Troubleshoot linked objects and embedded objects

This message appears when the source file or source program can't be opened.

• Make sure the source program is installed on your computer. If the source program is not installed, convert the object to the file format of a program that is installed.

  How?

  1. Select the linked or embedded object you want to edit.
  2. On the Edit menu, point to Linked object name Object for a linked object (for example, Linked Worksheet Object) or object name Object for an embedded object (for example, Worksheet Object), and then click Convert.
  3. Select the new file type in the Object type box.
  4. Select whether to convert the object you specified in the Object type box or open it as a specific object type:
     • To convert the embedded object, click Convert to.
     • To open the embedded object without changing the embedded object type, click Activate as.
• Make sure you have enough memory to run the source program. Close other programs to free memory, if necessary.
• If the source program is running, make sure it doesn't have any open dialog boxes. Switch to the source program, and close any open dialog boxes.
• If you want to convert or activate a linked object, make sure someone else doesn't have the source file open.
• If it is a linked object, make sure the source file you want to edit has its original file name and that it resides in its original location. Select the linked object, and then click the Links command on the Edit menu to see the name of the source file. If the source file has been renamed or moved, use the Change Source button in the Links dialog box to reconnect the links.

1. Click the icon.
2. On the Edit menu, point to Linked object name Object for a linked object (for example, Linked Worksheet Object) or object name Object for an embedded object (for example, Worksheet Object, and then click Convert.
3. Clear the Display as icon check box.

When you create a large linked object or embedded object, it may be cropped on the right or bottom side— even if there is enough room to fit the entire object on the page. This occurs because Microsoft Word displays the linked or embedded object's Extended metafile (EMF) presentation, which has a maximum height and width. If your object exceeds this maximum size, it appears cropped in the Word document.

To prevent a linked or embedded object from being cropped, do one of the following:

• In the source program, reduce the size of the data. For example, reduce the font size and the column size.
• In Word, paste or link the data as formatted or unformatted text. To do this, click Paste Special on the Edit menu, click Paste or Paste link, and then click Formatted Text (RTF) or Unformatted Text in the As box.

1. Switch to Microsoft Excel.
2. On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the General tab.
3. Clear the Ignore other applications check box.

In Microsoft Word, you can import a Microsoft Excel worksheet or range by opening the workbook it's stored in. However, in Word you can't save the worksheet in Excel format. If you save the worksheet in Word format, Excel can no longer read the worksheet (or the workbook that contains the worksheet).

To edit and save changes to an Excel worksheet, don't save it in Word. Instead, open the worksheet in Excel, and then edit it and save your changes. Then, you can open the worksheet again in Word.

The Select method check box has been replaced. On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the General tab. Select or clear the Confirm conversion at Open check box. When you select the check box, the Confirm Data Source dialog box opens when you open a data source.

By default, when you insert database information or attach it as a mail merge data source, Microsoft Word uses DDE to read the data file. DDE automatically starts the source program (such as Microsoft Excel) and then opens the data file.

If you don't want to start the source program, you can use ODBC or a file converter instead of DDE to read the data file directly. To do this, insert the database information, or attach it as a mail merge data source. On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the General tab. Select the Confirm conversion at Open check box. Then, each time you insert database information or attach it as a mail merge data source, Word opens the Confirm Data Source dialog box so that you can click the ODBC driver or file converter you want.