I've been using WP since it was a DOS program. So, I know my WP and then some.
However, in recent years, I have had NOTHING but problems with WP. Since at least Version 9 or 10, and I'm using X4 now, corrupted documents are almost a guarantee including crashes, freezes, etc.
I've read and tried EVERY trick in the book from WP Look to disabling this feature and disabling that feature (like proofread, etc.) NOTHING has cured the problem for any length of time.
I work on BIG legal documents and because of WP, I always lose days or hours trying to repair a document or having to "work around" a problem! It happens to me on more than one computer--at least 3+ different computers. Corrupted docs is 95% guarantee on any big document.
I've ranted and raved on WP Universe & other web sites. Believe me, I've done everything to fix the problem & I'm sick of it!
In the last week, I was working on another large motion & I probably lost at least 2 days dealing & repairing a corrupted document. (When you pull the doc in by the X method, no one tells you that you have to recreate your TOC & TOA which, in the case of a big document, takes forever! And the panic you go through knowing you are losing time as you inch toward your deadline countdown!) For years, I've been going through this and the last time I said, that's it, I'm moving over to Word. I just can't take it anymore.
This is what WP does for a living. It creates documents and, supposedly, large docs aimed at attorneys, etc. So, I don't want to hear how this happens with big docs. When I went through this again in the last week, I even installed WP 2000, thinking an older version might help. It went ok for a few hours but then...CRASH. FREEZE. Corruption again. I should not have to disable features or not be able to save my doc every 2 minutes (which is my only salvation sometimes) because WP can't do what it makes us pay to do! (And these lame tips don't help for very long anyway!)
The only thing that's kept me from moving to Word at this point is my lack of time to deal with a Word learning curve especially creating TOC & TOA. Basic docs in Word, no problem but, especially in the heat of yet another corrupted document, I don't have time to fiddle around with Word. But during my next lull, I'm going to figure out Word so I can zip through a document without issue.
I have been a very loyal, everlasting WP fan and I've hung in there for way too long. WP has not returned the favor so they are losing me. As I said, judging from the abundance of information on the same issues, this is happening to far too many WP users.
In fact, I think I will practice creating at TOC and TOA in Word right how.
Shame on you WP for causing and keeping this ongoing problem! You have no idea how much grief I've gone through because of this & the amount of time I've lost. WP should pay me instead of the other way around.
FWIW, I work on big docs (30-40 pages, typically) with numerous (30-40) ToC entries, bookmarks, cross references, 50-200 hypertext links, numerous graphics, numerous headers,a footer,and constructing the documents using a number of macros
I rarely have problems, and have done the above with 4-5 different PCs, desktops and laptops.
I use X3 in XP, but have used earlier version of WP in earlier versions of Window with few ill-effects.
I'm sorry the folks at WPU couldn't help - that is a rare occurance.
OMG. What a whoosie. Your big documents are 30-40 pages in length. I write FAA General operations manuals that include a regulations compliance statement in a three column format. If you want difficult documents try making paralell columns. The documents I create are, OK fasten your seatbelt, 1250+ pages in length. And you guys are complaining 30 to 40 pages?
Here it is, months later, and I'm still having the same problems with WP crashing, freezing, corrupted docs, etc. Please read email above for a more detailed description of these ongoing WP problems. I know one thing, it's NOT me! I've tried EVERYTHING recommended on this & other boards! That's all you can get--suggestions but no real solution! Clearly, I am not the only one having these problems &, trust me, there is NO solution...many suggestions, but no solution.
WordPerfect: YOU ARE RIPPING OFF THE PUBLIC BY SELLING A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT (and not cheaply) that has a great likelihood of failing (and I consider my problems to constitute a failure). Here it is months (maybe even years) later...and I'm still trying looking for a solution to the same ol' problem! These problems (and the frustration because of lack of any solution) are being experienced by far too many WP users! By now, WP should have found a solution. In fact, I haven't even found a good explanation for the cause of the problem. It feels like WP is hiding something--the experts at WP must know what's causing this. Instead, WP problem solvers act like you're the freak with the freak problem. NO WAY! Because you continue to sell a defective product, all potential buyers must be warned about these problems. I am so disgusted with WP and the failure to find a solution to these problems, I promise that I will do everything in my power to get the word out about Corel's corporate immorality (and I'm sure no one will be surprised). As a consumer, we need to fight back against this corporate raping. I'm beyond fed up with getting hosed down by these multi-million dollar corporations. I'll do whatever it takes to highlight what I construe to be another corporate hijack of the public.
...and I, too, am having the same frustrations.
I have used WordPerfect since (cough) 1988, right after our lawfirm switched from WordStar. I have staunching supported WordPerfect against Word, and have, in fact, turned down quite lucrative positions, or never applied in the first place, because I refuse (not "can't"...."refuse") to use Word.
But...here I am, fighting with X4 and about to pull my hair out. I am in the middle of a 250+page safety manual on a deadline. I have a section with seven pages of tables, and each time I delete a word, add a word, make any kind of change whatsoever, it sends it to la-la land "Not Responding," giving me enough time to search forums for answers (I disabled print spooling, ran wplook.exe, edit the startup to add the switch to, supposedly, correct tables.
When I'm "lucky," it recovers, and I can continue typing. I am having to save -- literally -- after every sentence I type. When I'm not "lucky," it crashes completed (about 75% of the time). Today, it has taken me 10 hours to type 4 pages!!
I just don't know what to do.
When working on large documents, there are practices that one should follow.
1. Save often but to various versions. A macro like Barry MacDonnell's MultiSav can make it easier. http://wptoolbox.com/library/MultiSav.html
a. When you save a version that is corrupted over a good copy, you have just shot yourself in the foot.
2. If you are writing a long document, split it up into subdocuments. I make the subdocuments for the Chapters in a book. For term papers, split to sections like introduction, body, tables, figures, appendixes, etc.
a. In the master to add a subdocument, File > Document > Subdocument.
b. If you think that you will use subdocuments, setup a template with all of your settings and then use it rather than the default template to create your subdocuments.
3. Do not work from stick drives. Only work from the hard drive but do make backups to other media like sticks.
4. If Windows has indexing turned on, turn it off.
a. If you have a program like Copernic, it indexes so it might cause similar problems.
5. Anitvirus or firewall settings might cause problems.
6. If a file does become corrupted, copy it and try to repair it. Barry explains several methods at his web site. http://wptoolbox.com/tips/RepairDocs.html
a. A macro like mine might on some occasions, help find just where the corruption might start. http://www.wpuniverse.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=28172
7. If there is no printer installed or one has a problem with the driver, wp will error.
8. Permission issues might occur because wp is trying to save something that you don't have rights to. This can be a folder or a registry item. One cause might be when installed as Administrator but used with no administrator rights.
I don't buy anything but a standard or professional version. By reading what wpuniverse.com says about the Productivity Pack, it is essentially an OEM version. As such, the company that you bought the computer from can tell you the serial number. I have a pet peeve about OEM versions though.
On the other versions that I mentioned, the serial number is on the sleeve of the cdrom or the cdrom box and usually on the lid of the box that it all comes in. Look on the cdrom in Windows Explorer to see if it has any TXT files. License.txt or something like that might contain what you want.
I hear that one can call Corel and ask what their serial number is "if" they have registered it.
For version and patch info, see the first thread in the FAQ forum at wpuniverse.com. WP11's initial release had a bug in the macro compiler so it is even more critical that you patch wp11. I am not sure how many patches that one can apply to the Productivity Packs.
I use macros alot so doing OpenOffice wasn't something that I did much with. It is a good alternative to MSWord otherwise. For casual users, OpenOffice will meet most of their needs most likely.
Corel's support policy for older versions does not differ from Microsoft's in my experience. All software companies work that way. Maybe they need a support policy like the car companies do. There is something about making parts available for at least 7 years which is partial support anyway.
Hmmm...maybe this is my answer. I still have my original WP discs, all the way back to version 8, I believe. Maybe I should just go backwards to an older version.
Hi, Kenneth:
I just wanted to say that I very much appreciate your helpful tips. I am going to go through the process of exploring each one of them to see if they help me.
One question: (and one which I certainly *should* know the answer to, but do not) Once you already have a document in progress -- in my case, a couple hundred pages already -- can you retroactively split the document into subdocuments without losing formatting or having to re-establish formatting again for each subdocument?
Thank you again for your help!
Sara
I usually keep at least 3 versions of wp on my computer. I install wp11 since it is a full version with VBA. I then install X3 and X4. I use X4 mostly but use the others to help others or test macros. I can then use VBA in the other versions as well.
What you can do is to save the file as a WPT. Then decide where you want the breaks to be. e.g. Pages 1-50, 51-100, etc. Then select the template to create copies with all of the data. Save just the parts needed for each subdoc. In your master, including the subdocs should then format all properly.
A macro can automate or help you to insert more than one subdoc at a time. Barry has some other tips and links on the topic as well. http://wptoolbox.com/library/MakeSubs.html
I gave information that is not bogus. IF you think that then you don't know me. See the number and quality of my responses here, cnews usenet groups and at wpuniverse.com if you think that I don't try to help people. I can't always help people but I try. I can't be there looking over your shoulder. I am more into macros though.
IF Corel told you the software was OEM and it wasn't then you have every right to be angry. In defense of Corel, the people that answer the phone always respond in a "canned" way initially. I have been through those hoops with many a company but then I have found few problems that I could not solve. If they are given an OEM number then their response is justified. I know there are many people that buy OEM software on Ebay but think that they are buying a Standard or Professional version. So, it sounds like custom help is what you seek and that other company is meeting your needs.
You don't have anything to lose so why don't you post your serial number? Maybe a Corel representative will see it and respond to your problem.
I have not tried the software that you recommended. IT may be the best thing since sliced bread. If I want MSWord compatibility, I just go buy the Professional version of MSOffice. Luckily, where I work, we have 3 office Suites: Corel, Microsoft, and Lotus. I use the same at home. One good thing about these MSOffice clones like Open Office and such is that the learning curve is shorter if you know MSOffice well.
With regards to crashing, I don't see it that often in wp12 or X4 but then I don't do mega picture object embedding. If I need that many, I link the files to keep file size down but then I'm old school. Graphic handling though is something that Corel should have re-engineered some time back.
I have no affiliation with Corel or ANY software company.