Mac Word X Template Doesn't Save as Document

[Geoffrey H. Martin]

I've created from scratch and downloaded from the Microsoft website word
templates. Using Office X on OS X. When I double click the template to open
it, and make some changes, I then click save and it saves the changes I've
made in the .dot file. It doesn't prompt me to save it as a .doc file.
(Double clicking an Excel Template or a Word Template on my Windows PC
automatically prompts the user to save as a document). Any thoughts on what
to do?

Thanks,
Geoff

 

[JE McGimpsey]

I've created from scratch and downloaded from the Microsoft website word
templates. Using Office X on OS X. When I double click the template to open
it, and make some changes, I then click save and it saves the changes I've
made in the .dot file. It doesn't prompt me to save it as a .doc file.
(Double clicking an Excel Template or a Word Template on my Windows PC
automatically prompts the user to save as a document). Any thoughts on what
to do?

This is a real PITA with MacWord.

The fix is to make sure that you create new documents from custom
templates using the Project Gallery.

 

[mmmmark]

I've created from scratch and downloaded from the Microsoft website word
templates. Using Office X on OS X. When I double click the template to open
it, and make some changes, I then click save and it saves the changes I've
made in the .dot file. It doesn't prompt me to save it as a .doc file.
(Double clicking an Excel Template or a Word Template on my Windows PC
automatically prompts the user to save as a document). Any thoughts on what
to do?

Thanks,
Geoff

I've noticed an oddity in Office 2000-2003 for Windows (which I use at
work). Since I'm not at home I can't test it on my Office 2004....

Templates (.dot files) that are double-clicked in Windows open as
"DocumentX" where X is the number of document Word is currently on.
However, if a person Opens the same template via the File\Open menu inside
Word, it will instead open as "filename.dot" and will overwrite changes to
the template.

Perhaps this is the same behavior you are experiencing. Let us know.

-Mark

 

[mmmmark]

I've noticed an oddity in Office 2000-2003 for Windows (which I use at
work). Since I'm not at home I can't test it on my Office 2004....

Templates (.dot files) that are double-clicked in Windows open as
"DocumentX" where X is the number of document Word is currently on.
However, if a person Opens the same template via the File\Open menu inside
Word, it will instead open as "filename.dot" and will overwrite changes to
the template.

Perhaps this is the same behavior you are experiencing. Let us know.

-Mark

As I re-read your post I wonder if the behavior is actually OPPOSITE from
what I described. Who knows...basically I was just pointing out an
inconsistency that I noticed.

-Mark

 

[mmmmark]

I've noticed an oddity in Office 2000-2003 for Windows (which I use at
work). Since I'm not at home I can't test it on my Office 2004....

Templates (.dot files) that are double-clicked in Windows open as
"DocumentX" where X is the number of document Word is currently on.
However, if a person Opens the same template via the File\Open menu inside
Word, it will instead open as "filename.dot" and will overwrite changes to
the template.

Perhaps this is the same behavior you are experiencing. Let us know.

-Mark

Forgive my "thinking as I go" approach here, but if nothing else works, you
can always make the file "read only" in the Get Info window in the Finder
thereby preventing over-writing.

-Mark

 

[CyberTaz]

Would it do you any good to create a Stationery file rather than using
templates?|:>)

 

[mmmmark]

Would it do you any good to create a Stationery file rather than using
templates?|:>)

In OSX not Word, right? I think that is what I rather un-eloquently
referred to when I said "read only". My brain was stuck in Windows mode. I
only get to switch to Mac mode when I leave work.

-Mark

 

[Paul Berkowitz]

In OSX not Word, right? I think that is what I rather un-eloquently
referred to when I said "read only". My brain was stuck in Windows mode. I
only get to switch to Mac mode when I leave work.

It's the same thing. It's a Word Mac only feature not available in Word Win.
When you save a Word doc instead as "Word Document Stationery" it triggers
the Mac OS X stationery behavior, in fact it automatically checks the
"Stationery Pad" box in the Get Info for this file in the Finder, since
that's basically what it's doing. That means that double-clicking the file
opens an unsaved copy "Document1" or whatever, and saving makes a new doc to
which you have to give a name. (To overwrite the original stationery file is
a bit cumbersome, you have to copy and paste the original name form the
Finder into the Save As dialog and save again as Stationery, replacing.)

I do this a lot because I like put these reusable files in my own topical
organizational locations, not the My Templates folder, and to double-click
from the Finder or open from File/Open in Word. They can't be sent to Word
Win users like this, of course.

--
Paul Berkowitz
MVP MacOffice
Entourage FAQ Page: <http://www.entourage.mvps.org/faq/index.html>
AppleScripts for Entourage: <http://macscripter.net/scriptbuilders/>

Please "Reply To Newsgroup" to reply to this message. Emails will be
ignored.

PLEASE always state which version of Microsoft Office you are using -
**2004**, X or 2001. It's often impossible to answer your questions
otherwise.

 

[CyberTaz]

Hi Paul-
Puzzled by:

(To overwrite the original stationery file is
a bit cumbersome, you have to copy and paste the original name form the

Finder into the Save As dialog and save again as Stationery,
replacing.)

Why not just go to the stationery doc's Get Info window, uncheck
Stationery, edit it & save as Stationery again (or reset Get Info after
closing)?

I truly don't know 'cause I don't use the feature frquently> |:>)

 

[Paul Berkowitz]

(To overwrite the original stationery file is
a bit cumbersome, you have to copy and paste the original name form the

Finder into the Save As dialog and save again as Stationery,
replacing.)

Why not just go to the stationery doc's Get Info window, uncheck
Stationery, edit it & save as Stationery again (or reset Get Info after
closing)?

I truly don't know 'cause I don't use the feature frquently> |:>)

No reason why not. That would work too. Just about as many steps...;-)
Fortunately I don't have to do it too often.

--
Paul Berkowitz
MVP MacOffice
Entourage FAQ Page: <http://www.entourage.mvps.org/faq/index.html>
AppleScripts for Entourage: <http://macscripter.net/scriptbuilders/>

Please "Reply To Newsgroup" to reply to this message. Emails will be
ignored.

PLEASE always state which version of Microsoft Office you are using -
**2004**, X or 2001. It's often impossible to answer your questions
otherwise.

 

[Geoffrey H. Martin]

Thanks. Will do.

Geoff

This is a real PITA with MacWord.

The fix is to make sure that you create new documents from custom
templates using the Project Gallery.

 

[Geoffrey H. Martin]

The File/Open procedure for opening a template in Word for Windows is the
means by which a template can be modified and saved and not the way to open
a "copy" of the template. Thanks for the info from your later posts!

Geoff