Saving a Word document in RTF has bytes but saving a Word document has 0 bytes.
@lookatdesktop (27134)
Dallas, Texas
July 17, 2018 4:09pm CST
Funny how it works.
If I create a new Microsoft Word document by selecting the option for a RTF, aka Rich Text Format, information as to it's file size - in bytes is seen under PROPERTIES when I right click that document with my computer mouse.
But.
If I create a new Microsoft Word document by selecting the option for a Microsoft Word Document, it's file size remains at 0. Big Zero.
I can still save and close and reopen any Word document, be it a RTF or Word document but the funny thing is, there is nothing wrong with my PC at all Yet the format for Word comes up with 0 bytes in the file's Properties with mouth hovering over it.
1 response
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
18 Jul 18
I haven't used MS Word in a while. It used to be the case (in Word 10 and earlier, anyway) that even a blank Word document was something like 20kB. Basically, when you created a new document in Word, it copied the Default template into a new document and saved it, so there was some basic data there - a header to say that it was a Word document and some bytes to define the page size, orientation, margins, font and so on. From what you say, it looks as though Word no longer does this when you create a new .DOCX file. It must simply create a blank file with the filename you specify and the .DOCX extension.
An RTF document doesn't really need any header information (it is simply a plain text file with inline markup codes - hence 'Rich Text Format', as far as I know), so I'm not sure what is taking up the space in your case.
You could use a Hex editor to look at the actual file contents.
