Microsoft KB Archive/78298

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BAK-Extension Setting Accepts Only Alphanumeric Characters

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Q78298

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 2.0, 2.0a, 2.0a-CD, 2.0b, 2.0c, 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c

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SUMMARY
When you use the BAK-Extension setting in Microsoft Word for Windows version 2.0, only numbers and letters are valid extensions. If characters other than numbers or letters are used for this setting, the backup files are saved with the default extension, .BAK.

MORE INFORMATION
Word for Windows version 2.0 allows a default backup file extension to be specified in the [Microsoft Word 2.0] section of the WIN.INI file. If you select the Always Create Backup Copy option, the backup copy is saved using the filename extension specified by the BAK-extension setting. If no default is specified, a backup copy of the file is saved in the file's directory with a .BAK extension. If a default BAK-extension is set using characters other than letters and numbers, the default .BAK extension is also used.

Steps to Reproduce Problem

 * 1) From the Tools menu, choose Options.
 * 2) From the Category box, select Save, and select the Always Create Backup Copy option. Choose the OK button.
 * 3) From the Category box, select WIN.INI.
 * 4) In the Option box, type BAK-extension.
 * 5) In the Setting box, type bk!.
 * 6) Choose the Set button, and choose the Close button.
 * 7) Exit Word for Windows and Windows, then restart both programs; this initializes the change to the WIN.INI file.
 * 8) In Word for Windows, create a test file, and save it as BAK.DOC. Save the file twice so that a backup file is created.
 * 9) From the File menu, choose Open, and type *.* in the File Name box.

A file named BAK.BAK is saved in the same directory as BAK.DOC. The BAK-extension, .BK!, is not used as the backup file's extension because it contains the exclamation point character (!), which is non-alphanumeric.