Prevent Word from creating a new open document every time I click onits icon in the dock?

[Michael Levin]

I've got Word 2008, and when there's no document open, and you switch to
Word from another app (by clicking on its icon in the dock), it immediately
opens (creates) a new blank document. Any way to get rid of that behavior?

Mike

 

[John McGhie]

Hi Mike:

Have a stern word with Steve Jobs

That's a required behaviour for a compliant Apple Macintosh application.
Activate from the Dock must result in "somewhere to accept input" (i.e. A
new blank document).

You will have a fight on your hands, most users prefer it that way.

If you use Command + Tab to switch to Word, you won't get a new blank
document.

If you use the Finder to navigate directly to the document you want and
double-click it, it will open in Word, saving you a step.

Hope this helps

I've got Word 2008, and when there's no document open, and you switch to
Word from another app (by clicking on its icon in the dock), it immediately
opens (creates) a new blank document. Any way to get rid of that behavior?

Mike

This email is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless you intend to pay!

 

[Michael Levin]

Have a stern word with Steve Jobs
That's a required behaviour for a compliant Apple Macintosh application.
Activate from the Dock must result in "somewhere to accept input" (i.e. A
new blank document).

I had no idea. But Word 2004 doesn't act this way, and neither does
Photoshop. Weird...

Thanks,

Mike

 

[CyberTaz]

Word 2004 was developed before Apple's new guidelines went into effect &
Photoshop is in a different 'category' to which that guideline doesn't
apply. The general rule of thumb is that if an application generates a new
blank document on launch (which Word, Pages & many others do, Photoshop,
InDesign, FilieMaker don't) that's what happens when you click the Dock icon
to bring the running program to the fore if a document isn't open.

As was probably mentioned in the thread, use Command+Tab to toggle between
active apps to avoid generating blank documents.

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