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Redirect dead links in Word documents

I've approx 50.000 WORD (2000) documents, inside every document is hiding a dead network link (server that not exist anymore) like this \\server\folder\folder... , so if i want to eliminate links i need too open every word document and remove link manually,
is that any other way i can avoid to examine 50.000 documents and do it automatically,
i try in local DNS to follow that link (dead server) to redirect on another server, but it didn't help..
please help...

SkiptonBS

What did you do in DNS?

You should be able to trick Word if you configure DNS correctly.

NSMone

ASKER

in Word doks that is define a networks connection \\someserver\xx\xx
in DNS i define that server word dok was looking for...

GrahamSkan

If the DNS route doesn't work out, you can run a Word macro to remove the links. The macro in the snippet will run through a folder and any subfolders unlinking the link fields with a particular path in the contained documents. The path is hard-coded, so you will have to make sure that it point to the right placce.

Call the macro so:

FindDocs "C:MyTopFolder", "*.doc"

Sub FindDocs(strFolder As String, strFilePattern As String)
    Dim strFileName As String
    Dim strFolders() As String
    Dim iFolderCount As Integer
    Dim i As Integer
    Dim Doc As Document
    'collect child folders
    strFileName = Dir$(strFolder & "\", vbDirectory)
    Do Until strFileName = ""
        If (GetAttr(strFolder & "\" & strFileName) And vbDirectory) = vbDirectory Then
            If Left$(strFileName, 1) <> "." Then
                ReDim Preserve strFolders(iFolderCount)
                strFolders(iFolderCount) = strFolder & "\" & strFileName
                iFolderCount = iFolderCount + 1
            End If
        End If
        strFileName = Dir$()
    Loop
   
    'process files in current folder
    strFileName = Dir$(strFolder & "\" & strFilePattern)
    Do Until strFileName = ""
        DoEvents
        Set Doc = Documents.Open(strFolder & "\" & strFileName)
        Unlinks Doc 'call the unlink procedure
        If Doc.Saved Then
            Doc.Close wdDoNotSaveChanges
        Else
            Doc.Close wdSaveChanges
        End If
        strFileName = Dir$()
    Loop
   
    'look through child folders
    For i = 0 To iFolderCount - 1
        FindDocs strFolders(i), strFilePattern
    Next i
End Sub
 
Sub Unlinks(Doc As Word.Document)
    Dim fld As Field
    For Each fld In Doc.Fields
        If fld.Type = wdFieldLink Then
            If fld.LinkFormat.SourcePath = "\\server\folder\folder" Then
                fld.Unlink
            End If
        End If
    Next fld
End Sub

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SkiptonBS

What happens if you ping the server you from a workstation using the name you have put in DNS? Do you get a reply?

NSMone

ASKER

in word document link refer to a old server so i change server in DNS ...

SkiptonBS

Yes i know what you've done.

Can you click Start>Run and type NSLOOKUP

Then at the prompt type in the name of the server that you are refering to in Word and press enter...what happens?

NSMone

ASKER

in NSLOOKUP looks all well, it refer to the new server..
the old server was 192.xx.xx.x7
the new server is 192.xx.xx.x9
so it refer to a new server ... that think should be OK

NSMone

ASKER

how do i EXEC that VB file , and where should i place it ?

NSMone

ASKER

can i use Wildcard
in that VB script ?

....
If fld.LinkFormat.SourcePath = "\\server\*" Then
.....

SkiptonBS

Put the VBS script in the top level directory where your word documents are located.

If you put the script on C:\ Drive then all the subfolders on C:\ will be searched.

SkiptonBS

No you cannot use a wildcard.

But you could put:

If fld.LinkFormat.SourcePath = "\\server\" Then ... (Without the *)

NSMone

ASKER

Document are on server,
but word documents are accessible thru the network and opening on clients computers...

not all document have the same path, but all of them have same start path \\server\
could be possible to put wildcard like this " \\server\* "

NSMone

ASKER

VB script should i put that on server or client side ?

GrahamSkan

The code is actually written as a Word macro, not as VBScript.

You can adapt it to look for the start of the string.

'...

If InStr(1, fld.LinkFormat.SourcePath, "\\server", vbTextCompare) = 1 Then
fld.Unlink
End If
'...

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

NSMone

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