Please stop the blank documents

[smathews]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

Hi,
Every time I launch Word, it slaps me with a blank document. I do not want a blank document. I want to open various existing documents as needed. This is extremely frustrating for anyone who has to open many docs in order to work. Unfortunately my old workaround--double-clicking on the document I want without launching Word--doesn't work in this release of Word.
I have found suggestions to alter code to change this behavior for PCs, but not for Macs.
Please help! This is SO not how software should be.
Susan

 

[JE McGimpsey]

Every time I launch Word, it slaps me with a blank document. I do not want a
blank document. I want to open various existing documents as needed. This is
extremely frustrating for anyone who has to open many docs in order to work.
Unfortunately my old workaround--double-clicking on the document I want
without launching Word--doesn't work in this release of Word.
I have found suggestions to alter code to change this behavior for PCs, but
not for Macs.
Please help! This is SO not how software should be.

Well, for good or ill, it's SO how Apple's OS X Human Interface
Guidelines require the software to behave:

http://tinyurl.com/4e89o7

Clicking an application icon in the Dock should always result
in a window becoming active.

If the application is not open, a new window should open.
In a document-based application, the application should
open a new, untitled window.

Not sure why double-clicking "doesn't work" for you - have you updated
Office?

 

[CyberTaz]

Following up on what John offered, updating to 12.1.1 > 12.1.2 should
resolve the double-clicking issue.

Further, even though the blank doc appears on launch it doesn't in any way
prevent you from opening the file of your choice by any method you wish. Nor
do you even need to exert a click to close the blank doc - it will evaporate
as soon as you open an existing file.

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

 

[Susan]

Thank you, JE and Bob, for your responses.

I found a workaround: using command-tab to activate Word does not toss up any obstacles, it just activates the software. BTW, those blank windows do NOT disappear when I open the file I need.

I had postponed upgrading to Word 12.1.2 because it requires installing several full versions of Word (the installer would not go from 12.1.0 to 12.1.2: dialogue box states that I don't have the required software. That's on my list for today . . .

Contrary to "tinyurl" most Mac design and publishing programs do NOT automatically open a blank document on launch. I can say that because Macs have been my primary tool in graphic design and production for over twenty years (longer than Tiny has been in existence). I wonder exactly what software Tiny is talking about. Quark, Photoshop, Acrobat Distiller and Acrobat Pro do not open unnecessary windows on launch or any other time. Not to mention QuickbooksPro, Eudora, Thunderbird, Font Explorer, FlightCheck, and so on. The only programs I have used that do are a Web browser, and perhaps Illustrator (which I believe can be controlled via preferences, and I currently do not have on my new machine).

Thanks again for your advice, and keep up the good work you do.
Susan

 

[CyberTaz]

Hi Susan -

Glad you're taking advantage of the Command+Tab feature of OS X but there
are some points of clarification interjected below:

Thank you, JE and Bob, for your responses.

I found a workaround: using command-tab to activate Word does not toss up any
obstacles, it just activates the software.

No disrespect, but that isn't a "workaround" It's one of the
Apple-intended methods in OS X & has been since 10.0 - another being the
Recent Items in the Apple Menu.

BTW, those blank windows do NOT
disappear when I open the file I need.

Read the statement a bit more closely - it specifically reads as & pertains
to "on launch", not those generated when the Dock icon is clicked while the
program is already running.

I had postponed upgrading to Word 12.1.2 because it requires installing
several full versions of Word (the installer would not go from 12.1.0 to
12.1.2: dialogue box states that I don't have the required software. That's on
my list for today . . .

There's only one update between SP1 (12.1.0) & 12.1.2 which is the 12.1.1
update... Albeit a fairly large but necessary link in the chain

Contrary to "tinyurl" most Mac design and publishing programs do NOT
automatically open a blank document on launch. I can say that because Macs
have been my primary tool in graphic design and production for over twenty
years (longer than Tiny has been in existence). I wonder exactly what software
Tiny is talking about. Quark, Photoshop, Acrobat Distiller and Acrobat Pro do
not open unnecessary windows on launch or any other time. Not to mention
QuickbooksPro, Eudora, Thunderbird, Font Explorer, FlightCheck, and so on. The
only programs I have used that do are a Web browser, and perhaps Illustrator
(which I believe can be controlled via preferences, and I currently do not
have on my new machine).

Again, read John's reply & the referenced material more carefully... The
guidelines refer to "document based" applications. None of the applications
to which you allude qualify as such. Yes, some of them are used to create
documents, but by the definition in Apple's guidelines they do not qualify
as *document based*, whereas Word, Excel and PPt are. You'll find that many
other programs such as TextEdit, Pages, Numbers all behave in the same way
as the Office apps.

Thanks again for your advice, and keep up the good work you do.
Susan

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