Opening a new blank document in normal view

[Wazza]

When I open up Word 2004 and go into 'File' to open a new blank document the only option I have is to open a 'New Blank Notebook Document'. How do I change this so that the default position is a 'New Blank Document' and it opens in Normal view?

I'm using Microsoft Office 2004 running OSX Leopard.

Thanks

 

[CyberTaz]

Notebook Layout View has different "underpinnings" & Word appears to think
that if you were last in that view & closed any open docs that the next one
you create you'll want the same. If you don't you can do either of [at
least] two things:

1- Go ahead & create the new doc, then switch views once it opens, or

2- Use File> Project Gallery - Blank Documents & select Word Document

Another option would be to open an existing non-NBLV doc, then create your
new blank one, but that's a bit more trouble unless you actually do need to
open the other file. Once you do either of these, however, it will stay with
the standard new doc choice unless you close or quit with a NBLV doc as the
lat one open at the time.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[Wazza]

Thanks Bob,
I've tried both of your suggestions with no success. The situation remains that when I open Word a new blank document is automatically created in Notebook view. When I switch to Normal view and open a new document it also is opened in Notebook view. If I go to Project Gallery and open a new Normal.dot document it will open in normal view. If I close this document and open another new blank document it will appear in Notebook view.

The difficulty I have is that when I switch to Normal view the formatting is different. That is the space above and below text and between lines of text is greater than is the case if the document is a Normal.dot document. If I go into Format>Paragraphs there is no indication that there is any spacing before or after the text. Yet clearly there is.

I've cleared out all Macros and had a quick glance at Applescript (which I know nothing about) in an endeavour to see whether something in these areas was causing the problem.

It appears that somewhere there is an 'instruction' that upon opening the Word application, automatically a new blank document is opened in Notebook view. Similarly, there is an instruction somewhere that whenever a new blank document is opened it is opened in Notebook view.

I've reloaded Office 2004 3 times with no success in getting rid of the problem. Any further suggestions?

Thanks

 

[John McGhie]

No, you need to create a document (anything...) then switch it into
something other than Notebook view, SAVE it, then quit Word.

When it re-starts, it should open in the view last used.

If that's not working, get back to us: we need to show you how to delete
your preferences.

Cheers

Thanks Bob,
I've tried both of your suggestions with no success. The situation remains
that when I open Word a new blank document is automatically created in
Notebook view. When I switch to Normal view and open a new document it also is
opened in Notebook view. If I go to Project Gallery and open a new Normal.dot
document it will open in normal view. If I close this document and open
another new blank document it will appear in Notebook view.

The difficulty I have is that when I switch to Normal view the formatting is
different. That is the space above and below text and between lines of text is
greater than is the case if the document is a Normal.dot document. If I go
into Format>Paragraphs there is no indication that there is any spacing
before or after the text. Yet clearly there is.

I've cleared out all Macros and had a quick glance at Applescript (which I
know nothing about) in an endeavour to see whether something in these areas
was causing the problem.

It appears that somewhere there is an 'instruction' that upon opening the Word
application, automatically a new blank document is opened in Notebook view.
Similarly, there is an instruction somewhere that whenever a new blank
document is opened it is opened in Notebook view.

I've reloaded Office 2004 3 times with no success in getting rid of the
problem. Any further suggestions?

Thanks

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Consultant Technical Writer
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
http://jgmcghie.fastmail.com.au/
Sydney, Australia. S33°53'34.20 E151°14'54.50
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]

 

[Wazza]

Tried that. No success. Still just opens in Notebook view.

Cheers

 

[CyberTaz]

Stubborn aren't you?

Seriously - this works here for me so let's give it one more shot by the
numbers just to make certain where we stand:

1- Launch Word, then close the document which it creates,

2- Go to File> Project Gallery - Word Document (that should give you a new
blank document in Page Layout view - yes?). The File menu should also
display New Blank Document rather than New Blank Notebook Document.

3- Either (a) type something & save that file or (b) open one that has been
saved as something other than a Notebook, make a change & save,

4- Quit Word then launch - You should have a new blank doc in Page Layout
View presented when you do.

If not at least we'll be on an even keel so we can proceed from there - it
suggests that you have somehow saved your Normal template as a Notebook,
that you have a corrupt .plist file or that you have some type of 3rd-party
software that is preventing Word from updating it.

If the process doesn't work, indicate the step at which you don't get the
expected result.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[wrbaird]

Stubborn indeed. This problem IS going to be solved. OK.

1. Launched Word (opened in Notebook layout). Closed the document it created.

2. Went to File>Project Gallery -Word Document. Opened this. It opened in Notebook layout. The File menus displayed New Blank Notebook Document.

3. Closed the document.

4. Went to File>Project Gallery - Normal.dot document. This gave me a document in Normal view. Typed something and saved to Desktop.

5. Quit Word then launched. New blank document in Notebook layout appeared.

What next?

Cheers

 

[John McGhie]

OK then: It's time to take the Big Stick to it:

When you installed Word 2008, it imported some settings from Word 2004, and
I wish it hadn't, because that's what is causing this problem.

Please:

1) Quit all Microsoft applications.

2) Track down all instances of pre-2008 Normal template on your computer,
and drag them to your desktop. The file is called simply "Normal" and has
no extension.

3) Find and drag the file Normal.dotm to your desktop. Unless you have
moved it, it should be in
/Users/ ~ /Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Office/User Templates/

4) If the following files exist, Remove or rename them:

~/Library/Preferences/Microsoft/Word Settings (10)

~/Library/Preferences/Microsoft/Word Settings (11)

User/Library/Preferences/com.Microsoft.Word.plist

User/Library/Preferences/Microsoft/Office 2008 (the whole folder!)

5) Now re-start Word 2008 and it should be OK.

I know you've done some of this before: you need to do it all again in this
specific sequence. The files you are removing cross-infect each other.

Be thorough with this, if you leave any of these files behind Word 2008 will
find them and won't replace them. Do it right and Word will construct a
new, clean, set of preferences and everything should now work.

Hope this helps

Stubborn indeed. This problem IS going to be solved. OK.

1. Launched Word (opened in Notebook layout). Closed the document it created.

2. Went to File>Project Gallery -Word Document. Opened this. It opened in
Notebook layout. The File menus displayed New Blank Notebook Document.

3. Closed the document.

4. Went to File>Project Gallery - Normal.dot document. This gave me a
document in Normal view. Typed something and saved to Desktop.

5. Quit Word then launched. New blank document in Notebook layout appeared.

What next?

Cheers

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Consultant Technical Writer
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
http://jgmcghie.fastmail.com.au/
Sydney, Australia. S33°53'34.20 E151°14'54.50
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]

 

[Wazza]

Great. I'll give it a go. Before I do however please clarify if your instructions are the same for Office 2004. I don't have Office 2008. So I assume that when I installed Office 2004 it imported some settings from Office 98 (which I think was the previous copy of Office that I have been running). This problem with Notebook layout has been around on my computer literally for years.

Thanks

 

[CyberTaz]

Yeah - that's the problem, John - He's not in 2008, hasn't installed it
%>}... I'm wondering if he's managed to get a Normal saved as a Notebook???
I've not seen that happen before but perhaps it's possible?

Mr./Ms Baird - While no Office apps are running, try going to your
user/Documents/Microsoft User Data folder, remove or rename the file called
Normal, then launch Word. It will take a moment longer than usual to launch
because Word will build a new Normal template. See if that brings joy.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac


<snip>

OK then: It's time to take the Big Stick to it:

When you installed Word 2008,

<snip>

 

[Wazza]

Fantastic! That, Mr Jones and Mr McGhie, appears to have solved it. I really, really appreciate your help on this. This is the first time I've asked a question of the Mactopia Community and am truly impressed. Thanks again.

 

[John McGhie]

I am so pleased you have resolved your issue! My dyslexia has reached
terminal proportions, as Bob is well aware.

This is going to cost me, next time I see Bob in the bar...

Fantastic! That, Mr Jones and Mr McGhie, appears to have solved it. I really,
really appreciate your help on this. This is the first time I've asked a
question of the Mactopia Community and am truly impressed. Thanks again.

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Consultant Technical Writer
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
http://jgmcghie.fastmail.com.au/
Sydney, Australia. S33°53'34.20 E151°14'54.50
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]