Word Help window - it won't close

[cra...@officeformac.com]

Version: 2004 Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger) Processor: Intel With Word 2004, since updating to Word 11.5.5 (currently I'm running Word 11.5.6, after using Office-updater 11.5.8) the window for "Word Help" refuses to close. There are no buttons on top (or anywhere else) to close it, and none of the options in the "Window" menu do anything. Word Help stays "on top" thus blocking documents underneath, so I have no choice but to close the program, and then re-open it (plus all of the documents I had opened during the previous session) and try to be careful to NEVER use Word Help.

My Question: Is there a way to close the window for Word Help? (i.e. have I missed something?)

I'm using Mac OSX 10.4.11, and an iMac with an external monitor. All of the Word menus are on the external monitor, since it's my main "work computer", and this causes no problems with any other program, or (that I can remember) with Word 2004 before the 11.5.5 update.

Craig

[CyberTaz]

As an interim option you always can use the standard keystroke Command+W to
close Help... Just make sure it's the active window.

However, that doesn't 'fix' the problem if the 'traffic light' buttons or
the title bar are actually missing. There should be 3 tiny circular buttons
@ the left end of the gray title bar that displays 'Microsoft Office Help'
on the top edge of the Help window. If that isn't showing, Quit all Office
apps, launch the OS X Disk Utility & run Repair Disk Permissions on your HD.
Restart your Mac & see if things improve.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

On 5/3/10 8:52 AM, in article 59bb7...@webcrossing.JaKIaxP2ac0,

[cra...@officeformac.com]

Thank you for trying to help, CyberTaz, but...

>you always can use the standard keystroke Command+W to
close Help... Just make sure it's the active window.

I can't find a way to make Word Help be "the active window" for Command-W, or for options in the Window-menu (like "Minimize Window") because if a word-document is open, it (instead of Word Help) is always the active window. Word Help won't be "active" even if I type something in "search help" or highlight things in search help or in the right-side frame. If no other document is open, then command-W will close the window for Word Help, although command-M won't minimize it.

>that doesn't 'fix' the problem if the 'traffic light' buttons or the title bar are actually missing. There should be 3 tiny circular buttons

You're right in saying "that doesn't fix the problem if..." because the usual buttons (red x, yellow -, green +) are missing on the window for Word Help.

I tried the other things (Repair Disk Permissions, Verify Disk, Restart) but this didn't change anything in Word 2004. Evidently, quitting the program (or closing all documents, which is equally disruptive for my work flow) is the only way to make Word Help disappear, and I can never use Word Help again (since the 11.5.5 update) without having Window Help be inert, with no way to close it or move it elsewhere on the screen.

Craig