Unspecified Error, word/document.xml, Line:2, Column: 0

Thanks Jeeped.

it's my backyard that is looking like there could be wild animals hiding in the deep grass ... But it's F1 Monaco AND Indy 500 Day ... YAY!  (and it's raining ...)

**...**could you post a large copy of the the screen captures. When I zoom in, I can't make out any details ...

The screen shots I provide are just taken at 10% Zoom Level in Word before I post the repaired DOCX and reply. They are simply meant as a visual reference to the OP to let him/her know that the document was at least partially recovered before they delve into the body text of my reply.

**...**I am interested in the details of the problems that you see and fix ...

This last DOCX Unspecified error had to do with the <m:num> XML tag and I've had a few of those lately. Often, the <m:num> </m:num> pair contains absolutely no content and can be removed without any damage to the DOCX at all. In this case, it was wrapping the lettersBH which were the numerator in a formula. The malformed section looked like this,

Now that XML code sequence passes syntax muster but Word still chokes on it. This can be proven by extracting the word\document.xml and opening it in Excel (or some other XML editor).

I first tried to delete the lower <m:ctrlPr></m:ctrlPr> section as it seemed empty of any actual contribution to the content of the DOCX but that still did not allow Word to open the document. Failing that, I noted other surrounding text so I could locate the problem area within the document at a later time (e.g. within Word) and snipped out the entire the <m:num> </m:num> block. This allowed Word to open the DOCX.

I searched for the surrounding content I had noted previously and recorded the page number. I zoomed to 10% and took a screenshot of the first four pages and wrote my reply.

Eazy-peazy. Now I really have to go do something about the front lawn. Maybe a zen garden ...

Jeeped, could you post a large copy of the the screen captures. When I zoom in, I can't make out any details.  I am interested in the details of the problems that you see and fix.  A screen cap of the XML errors would be nice too ... <grin>

Rowan, you MUST install the Office Service Pack if you don't have it yet. It has specific fixes for a variation of this type of error.  If you can avoid it at all, don't put Images in the same paragraph as Equations.

Since the document has been corrupted, you should copy the contents into a new blank document. Do NOT copy the very last paragraph mark. It contains "extra" information that may contain corruption.

As well, get into the habit of FREQUENT saves!  Actually, you should find a tool to do it for you.  I have created macros to do autosaves and I have used this tool for a while (no complaints):

Autohistory for Word 2007 / 2010, Excel 2010 (Version Control)

https://autohistory.codeplex.com/

(equivalent to GMayor tool) Creates a Date&Timestamped copy of file every time you perform a normal Save. You can access any of the older versions. It creates a folder for each document affected. You have to the option o fcreating a single “universal” backup location.  The History is located in a NEW GRROUP on the View Tab.

Automatically backup Word documents

http://www.gmayor.com/automatically_backup.htm

Graham has created an addin that does something MS should have done 20+ years ago.

<snip>

Contrary to popular opinion, Word has no integral means of automatically saving the current document, nor of backing-up the current document. What it does have is an option to save AutoRecover information after a specific and configurable interval and an option to save a backup copy of the previously saved version of the document with the default file extension of WBK (and although there is no reason to do so, Word also allows the option to change this extension to the user's choice). This is not a true backup in as much as it is not a copy of the current version of the document.

A function to create a true automatic backup is provided by the **Save In Two Places add-in which is detailed in a separate page**, There is also available from this web site a complementary add-in which provides numbered versions of a document. **Again that has its own web page.**

</snip>

---

Save Numbered Versions Add-In for Word 2007 & 2010

http://www.gmayor.com/SaveVersionsAdd-In.htm

---

Save the current document in two locations add-in for Word 2007 & 2010

http://www.gmayor.com/SaveInTwoPlacesAddIn.htm

Performs a normal save in one location, then does a DOS copy to the second location (ie USB)

---

Autohistory for Word 2007 / 2010, Excel 2010 (Version Control)

https://autohistory.codeplex.com/

(equivalent to GMayor tool) Creates a Date&Timestamped copy of file every time you perform a normal Save. You can access any of the older versions. It creates a folder for each document affected. You have to the option o fcreating a single “universal” backup location.  The History is located in a NEW GRROUP on the View Tab.

---

Making Backups as You Work

http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=731710&seqNum=5

---

Helping You Recover Your Work in Office 2010 – Autorecover

http://blogs.technet.com/b/office2010/archive/2009/09/22/helping-you-recover-your-work-in-office-2010.aspx

Have you ever closed Word after making a bunch of changes, and then accidently clicked ‘No' when asked if you want to save your changes?  Then you suddenly realized what you have done, only to find that there was no way to recover your work?  You are not alone.  In fact, so many people were in similar situations that we improved Office 2010 so you can get that document back!  We call this feature Versions and I would like to spend a little time introducing it to you.

---

Recovering More of Your Work with a Shorter AutoRecover Interval

http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=731710

---

Automatically Saving Your Work Frequently

http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=731710&seqNum=2

---

Save Numbered Backup Versions of Document

http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/MacrosVBA/SaveIncrementedFilename.htm

---

Save Dated & numbered Backup versions of a document

http://www.gmayor.com/save_numbered_versions.htm

---

A Real AutoSave

http://word.tips.net/T000157_A_Real_AutoSave.html

---

Making Backups as You Work 1

http://www.msofficetuneup.com/2008/06/01/making-backups-as-you-work-in-word-2007/

     http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=731710&seqNum=5

---

Saving in Document Format from a Macro

http://word.tips.net/T000427\_Saving\_in\_Document\_Format\_from\_a\_Macro.html

---

Use the Cloud

http://www.labnol.org/software/google-docs-with-microsoft-office/18815/

Although using the cloud does not ingerently include timed backup, it does provide a useful backup function. Saving copies to the cloud eliminates the danger of losing your physical local copies, ie losing a HD or USB Thumb drive.

---

Saving Excel in Multiple Locations

http://excel.tips.net/T002774_Saving_in_Multiple_Locations.html

---

Saving in Multiple Locations

If the drive letter assigned to your USB drive is always the same, you can use code like the following in the ThisWorkbook module.

Private Sub Workbook_BeforeClose(Cancel As Boolean)

    On Error Resume Next

    Application.EnableEvents = False

    ThisWorkbook.Save

    ThisWorkbook.SaveCopyAs "J:" & ThisWorkbook.Name

    Application.EnableEvents = True

End Sub

Change the "J" to the appropriate drive letter.

If the drive letter may change but the volume label is always the same, use code like the following in the ThisWorkbook code module:

Private Sub Workbook_BeforeClose(Cancel As Boolean)

    Dim DriveLetter As String

    Dim VolumeName As String

    On Error Resume Next

    Application.EnableEvents = False

    ThisWorkbook.Save

    VolumeName = "YourVolumeName"

    DriveLetter = GetDriveLetter(VolumeName)

    If Len(DriveLetter) > 0 Then

        ThisWorkbook.SaveCopyAs DriveLetter & ":" & ThisWorkbook.Name

    End If

    Application.EnableEvents = True

End Sub

Private Function GetDriveLetter(VolumeName As String) As String

    Dim FSO As Object

    Dim DD As Object

    Set FSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

    For Each DD In FSO.Drives

        If DD.IsReady = True Then

            If StrComp(DD.VolumeName, VolumeName, vbTextCompare) = 0 Then

                GetDriveLetter = DD.DriveLetter

                Exit Function

            End If

        End If

    Next DD

End Function

Change VolumeName to the appropriate volume name.

In the last issue of WordTips there were a number of readers that got the idea that I was suggesting that people should use the FastSave feature. In fact, I got quite a bit of feedback on that tip, some of it quite pointed. (According to one reader, I was even “irresponsible.” Another stated that I was doing a disservice to readers.)

I am sorry if I gave the impression that I thought FastSave is a great idea. That is far from the truth; I do not. There are several other “features” of Word that I think are ill conceived or totally unnecessary, as well. It doesn’t change the fact that they are features and people can use them, if they desire. WordTips are not designed to promote one method of doing something over another, but to provide alternative ideas that people can incorporate into their Word use, if they so desire.

With that being said, let me point out specifically why you should not use the FastSave feature.

• Other word processors may not be able to open Word documents saved with the FastSave feature enabled. For instance, WordPerfect says it can open Word documents, yet some versions of WordPerfect cannot open FastSaved Word documents.
• Third-party software designed to work with Word documents (such as some grammar checkers, document management programs, and desktop publishing software) will not work correctly with FastSaved Word documents.
• Find File (either in Word or in Windows) may not work correctly with FastSaved Word documents.
• FastSave results in more complex files being saved on disk. Any time you increase complexity, you run the risk of corrupting the files easier.
• FastSaved files take up more disk space.
• There have been reports of macro viruses “living on” in FastSaved documents, even though you thought you had them removed.

The list could go on and on, but you get the idea. In short, unless you have a specific need to use FastSave (such as if you are only creating simple documents using Word 6 on a slow 286 machine), it is probably a good idea to turn it off. The FastSave feature is turned on by default in all versions of Word, even in the original Word 97. Only if you are using Word 97 SR-1 is it turned off by default.

As a side note, according to the Microsoft Knowledge Base there are several circumstances under which a FastSave is not done by Word, even if you have enabled the feature. These circumstances include the following:

• When you save a document for the first time. (This makes sense, right?) This includes when you choose Save As to save under a new name or in a new location.
• When your document is saved on a network server or remote volume. (Word only performs a FastSave to a local volume.)
• When Word reaches the limit of how much information it can save using the FastSave option. In this case Word does a normal save, and then again starts using FastSave for future saves.

Nuff said? (I hate it when I’m irresponsible.)

Excel- Saving in Two Locations

http://excel.tips.net/T003042\_Saving\_in\_Two\_Locations.html

... Your speedy attention is very much appreciated ...

I'm glad you got sorted out. Thanks for the feedback and the kind words.

... I trust that someone is making your work on these issues worth your while ...

I'm just a volunteer around here, but finding your thread did give me a decent reason to continue my procrastination on cutting the front lawn <bg>.