One of the best ways to share photos with friends is to post them to a web site. It’s more efficient and practical than sending lots of emails with attachments. One of the best ways to share photos with friends is to post them to a web site. It’s more
There’s a security problem in Word where an SQL query to get addresses for a mail merge can be misused by a bad guy. In the last issue of Office Watch we mentioned a strange message from a Microsoft staffer in a public forum. This message detailed the fix for an undocumented
Office XP Service Pack 3 does fix some problems and patch some security lapses but it can also be a minefield of problems either with the installation itself or various conflicts with other programs. It’s like deja vu all over again – another Office service pack is released – on
There’s a service pack for Office XP users but before you go rushing off to get it make sure you get any necessary updates to other software. Yup, there’s a service pack for Office XP users but before you go rushing off to get it make sure you get any
We look at a particular timesaving technique that involves setting up a PowerPoint slide show so it runs all by itself. This week we look at a particular timesaving technique that involves setting up a PowerPoint slide show so it runs all by itself. That may sound like a ho-hum feature, but
We look at how to add Template tabs into Office’s File New dialog boxes. One tip that I’ve been meaning to publish for many months now has to do with those confounding tabs in Office’s File New dialog boxes. Most of you know that you can specify two different locations
Looks like the Prime Minister of Denmark won’t be sending out press releases in Word DOC format any more. Looks like the Prime Minister of Denmark won’t be sending out press releases in Word DOC format any more. He got stung by embarrassing data hidden in the DOC files. Henceforth,
A company called MAPIlab has released a thorough, accurate, independent evaluation of the junk mail filter in Outlook 2003. A company called MAPIlab has released a thorough, accurate, independent evaluation of the junk mail filter in Outlook 2003. If you’re using Outlook 2003’s spam filter, I suggest you take a
There is no Office Shortcut Bar in Office 2003 – and your choices aren’t very good. I get at least one message a week from someone who’s upgraded to Office 2003, and discovered that they can’t use the Office Shortcut Bar. Alas, there is no Office Shortcut Bar in Office
One reader informs us of an error when trying to modify the Outlook 2003 contacts form. Here’s a strange one, sent to me by Office Watch reader JC. In Outlook 2003, open a Contact. Click Tools | Form | Design This Form. You would expect that a copy of the
I’ve been trying to coerce Word 2003 into saving a bunch of documents in WordPerfect format. I’ve been trying to coerce Word 2003 into saving a bunch of documents in WordPerfect format for my attorney. Yes, many lawyers still use WordPerfect – and they charge extra if they have to
Last week, Microsoft re-released a tool that removes swastikas from the Bookshelf Symbol 7 font, this time billing it as a “critical update” to Office 2003. Some days I just have to shake my head in wonder… Two months ago in Office Watch, I showed you a new font in Office
Most of the original 12,000 beta testers thought they’d get a copy of Office 2003 in return for their participation. Instead, they got a cheesey clip-on radio. Many Office 2003 beta testers are carping about the slap-in-the-face “gift” they received for testing. Most of the original 12,000 beta testers thought
We look at the different ways to print Word macro key assignments. Office Watch reader Jim Harris writes: “I have written quite a few MS Word macros, and assigned them to key combinations. Of course, I forget the key assignments of ones I seldom use, and I see no way in MS
If your Word document contains a password in the “Password to modify box”, and you insert the document into another Word document as a linked object, you may be able to make changes to the original document without typing the password. Quoth Microsoft: “If your Microsoft Word document contains a
The symptom: you File | Exit out of Outlook 2003, but it keeps on running, down in the Windows notification area (next to the clock). I’ve had reports from many of you that you still can’t get Outlook 2003 to quit, even after applying the nostrums in a recent article of
A reader problem tells us the symptoms of and solution to an unusual problem in Word 2002 related to having too many fonts installed. Office Watch reader Francine Millman, founder of PROMPT Consulting, writes: “Recently, I had a problem in Word 2002 whereby every single time I went to insert
There is an even-easier way to bypass “Password for Forms” passwords in Word. Last week I told you about the bogus “Word security exposure” that made it into the computer press, when writers should’ve known better. In a nutshell, a very bright guy discovered that he could zap out a
Will Microsoft’s new XML patent filings affect you? Our friends in Redmond say that “Microsoft may have patents and/or patent applications that are necessary for you to license in order to make, sell, or distribute software programs that read or write files that comply with the Microsoft specifications for the
Piecemeal Office 2003 patches continue to roll in at a breathtaking pace. Piecemeal Office 2003 patches continue to roll in at a breathtaking pace. In addition to the Excel 2003 RAND() function patch that you have to beg for, there’s a raft of Word 2003 patches, all bundled into one
Another major tech news organization has picked up and flogged another red herring about a hack to Word’s password-protection feature. Another major tech news organization has picked up and flogged another red herring. “A simple hack to Word’s password-protection feature means documents may not be as secure as users believe.
The debate is on as to whether or not Microsoft “borrowed” the Word 2003 Reading Layout View from Eric Wilson. You tell me. Take a look at the screen shots and tell me if you think Microsoft, uh, “borrowed” Word 2003’s Reading Layout View from Eric Wilson. I dunno how
Microsoft’s “Remove Hidden Data” add-in is currently a mess. I warned ya last week. Microsoft’s “Remove Hidden Data” add-in is a mess. The add-in is supposed to strip all that potentially embarrassing hidden text out of Office files. In fact, it does a pretty good job most of the time,
Microsoft has posted the program that removes the two swastikas from the Office 2003 Bookshelf Symbol 7 font. Microsoft posted the program that removes the two swastikas from Office 2003’s Bookshelf Symbol 7 Font that I mentioned in a previous article in Office Watch. In fact, the tool does more than