Editing Word Files in UR 1.4beta

[nisced]

I am using Word 2003 and tested the new feature which allows to edit Word files within the UR browser window without opening Word.
All options and settings are set up correctly but UR is opening Word files in Word and not in the built-in UR browser window. Have I to change the settings in Word?

Further, I wanted to edit an item page in Word. I managed to open this page in Word but it was read-only. What can I do to open the pages in the way that I can update them? I need his feature because I often have to add tables to the texts I am writing.

In general: Your are doing a great job! 1.4beta is very stable and has many new interesting features.

Thank you very much for your answer!

[kevina]

See this version 1.4 on-line manual entry for details on this feature.

Note: Ultra Recall v. 1.4 final is now available for download.

[dasymington]

How do you get UR set up so that stored Word documents are read-only? I've removed every extension from Tools | Options | Documents | File extensions to open stored documents writeable, but still whenever I move away from an Info Item that's a stored Word document, UR pops up a message saying the document has been modified and asking if I want to save changes - even if I haven't made any changes.

This happens with 1.4 beta and final.

[Taxi]

Interestingly, I'm getting both problems! On my desktop computer, the text of every item is a Word document (even for folder items) but on my laptop, Word documents insist on opening externally.

I've tried removing .rtf from the "File extensions to open stored documents writable" list and restarting but it's still the same!

I've tried adding documents as both linked and stored copies but this doesn't seem to make any difference.

I have UR1.4 Final (upgraded from 1.4 Beta) and Word 2003 on both computers.

[kevina]

dasymington: Are these stored Word documents being viewed/edited in Ultra Recall or externally? Regardless, I don't think the message you are seeing is from Ultra Recall, but rather from Microsoft Word (which is hosted inside Ultra Recall within the internal browser view - embedded Internet Explorer).

If you are viewing them in the internal browser of Ultra Recall, one easy way to verify that the files actually are readonly only is to use Item | Open Document which will open them externally. Is the file readonly (see the caption in Word)?

Note: For unknown reasons, Word sometimes prompts about changes to unchanged files when closing even when they are readonly (a question for Microsoft). If they are not readonly, then something is wrong with Ultra Recall, otherwise the issue is with Microsoft.

Taxi: You state you are "seeing both problems", does this mean you are trying to make all stored rtf content open readonly, and you are trying to view all rtf internally in Ultra Recall with Microsoft Word? This configuration would prevent any stored .rtf content (including Text and derived template Info Items) from being edited at all (which doesn't seem very useful). Am I misunderstanding what you are experiencing/trying to do?
To edit .rtf documents internally, ensure .rtf is in the File extensions to display in internal browser view: extension list on the Browser options tab, to make stored .rtf content open readonly, ensure .rtf is NOT in the File extensions to open stored documents writeable: file extension list on the Documents tab.

Note: the ... writeable: file list doesn't affect linked files

[Taxi]

All of the following comments apply to my Desktop computer! I only mentioned my Laptop because it may be significant that I get different functionality with the same default setup, but it's the Desktop setup that is unworkable and urgently needs to be sorted.

I'm not trying to make all stored rtf content open read-only.
I'm not trying to view all rtf internally in Ultra Recall with Microsoft Word. (This is what is happening, but I don't want it!)

rtf is in both the File extensions to display in internal browser view, and in the File extensions to open stored documents writeable as I do want to edit .rtf (but not with MSWord!)

I don't actually want to use MSWord for EDITING at all, and I've removed it from the list of File extensions to open stored documents writeable, but without any apparent effect.

The 'rich text' I'm referring to is internal notes in the item details pane, NOT stored rtf files, (with rtf extensions) but presumably the rtf settings should apply to this text.

I would prefer to see the text of my MSWord documents from within UltraRecall (for reading or copying), but would be prepared to open them in MSWord for editing in order to retain the UR shortcut key functionality (esp. F11). Is there a combination of settings that will make this possible? If not, then I just need to stop UR from using MSWord.

[dasymington]

Yes, these are stored documents being viewed internally in UR, and the caption says read-only when I open the document. Seems like a Word problem then. Thanks.

[kevina]

If you don't want to view/edit rtf content in MSWord in Ultra Recall, but rather use the internal rich text editor then remove .rtf from the File extensions to display in internal browser view extension list on the Browser options page.

If you will ever edit them externally (with the application associated with .rtf files, such as MS Word) using Open Document (very handy), then I would recommend leaving .rtf in the File extensions to open stored documents writeable extension list on the Documents options page.

Using the above configuration, all .rtf content (stored or linked) should be displayed/editable in the rich text editor of Ultra Recall, but can also be edited externally with Item | Open Document (Ctrl+J by default).

[Taxi]

Thanks kevina, removing .rtf from the 'File extensions to display in internal browser view' extension list has stopped Ultra Recall from using MSWord for all rtf editing as required.

It doesn't seem to make any difference if I have .doc in the 'File extensions to open stored documents writeable', or not. They always open writable (with MSWord) in the item details pane. This is quite acceptable. I can live with the loss of UR shortcut key functionality (esp. F11). However, I can't get this arrangement to work on my laptop using the same settings.

If I select an MSWord document in the Data Explorer window on my laptop, I see 'Item Details [Stored] - <filename>' on the item details tab. Then, a (confusing) dialog appears asking if I want to Open or Save the document. If I choose Open, the file will only open externally in MSWord, and the title bar text reads, "<filename> (UltraRecall copy) (Read-Only) - Microsoft Word". But when I open this file directly from the Windows explorer, it is saveable!

Alternatively, if I remove .doc from the 'File extensions to display in internal browser view', I'm given the choice of two links, 1 "Click here to open stored document" and 2. "Click here to open linked document". Both these links open the document externally. Option 1 (stored) opens the UltraRecall copy, Read-Only but Option 1 (linked) opens the file saveable!

It doesn't seem to make any difference if I have .doc in the 'File extensions to open stored documents writeable', or not. Unlike my desktop, the documents on my laptop always open externally, either automatically (as read-only) or, if I choose not to display .doc files in the internal browser, after clicking on one of the two links shown.

[kevina]

In your case it sounds like you want .doc and .rtf in the File extension to open stored documents writeable: extension list, but not in the File extensions to display in internal browser view: extension list. This will cause Ultra Recall to not use Word to display .rtf or .doc files within Ultra Recall, but will cause stored documents of these types to be editable (non readonly) when opened externally (using Open Document or the "Click here to open stored document" link).

Of course, if you open a non-readonly Word document from your hard-drive, it will be editable in Word, this is independent of UR. If you open a document stored in Ultra Recall (using one of the above methods), then its readonly status will be determined by the ... writeable file extension list, which is why you want these extensions listed...

[Taxi]

Actually I would prefer to have Ultra Recall use MSWord to display and edit .doc files within Ultra Recall. The problem I had was that, no matter what extensions I had in my list, MSWord would only open lined or stored documents externally on my laptop.

However, after much investigation, I finally got to the root of the problem. The security settings for MSWord on my laptop caused a dialog box about disabling/enabling macros to appear whenever MSWord was launched. This opening dialog must require MSWord to open externally. Changing the security settings for MSWord solved the problem.

There may be other situations for which MSWord requires an opening dialog that could also cause this behaviour, so it's something other users should be aware of if they wish to to have Ultra Recall use MSWord to display or edit .doc files internally.

Interestingly, during my investigations, I think I managed to re-produce the behaviour experienced by dasymington, whereby stored documents, being viewed internally in UR, are read-only. This only happens with stored documents when I have .doc in the "File extensions to display in internal browser view" but not in the "File extension to open stored documents writeable" list.

Strictly speaking, the documents are editable, but not saveable except with a different name. so you inevitably get the Save As... dialog when you move away from them. I was unable to find settings that allowed me to view documents but not change them. This would be very useful for for reading or copying the text without the inconvenience of having to deal with the Save/Save As... dialog.

[kevina]

What security level was initially set on your laptop and what setting did you switch to? What version of Word are you using? I am not able to reproduce that behaviour with any macro security setting with Word 2003 (with a simple recorded macro which may not be a very comprehensive test ).

[Taxi]

I have UR1.4a, XP-SP2 and Word 2003 on both computers and have, since been able to reproduce the behaviour on both of them by changing the Tools| Macros|Security settings in MSWord.

Security level was initially set to "Medium - You can choose ...", and the problem was solved by changing to "High- only signed macros ..." as the macro is something I wrote myself that I trusted!

The macro in question is very simple but it is located in a global template that is loaded whenever MSWord is started to provide facilites (like keyboard shortcuts) that I want to use all the time. Consequently, the behaviour applies to every MSWord document, (but only if MSWord is not already loaded (which was the clue that allowed me to identify the cause)

What actually happens is; on selecting an MSWord item in the Date Explorer pane, the warning dialog "Security Warning" - Macros may contain viruses... [Disable Macros]/[Enable Macros]/[More Info] appears over the UR Window and is followed by another MSWord dialog "The command cannot be performed because a dialog box is open ... " [OK]. After Cicking on [OK] then [Enable Macros] MSWord opens externally and loads the selected document.