Red X in Word document from PC

[Ryan McKay]

Dear Group,

I have a PC word 2000 file sent to me with a figure that shows up as a
RedX. I've tried everything (saving, printing, save as html, open with
other programs etc) but I can only see the figure on a PC. I've saved the
print file from the PC and I can open it and edit on the mac, but is there
an easier way to prevent the Red X (i.e. Is there a way to save the PC file
such that the figure comes through alright)?

I'm using WordX 10.1.1 with the latest patches/service packs installed under
OS10.2.3.

Thanks,
Ryan

ryan....@ualberta.ca

[John McGhie [MVP - Word]]

Ryan:

What happens when you double-click the picture? That often fixes it.

Cheers

This responds to microsoft.public.mac.office.word on Mon, 23 Dec 2002
09:44:43 -0700, Ryan McKay <ry...@nanuc.ca>:

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Please post all comments to the newsgroup to maintain the thread.

John McGhie, Consultant Technical Writer
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. GMT + 10 Hrs
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:jo...@mcghie-information.com.au

[Brad Dixon]

Ryan & Group,
This is also a problem that I have experienced using my iMac with OS
10.2.3 and Microsoft Office X updated to 10.1.2. When I try to open
PC documents containing graphics the text opens fine but the graphics
appear as a red X and can not be read. Double-clicking on the
graphics and attempts to convert the document within Word X do not
work. The problem is also seen in PowerPoint X. However, as I noted in
a prior e-mail to the "office" group I can open these documents in
Appleworks 6.0 or my older versions of Office '98 running on the same
iMac computer and the graphics are displayed without problem. If I
save the document from one of these other word applications, I can
usually open them using Word X and they will be visible. I wonder
whether there is a problem in a graphics converter file.
Brad

"John McGhie [MVP - Word]" <jo...@mcghie-information.com.au> wrote in message news:<qbff0vgbbik9fkopj...@4ax.com>...

[John McGhie [MVP - Word]]

Hi Bradley:

Yes, there are several problems in the graphic converter file. Particularly
when dealing with graphics prepared in PowerPoint on the PC.

The fact that you can open these documents in Appleworks indicates that they
may not be in Word 8 format (Word 97 and above...)

When the documents are saved from the PC, do you know what format they are
being saved in?

The Red X means one of three things: "Picture not available", "not enough
memory to open the picture" or "picture is in unreadable format".

The memory issue does not apply in OS X. Picture not available can mean
that it was not saved in the document (a linked picture) or that it was
saved in the document but was also "linked" to the original file on the PC
(which is not available...)

Most times, if you double-click the thing in OS X, it will convert and open.

Please see if you can obtain exact details of how the item was created on
the PC.

Cheers

This responds to microsoft.public.mac.office.word on 26 Dec 2002 09:17:21
-0800, bradle...@uiowa.edu (Brad Dixon):

[Brad Dixon]

Hi John,
Thank you for the response.
Here are the details that I know. One of the PC graphics that I tried
to open was apparently a "Visio.Drawing.6" because the message that I
get when I double click on the red X icon is "Word cannot edit the
Visio.Drawing.6." Another graphic I could not open in Word X was sent
to me embedded in a PC document and did not give any identifying
information. Word X could not offer any means to convert the file.
Both of these PC graphics files were able to be opened automatically
by Word in Office '98 and then saved as a Mac word document. Then
Word X was able to open the graphic. I was also able to open the PC
file using Appleworks 6.0 and then save it. The saved graphics file
could then be opened by Word X. Both Word '98 and Appleworks 6.0 were
run on the same iMac G4 computer as my Word X program. I found that I
could reproduce the problem in Word '98 by removing the "metafile
Import" file from the "shared applications" folder of Office '98.
However, when I tried to substitute this older metafile import file
from Office '98 into the shared applications folder for Word X it did
not correct the problem.

Tonight I have found another problem with Word X and graphics and the
internet. I tried to download a document from the web that had graphic
files embedded in it. I was using Internet Explorer v. 5.2 and
downloaded it both as a "Web archive" with pictures included and as an
html file. Neither of these documents was recognized as a readable
file by Word X but I was able to open it in Word X using a html
converter. The text came through but the graphics could not be
displayed. Clicking on the graphics icon gave a message "cannot open
specified file." I was able to go back and open the graphics in
Internet Explorer and save them separately as a ".gif" file that could
be inserted by Word X into the original document. These ".gif" files
could also be read by "PowerPoint" and "Preview. " Interestingly, in
this test, Appleworks could not even open the saved web file in any
format I tried. It got hung-up in some loop and the Appleworks
program had to be terminated. I also was not able to open these web
or html files in Word '98 but I didn't work too hard on this.

Thank you for any thoughts you might have.
Brad

"John McGhie [MVP - Word]" <jo...@mcghie-information.com.au> wrote in message news:<ic4n0vkvbr0a1hcr9...@4ax.com>...

[John McGhie [MVP - Word]]

Hi Bradley:

This responds to microsoft.public.mac.office.word on 26 Dec 2002 18:21:08
-0800, bradle...@uiowa.edu (Brad Dixon):

> Here are the details that I know. One of the PC graphics that I tried
> to open was apparently a "Visio.Drawing.6" because the message that I
> get when I double click on the red X icon is "Word cannot edit the
> Visio.Drawing.6."

That's right. It can't. Visio is a PC application only.

> Another graphic I could not open in Word X was sent
> to me embedded in a PC document and did not give any identifying
> information. Word X could not offer any means to convert the file.

> Both of these PC graphics files were able to be opened automatically
> by Word in Office '98 and then saved as a Mac word document. Then
> Word X was able to open the graphic. I was also able to open the PC
> file using Appleworks 6.0 and then save it. The saved graphics file
> could then be opened by Word X. Both Word '98 and Appleworks 6.0 were
> run on the same iMac G4 computer as my Word X program. I found that I
> could reproduce the problem in Word '98 by removing the "metafile
> Import" file from the "shared applications" folder of Office '98.
> However, when I tried to substitute this older metafile import file
> from Office '98 into the shared applications folder for Word X it did
> not correct the problem.

No, it wouldn't. Visio saves a WMF or EMF image of its picture in the file.
Are you sure that Word X has the WMF and EMF converters installed?

You should find EPS Import ant Metafile Import in your Shared
Applications/Graphic Filters folder.

> Tonight I have found another problem with Word X and graphics and the
> internet. I tried to download a document from the web that had graphic
> files embedded in it. I was using Internet Explorer v. 5.2 and
> downloaded it both as a "Web archive" with pictures included and as an
> html file.

Word will not open Web Archive files: I believe only Internet Explorer can
do that.

> Neither of these documents was recognized as a readable
> file by Word X but I was able to open it in Word X using a html
> converter. The text came through but the graphics could not be
> displayed.

If you save as HTML only, then the graphics are still on the Internet. So
you do have to retreive and save them individually. If you save as a Web
Archive, the graphics are contained in the compressed file, but Word can't
get them out of there.

> Clicking on the graphics icon gave a message "cannot open
> specified file." I was able to go back and open the graphics in
> Internet Explorer and save them separately as a ".gif" file that could
> be inserted by Word X into the original document. These ".gif" files
> could also be read by "PowerPoint" and "Preview. "

Yep. PowerPoint and all of Office use Internet Explorer for much of their
HTML capability. Preview can open GIF itself.

> Thank you for any thoughts you might have.

I guess my thoughts are that you are pushing the envelope :-) Word is not
the ideal weapon for HTML: it's much better than it used to be, but it's
still not really HTML-friendly. In other words, Word can interpret HTML 4,
but the layout is likely to suffer...

[Brad Dixon]

John,

Thank you for the information.

My Office X does have both the EPS import and Metafile import files in
the Graphic filters folder under Shared Applications in the Microsoft
Office X folder. The installer log file for Office 10.1.2 indicates
that these were also updated at the time of that upgrade.

One thing you said surprises me. I don't understand why my older Word
'98 and the newer AppleWorks 6.0 would both be able to open the
visio.drawing.6 graphic file without any difficulty when Word X does
not. There does seem to be a problem in the graphic filters for Word
X (at least on my system) that is not in these other versions. This
is a problem in academic institutions where graphics are shared across
platforms. I hope that a fix will be available soon.

Thanks again.
Brad

"John McGhie [MVP - Word]" <jo...@mcghie-information.com.au> wrote in message news:<vvop0v48ptq69qcmh...@4ax.com>...

[John McGhie [MVP - Word]]

Hi Bradley:

Because Visio puts a WMF copy in the document along with its picture.

There are some "layering" issues with Word X which mean that if the first
layer it comes to is one it can't understand, it fails to look any further.

Usually, double-clicking the picture fixes that: it forces Word to dig a
little deeper until it comes to something it "can" understand.

Try cutting the picture out of the document and then using
Paste>Special>Picture to bring it back in. That sometimes works.

Cheers

This responds to microsoft.public.mac.office.word on 28 Dec 2002 09:21:03
-0800, bradle...@uiowa.edu (Brad Dixon):

[Brad Dixon]

John,
I gave the cut > paste special > picture a try but no go on my system.
It just pasted the red X back.
I appreciate the help.
Brad

"John McGhie [MVP - Word]" <jo...@mcghie-information.com.au> wrote in message news:<i13s0vohv9f3gbrkd...@4ax.com>...

[John McGhie [MVP - Word]]

Hi Bradley:

Can you Stuff one of those documents and send it to me, please? I want to
do a bit of analysis.

Please add the password BradIgbgjOR0as73 to your subject line so you make it
through my firewall.

And please remind me of the problem in your email. I get around 300 emails
a day: someone who sends me "here it is" makes the game a bit hard :-)

Cheers

This responds to microsoft.public.mac.office.word on 29 Dec 2002 09:43:49
-0800, bradle...@uiowa.edu (Brad Dixon):

> John,

> I gave the cut > paste special > picture a try but no go on my system.
> It just pasted the red X back.
> I appreciate the help.
> Brad

All Spam blocked with SpamNet: a free download from http://www.cloudmark.com/

[Brad Dixon]

John,
FYI. I sent the e-mail to you yesterday with some examples of graphics
in PC Word documents that I could not open in Word X but could open in
Word '98 and AppleWorks 6.0. If you did not receive that message or
you wish me to post these on this site please let me know.

Happy New Year,
Brad.

"John McGhie [MVP - Word]" <jo...@mcghie-information.com.au> wrote in message news:<9nru0vsefma6nvm57...@4ax.com>...

[John McGhie [MVP - Word]]

{mutter} I seem to remember requesting a "Stuffed" "document". I received
TWO documents UNstuffed. What is it with you people? :-)

The docs are fine here on the PC, but they are full of Visio, which is
always going to be a challenge on the Mac. I'll have another look when I
get time.

Cheers

This responds to microsoft.public.mac.office.word on 31 Dec 2002 12:23:47

[Phillip M. Jones, C.E.T.]

Maybe they had to much bubly last night <grin>.

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<http://home.kimbanet.com/~pjones/birthday/index.htm>
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[Mike D]

I am having a similar problem with the Red X's, although mine does not
involve Visio or other PC-only apps. The document was created on a PC
(Word 2000), and the pictures are graphs copied from Excel, "Paste
Special"'ed as "Picture (Enhanced Metafile)," and the document saved.
There are 41 such pasted graphs in my Word document.

The PC handles this fine. When I bring it to the Mac, however, 13 of
these pictures are not converted correctly, and give the red X. Most
of the pictures look fine, and there is no obvious reason (to me,
anyway) why some should fail while others work.

I read through this thread, and made sure that I had the EPS and
Metafile filters installed. I'm running Mac OS 10.2.3, with Office
10.1.2 update installed, on a PowerBook G4/867, and I'd be happy to
send a stuffed file to anybody who thinks they can help!

[Jim Gordon]

Hi

Did you run "Repair Permissions" from Disk FirstAid in Disk Utility?

-Jim Gordon
Mac MVP

All responses should be made to this newsgroup within the same thread.
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----------
In article <3147173d.03010...@posting.google.com>,

[Mike D]

I hadn't repaired permissions since upgrading to 10.2.3, but I have
now. There were a couple of things that it reported fixing.

As for the Word file, interestingly, there are still 14 images that do
not load correctly, but they are not the same ones as yesterday! I
also noticed something else -- on opening this file, the red "close"
box on the top left of the window has a dot inside it, which in most
programs means that there are unsaved changes in the document. When I
open other Word documents, I don't get this dot until I edit the
document. I tried saving the document (with the red x's) with a
different filename, but of course that didn't work.

Thanks for the suggestion, though -- any other ideas?

"Jim Gordon" <gold...@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:<#8gZoO6sCHA.432@TK2MSFTNGP10>...

[Brad Dixon]

I have found the reason that this problem is occuring on my Mac
running OS 10.2.3 and Office 10.1.2. It is a compatibility problem
with EndNote 6. The problem goes away when I delete the EndNote 6
folder and the CWYW files. It was not solved by using the EndNote
6.0.2 updater. I tried to deinstall and install EndNote 6 this
several times and I get the same problem each time. Does Mike also
have EndNote 6? Does anybody know a solution?

Thx,
Brad

mike...@hotmail.com (Mike D) wrote in message news:<3147173d.03010...@posting.google.com>...

[Mike D]

bradle...@uiowa.edu (Brad Dixon) wrote in message news:<b4c7d49f.03011...@posting.google.com>...

> I have found the reason that this problem is occuring on my Mac
> running OS 10.2.3 and Office 10.1.2. It is a compatibility problem
> with EndNote 6. The problem goes away when I delete the EndNote 6
> folder and the CWYW files. It was not solved by using the EndNote
> 6.0.2 updater. I tried to deinstall and install EndNote 6 this
> several times and I get the same problem each time. Does Mike also
> have EndNote 6? Does anybody know a solution?
>
> Thx,
> Brad

YES! I have EndNote 6.0.2, as you do, and when I deleted the program,
there was no change in the Red X -- UNTIL I deleted the CWYW files
from the Word Startup folder. Now the files that previously gave Red
X's are loading the graphics correctly!

I'm going to contact EndNote tech support (I couldn't find anything in
their online knowledge database about this) -- hopefully they can
resolve this!

Thanks, and great detective work! Maybe this partially explains why
the problem has not been reproducible on all machines.

--Mike

[Larry Gallagher]

In article <3147173d.03011...@posting.google.com>,
mike...@hotmail.com (Mike D) wrote:

DITTO here! This problem has been bugging me for a year. I bring home
work written in Office 2000, and get sporadic Rec X's. As a previous
poster pointed out, I can have different pictures display the X each
time I open the same document.

Mike, let us all know if you get a response from the Endnote people?

- Larry

[Mike D]

> DITTO here! This problem has been bugging me for a year. I bring home
> work written in Office 2000, and get sporadic Rec X's. As a previous
> poster pointed out, I can have different pictures display the X each
> time I open the same document.
>
> Mike, let us all know if you get a response from the Endnote people?

Hi Larry, I did get a response, and posted it to start another thread,
thinking that people might see it more with a different title. That
thread starts at http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&selm=3147173d.0301211413.79fca9ae%40posting.google.com

No news other than that, at least for me.

--Mike