Hi Rudy:
Yes, it can be done. You create a Workgroup templates location on the
network and give everyone read-only access to it.
Set the templates in that folder to be "Read Only".
Set the Workgroup Templates location on each workstation to the folder you
just created. The users will then be able to use the templates, but they
will not be able to change them.
However, you need to be aware of a multitude of "issues". The first is that
while ANY user has a document attached to such a template open, Word holds
an EDIT lock on the file. This means you have to force all users to
disconnect from the network folder before you are able to update the
template.
Secondly: A Word document makes no reference to the styles in the template
after its creation. The users will be able to change the styles in the
documents they create from your template, and the template will not correct
this.
You can attach templates to documents with the "Automatically Update Styles
on open" flag set. If you do, the document draws a new copy of the styles
from the template each time it opens. But if you do this, you cannot use
NUMBERED styles in the template, otherwise the numbering will all be reset
each time the document opens.
It's not a very well-thought-out mechanism, which is why Word 2003 has an
improvement to it.
Basically, your best course of action is to explain to your users the
importance of not changing styles, and ask them not to do so. Users do not
come to work to do bad, they come to work to try to do the right thing. If
you make the right way the easy way, that's what 99 per cent of users will
do. And it is very very much less expensive in time and effort and money
than attempting to control users of Word.
Even in Word 2003, there is no way to prevent a determined and knowledgeable
user from changing styles if they really want to. Far better that you train
them properly so that they put all that effort and ingenuity into doing
things the way you want them to
Yes, you can do a wide variety of things with macros, and I do. I use a
several hundred lines of VBA in my office templates to create or correct
styles in documents.
However, no macro will defeat a determined user. So my macros succeed only
if you are dealing with users who want to do the right thing. If you need
more on macros, get back to me. This is a very big subject
Hope this helps
I have just found out that the 'Tools/Protect Document' command in Word 2003
for Windows allows the creator to protect the chosen styles from change by
other users. Word 2004 for Mac doesn't have this (essential) feature!
I was wondering if there are other ways - through a Macro perhaps - to
achieve the same end result? The idea is that a document template is created
for a multitude of users in which only the chosen styles are available and
cannot be added to or changed.
Can this be done in Word 2004?
Thanks
Rudy
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John McGhie <
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Consultant Technical Writer
Sydney, Australia +61 4 1209 1410
