Word document locked for edit

I must have hit a wrong key. Somehow I have locked myself out of editing any of my word documents. Not sure what command to enter to unlock the documents for editing again. Using Word XP.

Thanks for your help

This is an easy one, I hope. You have probably protected your document. In Word, look under Tools..Protect Document to toggle it off.

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"I'm not a real doctor, I just play one on VDr!"

Thanks for the reply. Well I tried that and it won't let me choose that as an option. This is strange. It is as if everything has been toggled off except the ability to look at the document.

Are you sure they are opening with Word and not a Word viewer, by chance?

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TheWordExpert

Hi there,

Have you checked what the document properties say? Right click on the document icon you may have made it a read only file in which case you just uncheck the read only box in the properties screen.

Hope this is all the problem involves.

VP

I tried both of the suggestions. I know I am using word because I have tried to open the document both by clicking on the document and using open with. It has to be a setting in the software because it happens with every document I open. The actual text I get when I try to edit is: "That command is not available because the document is locked for edit."

I appreciate everyones suggestions.

I don't know how this could happen on all your documents but ...

Look in the folder(s) where the docs are stored for files with the same name but the first two characters have been replaced with something like ~$. Word creates backups of the files while you edit them. If Word does not exit normally (eg, power failure) the backup file remains. The next time you try to edit that file Word sees the ~$ version and thinks the file is already open. Delete the ~$ version.

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Jerry CTX
Computer (In)Security
Fight UCITA

Hi again,

Have you tried copy and paste into a new document. This way at least you will have workable copies while you sort out the other problem!

VP

After you close Word, hit ctrl-alt-del. Is it still sitting in the task list (winword)?

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TheWordExpert

[This message has been edited by Dreamboat (edited 02-28-2002).]

Those are both great ideas too. The problem is that cutting and pasting is not even an option. About the only thing that is an option is opening a document and printing. I am thinking of trying to reinstall my office suite to see if that solves the problem.

Thanks again for all the good ideas.

Hi again,

You do know that Office 2000 comes with its' own repair tool don't you?
Go to Control Panel - Add remove programs - select Office 2000 - the next pop up will give you the option of running the repair tool.

Hope this sorts it.

VP

Well, I just reinstalled Office and now everything works fine. I think for some reason the program decided that it had not been activated. Although it had been activated for several months now.

Thanks for everyone's help. I always appreciate the assistance I get on this forum.