Can't edit/save style changes

[livetohike]

I created a new Paragraph Style based on Normal. Under Format, I made
a few changes to the Numbering and Paragraph sections. Then checked
"Add to Template" option and since I did not see a "Save" button
selected Apply to get out.

I see the new style in the style list, and it works, but the paragraph
and tab changes don't stick across documents. As soon as I open a new
doc the changes are gone.

A have tried both checking and not checking "Add to Template"

What gives?

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Assuming these documents are all based on Normal.dot, are you sure
Normal.dot is being saved?

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

Also... even assuming the change has been saved in Normal.dot, the changed
style will not automatically be applied to or available in existing
documents -- only to new ones.

Suppose, for example, that today I create a new style named Bob, and I save
changes to Normal.dot. Bob will now be available in all new documents I
create based on Normal.dot, as well as whatever document I was editing when
I created Bob.

But, if I have an existing document named yesterday.doc that was created
yesterday based on Normal.dot, yesterday.doc will not know anything about
Bob.

To make yesterday.doc aware of the Bob style, I can choose Tools - Templates
and Add-ins, and enable Automatically update document styles. When I click
OK, Word will now copy Bob and any other new or changed styles to
yesterday.doc.

With most templates, you can enable Automatically update document styles all
the time. At some point in later versions of Word -- I forget which
versions -- you could no longer do this with Normal.dot -- it was causing
too many problems for too many users. I know you can't enable this setting
to Normal.dotm in Word 2007, and I think I recall that that was the case for
Word 2003, as well. But, I don't know how far back this limitation extends.
In any event, most users find it more of an annoyance than a help when
applied to Normal.dot.

 

[Stefan Blom]

For what it's worth, the "Automatically update document styles" setting
is available in Word 2003.

--
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP


in message

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

Right... but not at the template level. For example, it does not "stick"
when you try to enable that setting on Normal.dot. Using Word 2003, when I
open Normal.dot for editing, and then choose Tools - Templates and Add-ins,
and tick the "Automatically update document styles" option, it does indeed
get ticked. But, I then click OK and immediately check again, and presto!
It's unchecked again!

I erred in my previous message when I said this limitation was confined to
normal.dot. This appears not to be the case. It won't stick when editing ANY
..dot, dotx, or .dotm file. It sticks only when editing .doc, docm, or docx
files.

I *think* that they made it so you can't shoot yourself in the foot...
several versions ago. I'm pretty sure the comparable setting would "stick"
when editing templates in Word 97, but I don't recall exactly when this was
changed.

 

[Stefan Blom]

Well, that is good news.

I know that, at least in Word 2000, if "Automatically update document
styles" was checked in a document and you saved it as a template, the
option remained checked in the template (and you couldn't turn it off
without a macro). Are you saying that this has also been fixed?

--
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP


in message