn't follow the directions! This time, I didn't miss the turn. wink.gif I've moved the .plist for Word and Excel into the Trash for the moment. Now to do some testing....

Very strange... I edited my post (Full Edit) and got a 404 error; no permission....

Went back and used Quick Edit, and it worked.

Then tried a new Reply, and got the 404 again. Let's see what happens now...
Same thing. Trying Quick Edit again...
Title: Word Paste not sticky
Post by: MamaMoose on June 18, 2008, 08:35:39 PM
Gregg,

I have been using Word 2004 for the last  6 weeks and did the copy/paste operation without a problem. Now, I do have CopyPaste Pro whose menu when selected shows you the last 10 copie/pastes you performed. That may have made a difference.

MamaMoose
Title: Word Paste not sticky
Post by: Gregg on June 19, 2008, 06:53:34 AM
You know, I downloaded CopyPaste, but its presence is nearly invisible. I don't even know how to access it really. But I haven't spent any time trying.

Even after placing the ...Word.plist file in the trash, I still could not copy from a Word document and paste into a Safari window. I haven't worked with Excel yet to see if those problems went away.
Title: Word Paste not sticky
Post by: Xairbusdriver on June 19, 2008, 02:31:38 PM
Since you missed part of the instructions the first time around...
You did Quit and restart Word, correct? Programs generally install their prefs when they start up and thus don't access the file until the next time they are started. So they really don't care if you move (some of) their .plist files while they are still running.

BTW, ".plist" files do the same general things as "preference" files back in OS 9. But they are (usually) merely XML files readable by most any text editor. That doesn't mean you should actually edit them but it does mean they are easier to understand and maybe even more stable when read and written to disk.

There are several "Preferences" folders just like there are several Fonts folders. Some are for things that are owned by the OS, the rest are usually for those things an individual user would need. In other words, every user who can access Word (or any other app) will have their own com.word.plist file. That is one reason why it is often suggested that you try a program when logged in as a new/different user. It may be that the .plist file you normally use is corrupt and the other users file might be OK. Fast user switching makes it pretty simple to check that possibility without even moving a file.
Title: Word Paste not sticky
Post by: Gregg on June 19, 2008, 04:20:34 PM
Yes, I even Shut Down (shutted down?) the computer in between disposing of the .plist files and trying to paste from Word. I do have a "Troubleshooting" user set up, but I haven't tried switching over to it. Just created it the other day...
Title: Word Paste not sticky
Post by: Xairbusdriver on June 19, 2008, 04:35:19 PM
QUOTE
I do have a "Troubleshooting" user set up, but I haven't tried switching over to it.
Might try that, it might determine that the problem is related to the OS. dntknw.gif
Title: Word Paste not sticky
Post by: Gregg on June 19, 2008, 08:31:05 PM
Well, putting OSX in the hands of a newbie who hasn't really tried anything with it can be a dangerous thing....

I opened the Accounts pane and unlocked it, then selected my Troubleshooting account and restarted. I couldn't really tell if it changed the account, but I did notice that my background picture was gone. (Speaking of gone, I will be most of the day tomorrow. Leaving early!)

So I opened the Accounts pane again, and the Main Account was highlighted, leading me to believe that I had not changed accounts. Not sure what I'll see when I restart next time...