Autotext

[Keithp]

Hi

I have just upgraded from office 2003 to office 2007. My wife uses the pc to
do work from home and had a number of Autotexts saved, she also regularly
used keyboard shortcuts which were invaluable due to the amount of letters
she has to churn out.

Whilst all the email settings etc. have transferred i cannot work out how to
get her Autotexts back and she is asking me to uninstall 2007 and go back to
2003... Is there anything I can do to avoid this ??

Thanks

 

[Bob I]

Place a copy of your wifes 2003 Normal.dot file in

C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Microsoft\Word\STARTUP

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

Word 2007 will then use that copy of Normal.dot to create Normal.dotm, which
will be kept in the same folder. Note that the location will be different if
you're using Vista. The location will look something like this:

C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates


Once Normal.dotm is established and working, it pays to make a backup copy.
In all versions of Word, periodic corruption of Normal.dot has long been an
issue, and the solution is to delete Normal.dot and Word will make a new
one. The same is true of Normal.dotm. And, while Word 2007 recreates its new
Normal.dotm based on an extant copy of Normal.dot, if she's added new
AutoText entries to Normal.dotm, she would likely want a working backup copy
so as to have a more recent starting point than the old Normal.dot... when
and if it's necessary to delete Normal.dotm.

Note also that AutoText works differently in Word 2007. There is no more
autocomplete (except for dates). Instead, you need to press F3 to force
AutoText entries to expand. AutoCorrect entries still expand automatically,
though.

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

If you did an in-place upgrade on the same computer, the AutoText entries
should be in the new Normal.dotm. They now show up as Building Block entries
in the AutoText gallery. To see them, in the Insert tab, click Quick Parts,
Building Blocks Organizer. But, note that AutoCompletion no longer happens.
:-( I sure hope AutoComplete comes back in Word 2010.

 

[Keithp]

Wow.... thanks for that Herb (I think)... sounds like a sit down with a
strong coffee to digest that one with... If I may prolong this a slight bit
further... she is a medical secretary and has lots of letters to get out...
and was just as concerned that none of her keyboard shortcuts worked - as
they did in v2003... is there anything I can do about this ?

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

Well... if it was an in-place upgrade, then the keyboard shortcuts should
have come across automatically, even if AutoComplete for AutoText no longer
works. So, it's sounding like perhaps it wasn't a straightforward upgrade.
If Normal.dot from Word 2003 is available, then try the following:

1. Delete or rename the new Normal.dotm that was created after Word 2007 was
installed.

2. Copy the Word 2003 Normal.dot to the same location where Word 2007's
Normal.dotm resides/resided.

3. Start Word 2007.

At this point, the keyboard shortcuts stored in Normal.dot should now be
stored in Normal.dotm, and the autotext entries should appear in the
Building Blocks file.

Normal.dot/m are often stored as hidden files or in hidden folders. So, you
might need to monkey with the settings in Windows Explorer to find them.

--
Herb Tyson MS MVP
Author of the Word 2007 Bible
Blog: http://word2007bible.herbtyson.com
Web: http://www.herbtyson.com

 

[Keithp]

It was an in-place upgrade so fingers crossed .....Marvellous, thank you
again, I'll try all this tonight and report back if I struggle...

Keith