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Desktop grayed-out in Word. Why?
Posted by: Montana (IP Logged)
Date: October 27, 2009 01:19AM
Strange goings-on.
When I choose File>Open in MS Word, I get the usual sidebar icons (Applications, Pictures, Music, etc.), but the Desktop icon is grayed out. Never used to be.
I'm using a MacBook with OS 10.4.11, and Word 2004.
When I choose File>Open in MS Word, I get the usual sidebar icons (Applications, Pictures, Music, etc.), but the Desktop icon is grayed out. Never used to be.
I'm using a MacBook with OS 10.4.11, and Word 2004.
Re: Desktop grayed-out in Word. Why?
Posted by: The Black Adder (IP Logged)
Date: October 27, 2009 10:37AM
How does the sidebar look when you go to open a file from TextEdit?
Re: Desktop grayed-out in Word. Why?
Posted by: Montana (IP Logged)
Date: October 27, 2009 10:59AM
The sidebar is fine in TextEdit, as it is in Excel and (I presume) all other applications. Only Word acts up.
Re: Desktop grayed-out in Word. Why?
Posted by: The Black Adder (IP Logged)
Date: October 27, 2009 11:25AM
It's "grayed out," but if you click on the icon does it show you your Desktop folder in the window?
Re: Desktop grayed-out in Word. Why?
Posted by: Montana (IP Logged)
Date: October 27, 2009 11:57AM
Nope. It's like it isn't there.
Re: Desktop grayed-out in Word. Why?
Posted by: The Black Adder (IP Logged)
Date: October 27, 2009 12:36PM
If it doesn't go away after a restart, you could try trashing the com.apple.sidebarlists.plist file from your ~/Library/Preferences folder.
Re: Desktop grayed-out in Word. Why?
Posted by: Montana (IP Logged)
Date: October 27, 2009 01:49PM
try trashing the com.apple.sidebarlists.plist file from your ~/Library/Preferences folder...
Did it. Nothing.
Did it. Nothing.
Re: Desktop grayed-out in Word. Why?
Posted by: The Black Adder (IP Logged)
Date: October 27, 2009 02:02PM
Weird.
Try this: drag the gray icon off of the sidebar in Word and then navigate to your Home folder and drag your Desktop folder icon back onto the sidebar.
Try this: drag the gray icon off of the sidebar in Word and then navigate to your Home folder and drag your Desktop folder icon back onto the sidebar.
Re: Desktop grayed-out in Word. Why?
Posted by: Gigantic Robotic Penguin (IP Logged)
Date: October 27, 2009 03:10PM
These are my kneejerk recommendations for strange problems.
# Restart in Safe Mode (it can take a while), then restart again.
# Create a new user account and see if it does the same thing.
From a Raines Cohen T-Shirt: "The day Microsoft makes a product that
does not suck will be the day they start making vacuum cleaners."
# Restart in Safe Mode (it can take a while), then restart again.
# Create a new user account and see if it does the same thing.
From a Raines Cohen T-Shirt: "The day Microsoft makes a product that
does not suck will be the day they start making vacuum cleaners."
Re: Desktop grayed-out in Word. Why?
Posted by: Montana (IP Logged)
Date: October 27, 2009 05:12PM
Can't do this. Can't move/delete sidebar icons in Word. I can do it in Finder, but not in Word.
Re: Desktop grayed-out in Word. Why?
Posted by: Montana (IP Logged)
Date: October 27, 2009 05:15PM
# Restart in Safe Mode, then restart again.
# Create a new user account and see if it does the same thing.
Nice idea, but it didn't work.
Next step? Re-install Word? Pain in the neck, but not a big hassle.
# Create a new user account and see if it does the same thing.
Nice idea, but it didn't work.
Next step? Re-install Word? Pain in the neck, but not a big hassle.
Re: Desktop grayed-out in Word. Why?
Posted by: The Black Adder (IP Logged)
Date: October 27, 2009 05:25PM
> Re-install Word?
Does Command+D work to get you to your Desktop?
If so, I wouldn't bother messing with it further. It's a small annoyance.
Does Command+D work to get you to your Desktop?
If so, I wouldn't bother messing with it further. It's a small annoyance.
Re: Desktop grayed-out in Word. Why?
Posted by: Gigantic Robotic Penguin (IP Logged)
Date: October 27, 2009 05:33PM
I don't have any recent experience with Word... I am not sure if a re-install or more trouble shooting is a bigger effort.
# delete user preferences (or is that what com.apple.sidebarlists.plist was?)
# scan partition with Onyx/Cocktail/repair permissions.
You might want to scan the HD for errors and look at it's SMART status. You could delete and re-install and then still have problems because the drive is in the first stages of failing. Another cause of bugs is aftermarket RAM, but that is a little out there.
From a Raines Cohen T-Shirt: "The day Microsoft makes a product that
does not suck will be the day they start making vacuum cleaners."
# delete user preferences (or is that what com.apple.sidebarlists.plist was?)
# scan partition with Onyx/Cocktail/repair permissions.
You might want to scan the HD for errors and look at it's SMART status. You could delete and re-install and then still have problems because the drive is in the first stages of failing. Another cause of bugs is aftermarket RAM, but that is a little out there.
From a Raines Cohen T-Shirt: "The day Microsoft makes a product that
does not suck will be the day they start making vacuum cleaners."
Re: Desktop grayed-out in Word. Why?
Posted by: Montana (IP Logged)
Date: October 27, 2009 06:59PM
Does Command+D work to get you to your Desktop?
Yes, it does...and it solves the problem as far as I'm concerned. Thanks Addeer!
Yes, it does...and it solves the problem as far as I'm concerned. Thanks Addeer!
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