Replace existing normal

[Carl A. Swedberg]

I periodically get this strange request...Word asking if I want to replace
the existing normal. I would appreciate it if someone please explain what
this means and what happens with the yes/no options?

 

[Michel Bintener]

Hi Carl,

when you create a new Word document and you do not specify a template, it
will automatically be based on the Normal template. In other words, almost
every new document you create uses the Normal template as its starting
point. There is an option in Word's preferences which, if checked, will ask
you to save changes you have made to a document (page format, borders,
styles and so on) to the Normal template so that these changes will apply to
every subsequent document you create. You can turn this off by going to
Word>Preferences, Save category, and deactivate "Prompt to save Normal
template". If you want to find out more about the Normal template, I suggest
you read the following article:

<http://word.mvps.org/mac/macwordnormal.html>

I periodically get this strange request...Word asking if I want to replace
the existing normal. I would appreciate it if someone please explain what
this means and what happens with the yes/no options?

--
Michel Bintener
Microsoft MVP
Office:Mac (Entourage & Word)

***Always reply to the newsgroup.***

 

[Jeff Wiseman]

Carl,

Michel is correct in the description of this issue. Here are some
more items that may be of help:

1) When editing a document, some configurations are stored in the
document itself and some are store in your Normal template. This
is further divided up on the Mac where you also have preference
files that store some of your configurations as well.

2) <Rant On> The GUI in Word (or any of Microsoft's Office
products for that matter) is very non-cohesive and unintuitive as
far as which setting is stored in which location IMHO (i.e., it
is rather scrambled). Sometimes you think that you are setting up
a document specific configuration and in fact you have modified a
global setting (i.e., something stored in your Normal template).
This can be as innocent as changing your view from Page Layout to
Normal or as significant as changing the settings on an embedded
style. Word does NOT make it clear as to which is which as they
tend to be all grouped together. This is particularly bad on the
PC version of Word. Stupid, stupid, stupid. <Rant Off>

3) While editing or viewing a document, you may inadvertently
change something associated with your Normal template. This
message warns you that you have done this and gives you the
choice of either throwing away the "global" change that you made
or by keeping it (i.e., writing it into your Normal template).

4) Since I like to control (read: eliminate) the churn on my
Normal template, I like to leave that warning message on since I
usually select "no, don't change the Normal template". However,
regardless of whether you like to keep Normal template changes or
not, turning the message off hides significant choices that Word
is making for you.

5) Part of the trick is learning the things that are actually
stored in Normal. The mvps documents can help with this. Once you
have a familiarity with the types of things stored in Normal
template, you will more easily recognize what it was that you
changed during your edit session and hence can decide more easily
how to respond to the dialog message.

Hope this helps some.

 

[Carl A. Swedberg]

Michel & Jeff,

Thanks for the education on normal. Had no idea it was addressing a master
template. Couldn't find it in The Missing Manual, but I wasn't looking
under templates.

Carl

 

[Clive Huggan]

Carl,

I agree entirely with Jeff and Michel. An additional crumb below.

Cheers,

Clive Huggan
============

Carl,

Michel is correct in the description of this issue. Here are some
more items that may be of help:

1) When editing a document, some configurations are stored in the
document itself and some are store in your Normal template. This
is further divided up on the Mac where you also have preference
files that store some of your configurations as well.

2) <Rant On> The GUI in Word (or any of Microsoft's Office
products for that matter) is very non-cohesive and unintuitive as
far as which setting is stored in which location IMHO (i.e., it
is rather scrambled). Sometimes you think that you are setting up
a document specific configuration and in fact you have modified a
global setting (i.e., something stored in your Normal template).
This can be as innocent as changing your view from Page Layout to
Normal or as significant as changing the settings on an embedded
style. Word does NOT make it clear as to which is which as they
tend to be all grouped together. This is particularly bad on the
PC version of Word. Stupid, stupid, stupid. <Rant Off>

3) While editing or viewing a document, you may inadvertently
change something associated with your Normal template. This
message warns you that you have done this and gives you the
choice of either throwing away the "global" change that you made
or by keeping it (i.e., writing it into your Normal template).

4) Since I like to control (read: eliminate) the churn on my
Normal template, I like to leave that warning message on since I
usually select "no, don't change the Normal template". However,
regardless of whether you like to keep Normal template changes or
not, turning the message off hides significant choices that Word
is making for you.

I like to leave the warning on too, although I tend to OK them (I have a
series of backed-up Normal templates from which I can pick if things go
wrong, though I can't remember when they last did).

I list some of the settings stored in Normal (and elsewhere) on page 56 of a
set of notes on the way I use Word for the Mac, titled "Bend Word to Your
Will", which are available as a free download from the Word MVPs' website
(http://word.mvps.org/Mac/Bend/BendWordToYourWill.html).

[Note: "Bend Word to your will" is designed to be used electronically and
most subjects are self-contained dictionary-style entries. If you decide to
read more widely than the item I've referred to, it's important to read the
front end of the document -- especially pages 3 and 5 -- so you can select
some Word settings that will allow you to use the document effectively.]

5) Part of the trick is learning the things that are actually
stored in Normal. The mvps documents can help with this. Once you
have a familiarity with the types of things stored in Normal
template, you will more easily recognize what it was that you
changed during your edit session and hence can decide more easily
how to respond to the dialog message.

Spot on!

CH
===