I opened a word (97-2003, ".doc") document from gmail.com last night and 
began editting it. I keep saving the document and clicking ctrl+s 
periodically. At the end of the night, I closed the document to be able to 
resend it to myself via email. I had no idea that it wasn't saved on the 
desktop. I have search every single temp file and temporary internet folder 
on my C drive and cannot find the "saved" document ANYWHERE. I am panicing 
because it is a graduate school application, that's due today. Where can I 
find this document?

In addition, there is a chance I found the document but whatever it is is is 
saved as a ".dat" file. I have Windows 2007 and have tried microsoft word, 
notepad, word processor, adobe pdf, etc. to try to open it but when I do it 
looks like computer code. If this is the document how do I get it to show up 
like a regular word document? PLEASE HELP! Thank you :)

You should save the attachment to the hard drive before editing it. You may 
still be able to find the modified file in your Temporary Internet Files 
folder, though.

See also http://www.gmayor.com/outlook_attachments.htm (which of course 
won't be directly applicable to your situation).

-- 
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP



"charhager" <charhager@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message 
news:5FE3D1D0-7770-48A7-A725-3AB44D5C235D@microsoft.com...
>I opened a word (97-2003, ".doc") document from gmail.com last night and
> began editting it. I keep saving the document and clicking ctrl+s
> periodically. At the end of the night, I closed the document to be able to
> resend it to myself via email. I had no idea that it wasn't saved on the
> desktop. I have search every single temp file and temporary internet 
> folder
> on my C drive and cannot find the "saved" document ANYWHERE. I am panicing
> because it is a graduate school application, that's due today. Where can I
> find this document?
>
> In addition, there is a chance I found the document but whatever it is is 
> is
> saved as a ".dat" file. I have Windows 2007 and have tried microsoft word,
> notepad, word processor, adobe pdf, etc. to try to open it but when I do 
> it
> looks like computer code. If this is the document how do I get it to show 
> up
> like a regular word document? PLEASE HELP! Thank you :)
> 

There is generally a default file location where all your attachments from 
GMail would be saved if you didn't choose a directory on purpose.  To find 
out where that is, just open any attachment from GMail - doesn't matter what 
type and doesn't have to be the same one - and do a file>save as.  When you 
do this, it will show you at the top of the save as dialog box, the drop down 
location - this will list the folder default location.  Your file you edited 
should be in that location.

"charhager" wrote:

> I opened a word (97-2003, ".doc") document from gmail.com last night and 
> began editting it. I keep saving the document and clicking ctrl+s 
> periodically. At the end of the night, I closed the document to be able to 
> resend it to myself via email. I had no idea that it wasn't saved on the 
> desktop. I have search every single temp file and temporary internet folder 
> on my C drive and cannot find the "saved" document ANYWHERE. I am panicing 
> because it is a graduate school application, that's due today. Where can I 
> find this document?
> 
> In addition, there is a chance I found the document but whatever it is is is 
> saved as a ".dat" file. I have Windows 2007 and have tried microsoft word, 
> notepad, word processor, adobe pdf, etc. to try to open it but when I do it 
> looks like computer code. If this is the document how do I get it to show up 
> like a regular word document? PLEASE HELP! Thank you :)
> 

I agree with both Stefan and Jazz, but it isn't always that easy. In Outlook, 
the temporary files folder is hidden and very hard to find. I don't know if 
gmail works the same way, but if it does, here's how to find it.

If you can't find the directory where gmail saves documents, open a 
DIFFERENT e-mail attachment from gmail (mail yourself something if you have 
to). Then do what Jazz said and use the Save As option to check where gmail 
is putting temporary files. Write down the entire address, which will 
probably start with something like C://Documents and Settings/ . . . .  Make 
sure you copy the address exactly, including any spaces.

Then type that address into a Word file. Select the entire thing, 
right-click it, and create a hyperlink, with the exact text in the "Address:" 
field.  When it turns into a hyperlink, click on it and it should take you to 
the temporary directory where the file is located.

Fred

"charhager" wrote:

> I opened a word (97-2003, ".doc") document from gmail.com last night and 
> began editting it. I keep saving the document and clicking ctrl+s 
> periodically. At the end of the night, I closed the document to be able to 
> resend it to myself via email. I had no idea that it wasn't saved on the 
> desktop. I have search every single temp file and temporary internet folder 
> on my C drive and cannot find the "saved" document ANYWHERE. I am panicing 
> because it is a graduate school application, that's due today. Where can I 
> find this document?
> 
> In addition, there is a chance I found the document but whatever it is is is 
> saved as a ".dat" file. I have Windows 2007 and have tried microsoft word, 
> notepad, word processor, adobe pdf, etc. to try to open it but when I do it 
> looks like computer code. If this is the document how do I get it to show up 
> like a regular word document? PLEASE HELP! Thank you :)
> 

You can copy/paste paths from dialogs into Word or other dialogs. Much more 
accurate than writing them down.

-- 
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

"Idaho Word Man" <IdahoWordMan@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message 
news:8244315D-4275-4D45-B2F0-618518AFFFCB@microsoft.com...
>I agree with both Stefan and Jazz, but it isn't always that easy. In 
>Outlook,
> the temporary files folder is hidden and very hard to find. I don't know 
> if
> gmail works the same way, but if it does, here's how to find it.
>
> If you can't find the directory where gmail saves documents, open a
> DIFFERENT e-mail attachment from gmail (mail yourself something if you 
> have
> to). Then do what Jazz said and use the Save As option to check where 
> gmail
> is putting temporary files. Write down the entire address, which will
> probably start with something like C://Documents and Settings/ . . . . 
> Make
> sure you copy the address exactly, including any spaces.
>
> Then type that address into a Word file. Select the entire thing,
> right-click it, and create a hyperlink, with the exact text in the 
> "Address:"
> field.  When it turns into a hyperlink, click on it and it should take you 
> to
> the temporary directory where the file is located.
>
> Fred
>
> "charhager" wrote:
>
>> I opened a word (97-2003, ".doc") document from gmail.com last night and
>> began editting it. I keep saving the document and clicking ctrl+s
>> periodically. At the end of the night, I closed the document to be able 
>> to
>> resend it to myself via email. I had no idea that it wasn't saved on the
>> desktop. I have search every single temp file and temporary internet 
>> folder
>> on my C drive and cannot find the "saved" document ANYWHERE. I am 
>> panicing
>> because it is a graduate school application, that's due today. Where can 
>> I
>> find this document?
>>
>> In addition, there is a chance I found the document but whatever it is is 
>> is
>> saved as a ".dat" file. I have Windows 2007 and have tried microsoft 
>> word,
>> notepad, word processor, adobe pdf, etc. to try to open it but when I do 
>> it
>> looks like computer code. If this is the document how do I get it to show 
>> up
>> like a regular word document? PLEASE HELP! Thank you :)
>>
>