My normal template keeps changing.

[Judy]

Hi, I've begun experiencing an anomaly with my Word normal.dot template. I
tailored a normal.dot that included a couple of macros, some extra toolbar
buttons, different tab settings, etc. To avoid losing those special
settings, I made several copies of the template calling it "JudysTemplate,"
"My_norm,", normal1, etc. Suddenly, each time I leave Word and come back, my
normal.dot has defaulted to the Microsoft defaults. All my special settings
are ALSO missing from my copies. I've even stashed copies of my personalized
template in other directories in case some worm or virus was detecting my
normal.dot in the usual places. Anyone else experiencing this? No other
changes have been made to my computer - no new programs, other than an update
to Adobe Reader to Version 7.0. Thanks for any help.
Judy

 

[Charles Kenyon]

From the FAQ:

28. I can't save my customizations - AutoText, menus, etc.
Can't save normal.dot...
If you have Adobe Acrobat 7 installed see the last section of
http://www.gmayor.com/lose_that_adobe_acrobat_toolbar.htm.
Otherwise, hold down the Shift key when selecting the File
menu and select Save All.
See also http://www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/331259.html.

See http://addbalance.com/word/movetotemplate.htm for step-by-step
instructions on moving / sharing / copying / backing-up customizations
including AutoText, AutoCorrect, keyboard assignments, toolbars, macros,
etc.

Hope this helps,
--
Charles Kenyon

Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word

Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of
Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide


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[Judy]

Thank you, Charles. I had read some of the other posts about Adobe, but when
I followed up with the information from that link you included, I've found
that no .dot entries were present in my Word Start-up. I only have Adobe
Reader, not the writer, and no toolbar was ever installed in Word, so I'm not
sure it's Adobe that's causing me the grief. I've had Adobe 7.0 on for
months, and this anomaly only began appearing within the last two weeks. I
have selected the Shift+Save All, but upon re-opening Word, none of the new
toolbar buttons are present, and the Macro (and the toolbar button I created
for it) are missing, as well. I have been successful a time or two in doing
a System Restore. For a day or so, all my stuff is back, and then the next
day or so, gone with the wind. Any other ideas?? Thanks!!

Judy

 

[Charles Kenyon]

It doesn't happen with only the Reader installed. Any chance that normal.dot
is marked as read-only? Any chance that IT gremlins are reinstalling it when
you aren't looking? Normal.dot should _not_ be shared.

You can save your customizations elsewhere. (I do.) See
http://addbalance.com/word/movetotemplate.htm for step-by-step instructions
on moving / sharing / copying / backing-up customizations including
AutoText, AutoCorrect, keyboard assignments, toolbars, macros, etc.
--

Charles Kenyon

Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word

Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of
Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide


--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn
from my ignorance and your wisdom.

 

[Judy]

Thank you - what an excellent link! There's lots of great information there.
Believe it or not, I'm what passes for the IT gremlin in my office (by dint
of the fact that I know how to turn on the computer!), and the file isn't
read-only. My "normal.dot" is stashed in a location where no one else in the
office can access it. Moreover, I made multiple copies of my tailored
normal.dot under other file names and salted them in unlikely spots to hide
from any potential worms, etc. ALL those copies now lack my customizations.
How could they be impacted?? I've got to believe something is making WORD
default back to its original settings. Really, my normal.dot has been just
fine for years--then about two weeks ago, I began experiencing these
anomalies. Have scanned exhaustively for viruses, have scanned for spyware,
haven't installed any new software, hardware, cutesy toolbars, screen savers
or other junk files.

Judy

 

[Grace Slade]

Judy, you're not the only one experiencing this, I've been having the same
problem. I created my own menu, added some macros and favourite buttons to
it, and I've ended up having to re-do it all over again because either the
menu disappears completely or the buttons disappear from the menu. Anybody
else out there, any solutions, I also thought it was some kind of virus, but
obviously not.
Grace

 

[Charles Kenyon]

Hi Grace,

From the FAQ:

28. I can't save my customizations - AutoText, menus, etc.
Can't save normal.dot...
If you have Adobe Acrobat 7 installed see the last section of
http://www.gmayor.com/lose_that_adobe_acrobat_toolbar.htm.
Otherwise, hold down the Shift key when selecting the File
menu and select Save All.
See also http://www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/331259.html.

Hope this helps,
--
Charles Kenyon

Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word

Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of
Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide


--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn
from my ignorance and your wisdom.

 

[Judy]

Charles, you've actually been kind enough to provide these links before, but
neither has cured the problem. I don't have the Adobe 7.x writer - just the
reader only, as I mentioned in my earlier posts. I do know how to save my
modifications to the template. The problem is, they're there for two or
three weeks and then disappear. As I said, I make extra copies of the
tailor-made templates and stash them as backups, but they, too, end up
defaulting back to the original Word normal.dot. Can anyone explain WHY this
keeps happening?

Thanks,

Judy

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

It's certainly very mysterious. The only suggestion I can make (and I regret
that it amounts to "operator error") is that, with so many copies of
Normal.dot stashed here and there, it's possible that either you're saving
changes to the wrong one or Word is using the wrong one. My understanding is
that Word is very good at finding copies of Normal.dot (if so named)
wherever it may be and has problems if there's more than one copy. If, OTOH,
your copies are renamed, then that would put the kibosh on that theory. If
you're sure your Normal.dot is immune to the predations of network meddling,
then I can't think of any other explanation.

 

[Charles Kenyon]

Hi Judy,

If you are moving your customizations to a separate template (not
normal.dot) as I noted before there is no way that is spontaneously
reverting! That is a separate template in your Word Startup folder.
http://addbalance.com/word/movetotemplate.htm. It can be hard to figure out
where you are storing customizations, but once you have it down, you can
shield them from strange happenings to normal.dot.

In responding to Grace, I didn't know whether she had seen my messages from
two months ago, or simply was responding to your message (which didn't quote
the part about Adobe). Adobe is still the most prevelant reason this happens
to people.
--
Charles Kenyon

Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word

Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of
Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide


--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn
from my ignorance and your wisdom.