Problem with mailed WordForMac 2011 Files

[RichardRobbins]

In the last couple of weeks, people have reported being unable to alter the Word files I send them, which has previously not been a problem. I have made no changes to any Word prefs so I figure it must be due to an OS update. I've checked the properties on the docs and they are not checked "read only". Can anyone help please? Sending as .rtf or .doc is no help. I'm using Thunderbird for mailing.

 

[NoBoMac]

There might be a bug in Office 2011. I have same, and have seen spreadsheets modified on desktop coming up with a corruption error message in Excel for iOS. If I modify on the desktop with LibreOffice, iOS app reads just fine.

Been noticing since applying Office update on or about March 20.

If you have TimeMachine, might be able to roll back to previous version. If not particulalry complex Word files, can maybe use LibreOffice or OpenOffice, until MS gets their software fixed.

ADD: unable to alter, meaning that comes up in read-only mode on recipient computer/device? That's how I am reading OP post.

 

[campyguy]

If it's a "new" issue, as a long-time Word user (on both OS platforms) the most likely culprit is that there's an illegal character in the file name - that illegal character can be anywhere in the file path - the name of the hard drive, one of the folders, the file name itself, or even an embedded macro. This isn't a "Word thing" - it's an XML thing (look up RTF 1.9.1 relative to MS Word starting with Word 12/2007/2008). And, if you're using the .docx file format, it's really a special ZIP format, with an XML document embedded within that file that contains your document information. This is still relevant:
http://word.mvps.org/Mac/cantsavefilenames.html

The above is also an issue with the Libre/Open Office word processors - they won't solve the illegal character issue.

Also, look here: http://word.mvps.org/Mac/TroubleshootingIndex.html for other issues that still plague Word 2011

And, from experience - and I'm bringing this up only because you've related that you're passing on Word files to others - if you're using "Track Changes" - TURN IT OFF! MS never got this working correctly on the Mac platform until Word 2016. If you need to track changes, use the "Compare Documents" command.

Last one, if you're transmitting to users of the Windows suite - I use Windows/Office in a VM, and have issues with one person who just won't get off Thunderbird as an email client. I get documents from him on occasion that end up in Protection View - but I administer my own personal Exchange Server and just disable it or copy it to my Mac Desktop and open it in Word 2016. More here:
https://support.office.com/en-us/article/What-is-Protected-View-d6f09ac7-e6b9-4495-8e43-2bbcdbcb6653

That's all I've got...