problems merging large Office Word documents

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problems merging large Office Word documents

Anonymous

Hi there,

For years I've used Microsoft Word 2003. I keep a personal daily journal or blog and over the years I've added pictures, icons etc. About three years ago at a certain point in the document I would get this error message: The save failed due to out of memory or disk space. It took me many hours of trying to figure out the problem, before I figured out that I just have to start a second document. Naturally, this gives me two documents that are one year of daily additions in my journal. I downloaded the trial Microsoft Office 2010 and attempted to merge these documents and have failed 3 times. I do not understand why Office which is a computer program can not keep my journal in one file. This year after only 95 pages I had to continue with a second section. It seems that 525,000 KB of text, pictures, icons different font styles and graphics is close to the limit one can save in Microsoft office. Why is that? In addition, last year I sized my pictures on a separate page before inserting them into my journal, thinking this would make a difference. Can anyone please help? I would purchase Microsoft Office 2010 if it could meld or merge my documents, but 2010 seems to also have this same flaw. Thank you for any help with this matter, James Atzesberger

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Answer accepted by question author

Charles Kenyon 167.6K Volunteer Moderator

Microsoft Word 2010 can certainly handle documents this large.

With a copy of document 1 open go to the end of the document and click so your insertion point is at the end.

On the Insert tab click on the object button on the right side of the ribbon. This gives you a drop-down. Select text from file. Pick your second file.

General notes on large documents and combining documents.

Combining documents is probably easiest if they are based on the same template.
If possible, all formatting should be done using styles. Direct formatting exponentially increases document complexity and makes editing much harder. With short documents this isn't a big problem, with long ones it is.
Hard page breaks should be avoided. Use paragraph formatting of page break before where a page break has to be forced.
Never, ever, use the Master Documents Feature in Microsoft Word - at least not until you read the articles at this link.
If you use automatic paragraph numbering read Shauna Kelly's articles on numbering and bullets. Start with How to create numbered headings or outline numbering in Word 2007 and Word 2010 How to create numbered headings or outline numbering in Word 2007 and Word 2010 For large documents you must follow these directions or you will lose your hair!

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Answer 1

Paul Edstein 82,861 Volunteer Moderator

I hardly think this is a burning issue 5 years after the topic was last discussed. Besides which, nothing in the discussion warrants suspicion about the legitimacy of the copy of Word used by the OP.

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Answer 2

why did you decide to respond?

To provide a corrective to the nonsense you posted. That's why.

Your association of Microsoft Word - with or without a legitimate license - with a "program that functions in such a manner as described can be purchased on eBay for at least $7.00. The program will allow typing at least 100 pages (130 pages without pictures), then it will quit" is specious at best.

You then go on to claim "These programs are not good for typing long books and the storing of pictures in text files. The programs have titles such as Open Office and Office Suite" which suggests you're a troll, seeking to sow doubt where none is warranted. Open Office, in particular, is well and truly capable of producing documents in excess of 100 pages, as is LibreOffice; both are available as free downloads, so I don't know why anyone would buy them on eBay. As for your reference to 'Office Suite', there are various products with that as part of their name, and even Microsoft Office is often referred to as an Office Suite, so it's impossible to know which one(s) you have in mind; some are free - so why would anyone pay for them - and others require a monthly or annual subscription - not a once-off $7 purchase price. About the only way of buying Microsoft Word at such a price would be as part of an outdated Microsoft Office suite (e.g. Office 2000 or 2003) and it would be difficult, if not impossible, for anyone to reconfigure it to behave as you suggest.

Answer 3

I appreciate your response. The issue may not be a burning issue to you as you are an expert at all things pertaining to Microsoft. Open Office and Office Suite are being used by many people as an alternative to Microsoft Office. If you did 'think' that the response was not a burning issue, why did you decide to respond? Have you encounter the issue? Everyone should defer to you. Of course, you are the expert.

Answer 4

Are you sure that you are using a legitimate copy of Microsoft Word? Was the price consistent with the purchase of a legal copy of Microsoft Office? Are you sure that you are not using an imitation program similar to Microsoft Word? There are numerous Word programs that use terminology to likely convince users that they are using a legitimate Microsoft product. One program that functions in such a manner as described can be purchased on eBay for at least $7.00. The program will allow typing at least 100 pages (130 pages without pictures), then it will quit. These programs are not good for typing long books and the storing of pictures in text files. The programs have titles such as Open Office and Office Suite. Make sure that the program is legitimately licensed product of Microsoft.

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problems merging large Office Word documents

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