Path for utilities

[Bear]

We've added commands to our Word menus to let the writers open our (HTML)
style guide and the MW dictionary. I path the style guide to a location on
our LAN. The dictionary commands are created on installing the MW dictionary,
but I control the command and toolbar button locations in our menus and
toolbars.

Now I'm sending my global add-ins to remote offices. The remote writers
don't have access to our servers (or LAN) and they may have a different
dictionary installed.

I'm thinking it would be better to code my VBA to use a Word path, like
those available on Tools > Options > File Locations. Maybe
Options.DefaultFilePath(wdToolsPath). The users could arrange to put a copy
of the style guide in that path, and a shortcut or copy of the dictionary EXE
in that path.

What do you think? Is this a reasonable strategy? Is there a better path to
use?

Bear

 

[NZ VBA Developer]

Bear,

I faced a similar problem with a global add-in that displays a toolbar with
a button that pops a UserForm that shows a list of the company standard
templates and allows the user to select a template and create a new document
from it. In a case similar to what you are facing, the situation was further
complicated by some users being on the network, some not and some running on
Citrix. This meant it was difficult to work out where the templates were
located, as we couldn’t just put them in a network share and write code to
look there. Instead, we created an installation package that put the
templates in a standard location within each user’s profile. Then I wrote the
following code to populate the list in the UserForm:

Sub ListTemplates
Dim SearchPath as String
Dim MyFolder as String

MyFolder = Options.DefaultFilePath(wdWorkgroupTemplatePath) & "\[standard
location]"
If Dir(MyFolder, vbDirectory) <> "" Then
SearchPath = MyFolder & "\"
Else
SearchPath = Environ("APPDATA") & "\Microsoft\Templates\[standard
location]\"
End If

Call GetTemplates(SearchPath)

End Sub

The GetTemplates subroutine just uses the Dir function to search through the
files in the specified location and, if the file is a template, adds it in
the list in the UserForm.

Note that the line

MyFolder = Options.DefaultFilePath(wdWorkgroupTemplatePath) & "\[standard
location]"

accommodates the Citrix users because we have control over the Citrix
environment and can set the Workgroup templates location. This will also work
if the local network admin puts the templates on a share and sets the
Workgroup templates location on all the machines accordingly.

The point is that it’s probably better to use a location that you have more
control over rather than relying on what’s specified under Tools > Options >
File Locations. This method has two clear advantages:

1. You don’t have to worry about the users going in and making a change to
something on the ‘File Locations’ tab (even if you use something like the
‘Tools’ location that practically nobody ever touches) and thus causing your
code to fail.

2. You don’t have to rely in the users to put your components in the right
location.

Of course to make this totally foolproof you would need the services of
somebody familiar with creating installation packages for rolling out your
add-in. However, depending on the number of users and their technical
ability, it’s probably worth the effort just to gain an adequate level of
control to ensure your code doesn’t fall over. I would also strongly advocate
in favour of using the "APPDATA" environmental variable so each user has
their own copy of the components. Finally, you should be able to adapt the
bit of my code that supports the Citrix users to work with your LAN location,
so you won’t need different versions of your add-in for networked and
non-networked users.

--
Cheers!
The Kiwi Koder

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