Save changes to Normal template ?

[Norm]

If one makes a style change in a Word doc created by someone else,

and then on save or quit is presented with the dialog asking if you want
to save it to normal.dotm,

is the normal.dotm your template or is there a normal template of the
creator attached to the doc you received?

I hope I asked this clearly.

Thanks for any explanation on this beginner question.

 

[John McGhie]

Hi Norm:

Off to remedial class with you! We have covered this before... Any more of
this and I will be sending a note home to your wife!!

Remember I said that the Formatting Table is stored locally in the document?
The formatting table is part of the document: it must exist, or the file in
question is not a Word document.

For every document, the formatting table is copied out of the Template from
which the document is created, at the instant of creation. After that, no
further reference is made to the template: the formatting table is stored
locally forever more.

Remember I said that when futzing around with Styles, you had to be careful
which template was in play if you use "Add to Template"?

Unless you have attached a different template to a document, Word will
attach YOUR Normal template to the document when you open it.

So Word is now threatening to update YOUR normal template. If you do not
want your normal template updated, you must either attach a different
template, or avoid "Add to template".

I guess you could say "When the document is created, a copy of the
formatting table from the template of the creator is stored in it.

If the creator bases his document on his normal template, the formatting
table in the document will indeed be a copy of his normal template's
formatting table, with the properties it had at the instant when he created
the document.

If the creator then did not change any styles in the document he sent, the
document will contain a formatting table which was a copy of the one which
was in his Normal Template when he created the document.

Since he might have changed a style, either in the document or in his normal
template, the real answer is "we don't know if they are the same now, we
know only that they were the same at the instant the document was created."

But you will NOT get the macros, keystrokes, toolbars or other widgets he
stored in his normal template, unless he forces them into the document. If
he does force them into the document, your AntiVirus program will hopefully
block you from opening the file until it has de-loused it.

Cheers

If one makes a style change in a Word doc created by someone else,

and then on save or quit is presented with the dialog asking if you want
to save it to normal.dotm,

is the normal.dotm your template or is there a normal template of the
creator attached to the doc you received?

I hope I asked this clearly.

Thanks for any explanation on this beginner question.

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

 

[Norm]

Hi John:

Off to remedial class with you!

Ouch!! With the dunce hat on.

We have covered this before... Any more of
this and I will be sending a note home to your wife!!

She's been missing your good humor. Undoubtedly the ONLY reason I posted
this question.

Unless you have attached a different template to a document, Word will
attach YOUR Normal template to the document when you open it.

Well that is what I thought since I only have one Normal template
but.... I wasn't sure if a new one could be created. Should have been
confident!

So Word is now threatening to update YOUR normal template. If you do not
want your normal template updated, you must either attach a different
template, or avoid "Add to template".

So I need to be careful when saving any docs forwarded from others or my
Normal will be modified.

Thanks much.

Embarrassingly,

Norm


PS Thanks very much from this Word 2008 user for your recent efforts
(and other mvps) in Redmond, WA towards improvements in the next Mac
edition.

 

[John McGhie]

Hi Norm:

She's been missing your good humor. Undoubtedly the ONLY reason I posted
this question.

Tell her I sympathise. I too was convinced that you have promised to bring
her a cup of tea in bed every morning for a week, in penance. I am sure you
said that {evil grin...}

So I need to be careful when saving any docs forwarded from others or my
Normal will be modified.

This is not a great drama: you just have to keep your mind on the job. "Add
to template" is going to force a write to a template. You can't write to
his, so the write will go to yours

PS Thanks very much from this Word 2008 user for your recent efforts
(and other mvps) in Redmond, WA towards improvements in the next Mac
edition.

You're welcome. That's the main reason for MVPs existing. That's the
reason Bill Gates set up the MVP program way back when. Our purpose is to
reflect the needs and wishes of our fellow users back to Redmond.

Although since Mr. Gates' retirement, there are a number of Microsoft
Executives who wish we were not quite so vigorous at it They find it
very hard to duck and weave when we're close enough to see the whites of
their eyes.

Steve Ballmer was kind enough to give us his email address a few years ago,
and some of us have used it, once or twice

This time, I think we have hit pay-dirt in a very big way. We will need to
see what actually makes it into the box in the shop, but it looks like this
one is going to exceed even our innermost prayers

Anyone who tells you this stuff is easy has not yet tried it. Some features
are going to hit the cutting room floor because they will prove "too hard" ‹
that always happens in any software project ‹ but this one looks like it
will briefly silence a certain purveyor of fashion-accessories in Cupertino.
Not that there is any competitiveness between the two, you understand. But
this time, we may hear less about the "Redmond photocopier" for a year or so


Cheers

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

 

[Norm]

Hi John:

Tell her I sympathise. I too was convinced that you have promised to bring
her a cup of tea in bed every morning for a week, in penance. I am sure you
said that {evil grin...}

OK, OK..... the bar is being set very high.

This is not a great drama: you just have to keep your mind on the job. "Add
to template" is going to force a write to a template. You can't write to
his, so the write will go to yours

I'll pay attention!

snip


This time, I think we have hit pay-dirt in a very big way. We will need to
see what actually makes it into the box in the shop, but it looks like this
one is going to exceed even our innermost prayers

I'm waiting by the Christmas tree. That day is soon isn't it?

Thanks much,

Norm