How do I keep MS Word open but close a document?

[WGTActor]

When there are multiple documents open in Word, I can close all but the last
one without closing the program. But if there is only one document, when I
close it the program closes too. This happens whether I use File: Close or
click on the X. (I only click the X for the document, not the one for MS
Word.)

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

What version?

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

 

[charles arnett]

Use the lower x of the two in the right upper corner or file/close
charles j arnett

 

[WGTActor]

Suzanne: It's 2003.

Charles: Those are the two things I'm already doing. On rare occasions it
works.
But most of the time, the program closes along with the document.

 

[charles arnett]

When you clsoe all documents you do not have a document but a blank screen
charles j arnett

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

In Word 2003, you should be able to close the last document with the lower X
(if any) or the Close command (or Close button if you've added one), leaving
the application open (at least this worked when I just tried it). If you
can't, this may have something to do with your setting for Tools | Options |
View: Windows in Taskbar, though that's just a guess.

I'm a little confused by this because it was my impression that closing the
last document *would* close the application and that there was no lower X
for the last document open; this must have been the case in Word 2002 and
fixed in Word 2003. The reason I actually hadn't noticed this is that I've
had and routinely used a Close button on my Standard toolbar since before
Word actually even had a button image for it (I had to copy the image from
Excel). FWIW, this is a handy habit to get into if you intend to upgrade to
Word 2007, where closing the last open document (with the X) does close the
application, but you can close with the Close button, leaving the
application open.

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