Microsoft Knowledge Base

"Error! Not a Valid Bookmark Self-Reference"
Last reviewed: August 4, 1997
Article ID: Q116468
2.x 6.00 6.00a 6.00c 7.00 7.00a 97 | 6.00 6.0.1 6.0.1a 
WINDOWS                            | MACINTOSH
kbusage

The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 2.0, 2.0a, 2.0a-cd, 2.0b, 2.0c
  • Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
  • Microsoft Word for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
  • Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
  • Microsoft Word for the Macintosh, versions 6.0, 6.0.1, 6.0.1a

SYMPTOMS

If you have a bookmark that references itself, you will receive the following error message when the field is updated: 

   Error! Not a valid bookmark self-reference.

CAUSE

This error occurs when you create a reference field and bookmark this field using the same name that is used within the reference field. For example, this occurs when you have bookmarked the following REF field as "test": 

   {ref test}
By design, Word does not allow you to bookmark a field that contains a bookmark with the same name.

WORKAROUNDS

Method 1: Redefine the bookmark so that it does not contain the field that 

          refers to it.
Method 2: Use a different bookmark name.

KBCategory: kbusage
KBSubcategory: kbfield
Additional reference words: 6.00 6.00a bookmark ref reference field
6.00c 7.00 7.00a word95 word7 word6 winword 8.00 word8 word97
Keywords : kbfield kbusage
Version : 2.x 6.00 6.00a 6.00c 7.00 7.00a
Platform : MACINTOSH WINDOWS

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Last reviewed: August 4, 1997
©1997 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Legal Notices.