Custom settings are not present in files retrieved using getFileAsync()

[mpk]

Your Environment

• Platform: PC desktop, macOS desktop
• Host: Word
• Office version number: 2511 Build 16.0.19426.20218 (Windows), 16.103.1130.3 (macOS)
• Operating System: Windows 10, macOS 15.7

Expected behavior

When I store custom settings in the document (using Office.context.document.settings interface), I expect them to be present in the DOCX file after retrieving it using getFileAsync method.

Current behavior

After saving custom settings and retrieving the DOCX file using getFileAsync method, the settings are missing from the file.
However, when saving the file using File -> Save action in Word, the settings are present in the file.

Steps to reproduce

1. Set custom setting

Office.context.document.settings.set('testKey', 'testValue');
Office.context.document.settings.saveAsync();

2. Retrieve the file

Office.context.document.getFileAsync(Office.FileType.Compressed, ...)

3. Inspect the DOCX file as a ZIP file - folder word/webextensions is missing (where the custom settings should be stored)

Link to live example(s)

I set up a repository for this issue - simply load the manifest file in Word, open the add-in, click Set property and then Save. Compare this file contents with a file saved using File -> Save action in Word.

DOCX file saved using getFileAsync:

DOCX file saved using File -> Save action in Word:

Useful logs

• I first noticed the issue in Office version 16.0.19328.20178
• This is a regression, it has worked before
• This issue does not appear in Office Online

[github-actions]

Regression Analysis Needs Your Input

Our automated system analyzed this issue but couldn't determine with confidence if this is a regression bug.

A regression bug is when functionality that previously worked properly no longer works after a recent change.

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[github-actions]

Here are some similar issues that might help you. Please check if they can solve your problem.

• Office.js persistence APIs (Settings, CustomXMLParts) fail silently on Excel for Mac after save/reopen #6091

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Possible solution (Extracted from existing issue, might be incorrect; please verify carefully)

Solution 1:

I could run the code in my local. Seems I still couldn't repro the issue. Here are my steps:

1. create a table by UI
2. run saveTableConfigSettings to set the settings_key
   (I changed ...table to table.tableId since there will be TypeError: JSON.stringifu cannot serialize cyclic structures when I try to input the above table. Changed code is as follows)

const tableWithUpdatedAt = {
        // ...table,
        tableId: table.tableId, //changed
        updatedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
      }

3. reload the add-in
4. read the settings_key by Office.context.document.settings.get
   I could get the key and there is no such TypeError in my console. Please help correct me if there is any misunderstand. Thanks

Reference:

• Office.js persistence APIs (Settings, CustomXMLParts) fail silently on Excel for Mac after save/reopen #6091 (comment)

Solution 2:

I've just tried on a colleague's computer and it seems to be working normally, no issue to report. Which makes me think it's related to either my work machine (Mac M4) or my Excel install (which I already tried to re-install).

Reference:

• Office.js persistence APIs (Settings, CustomXMLParts) fail silently on Excel for Mac after save/reopen #6091 (comment)

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[nbaliga18]

Thanks for reporting this issue and for providing a clear repro and sample project — very helpful.

Routing this to the Word engineering team for further investigation.

Assigned to: @jipyua (Word rich client engineering)

We'll update this thread once we have more details. Thanks again for the thorough repro steps and version information.

[amagupta-collab]

Thanks @mpk for reporting the issue. I tried to reproduce the issue on desktop with build version 2511 but for me i can see the custom property is being saved. I had used

1. Office.context.document.settings.set("testkey1", "testval1");
2. Office.context.document.settings.saveAsync
3. ffice.context.document.getFileAsync(
   Office.FileType.Compressed,
   { sliceSize: 65536 },
   ......

I didn't do any save on original file but can still see the custom properties on content obtained through getFIleAsync
[I was not able to use the manifest provided by you, clicking on button were doing nothing, so i created a script lab addin to reproduce the scenario.]