Word new editing-reviewing-and-viewing feature causing problems with automation

Question

We use a Visual Studio project which uses the Word Interop to open a template, attach a merge data source and perform a mail merge.

Recent updated introducing an editing-reviewing-and-viewing feature prevents the automation from working as it opens the document in View only mode and therefore does not allow the merge source to be attached.

Easily switch between editing, reviewing, and viewing documents in Word (office.com)

Any machines without the update are still working but this is causing us a real headache as we have a significant number of users who use the application which is now not working.

I am unsure how the new feature is being deployed as I have the latest version of Office 365 (same as customers) but I don't see the editing-reviewing-and-viewing feature.

Please could this be looked into because at this stage its looking like a bug.

Thank you

Kind Regards

SImon

Answer 1

This feature causes so many issues.

I've had code in place running for 15 to 20 years that has always worked, and now it's suddenly broken. For example, if there is a read only file in a location, and you try to create a new document using the Documents.Add command, you get a runtime error 5097. This also happens with just some documents in the Workgroup templates location. Move the exact same files to another directory and it works. Remove the read only attribute from the file and it works. It doesn't make sense when you are creating a new document from an existing file. This doesn't happen before built 2210 of Word where this feature magically appeared.

We sell a VSTO addin for Word which this feature conflicts with. It cannot detect the document is suddenly read only. It just fails (we trap the error, so the user doesn't see anything - but to the user nothing is working - the document no longer updates) We check for the Document.ReadOnly attribute - but this doesn't change with this setting. There is no way to detect if this setting is on or off. I cannot find any property or documentation to support it.

If you use VBA to write to the document body, or the selection range, you get different error messages. One says the document is protected - but you check the Document.ProtectionType and it returns wdNoProtection.

I'm getting calls logged daily because of this issue affecting our products, custom solutions and macros I have written for numerous clients over more than 20 years. I just had two more come in as I typed this response. I've logged multiple calls with Microsoft, but they keep closing the calls saying it's a developer issue and they can't help.

Answer 2

Dear Simon Richardson1

Good day! Thank you for posting in Microsoft Community. We are happy to help you.

Based on your description, it seems that you can't see the Word new editing-reviewing-and-viewing feature in your office 365.

If my understanding is correct, per our test, the editing-reviewing-and-viewing feature is now available in Word for browser, an dit only available for office insider version of desktop, which is not can be useed in current channel in Word.

As the article mentioned that some features are released over some time to ensure things are working smoothly, which is now only available fro office insider users. Sometimes, Microsoft highlight features that users may not have because they’re slowly releasing to larger numbers of Insiders. Sometimes they should remove elements to further improve them based on user's feedback. Microsoft are actively working on this feature, and your feedback is key to guiding future improvements. So we kindly suggest select Help>Feedback to tell us what you think to help Microsoft improve the products as soon as possible.

Your understanding and patience will be highly appreciated. I hope that you are keeping safe and well!

Sincerely,

Stacey | Microsoft Community Moderator

Answer 3

Did you ever figure this out? I have users getting updates and they've destroyed multiple custom programs we run. Same issue as you describe the programs hang because they try to modify a document that is in 'Viewing' mode.

Answer 4

We have the same issue: extracting a Word document from ELO software (ECM application) in readonly mode, with this new "feature" the document is not writable. In the past we could write inside, print and not save the modified doc.

Please tell us how to disable this annoying "feature".

Thanks

Answer 5

We have a big problem with that new feature.

We are opening word documents (with write potection) enter some text in fields, print that file and then close the word file without saving.

We are using it like form. Worked great for years now with Office 365.

Computers without this feature, are able to do the described procedure.

But computers with the new feature, are not able to enter text into a writeprotected file.

Is there a way to disable this feature? Or uninstall, or any way to get rid of it?

This is creating big problems on our side. Hopefully you have a quick solution for us.

greetings

Nino