Saving Normal.dot on Exit

[Bob Weaver]

Suddenly, after eight months, Word 2002 now saves the
normal.dot template whenever I close the program. The
Prompt to save... option is not checked and I receive no
prompt anyway.

This happens even when I open Word and then immediately
change it, without making any changes.

Suggestions?? This is really a PITA! :>)

Thanks,

Bob Weaver

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Of course you don't receive a prompt if the box is not checked! You should
check the box, though, because you *want* to know when something is trying
to change Normal.dot. Without the prompt, you are giving Word permission to
change Normal.dot without asking you. This is usually caused by an add-in
loading when you start Word. Poorly written add-ins often add a toolbar
button at startup and remove it at exit; naturally, this results in a change
in Normal.dot.

To see what add-ins you have that might be doing this, see
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customization/CheckIfAddinsInstalled.htm. One of
the most notorious culprits is the Microsoft Works Suite Add-in for Word,
but you wouldn't suddenly be noticing this; a more likely candidate is any
software you have recently installed that integrates with Word.

 

[TF]

Jos

I would suggest that you post this in one of the Word VBA Newsgroups where
the VBA gurus hang out. What is happening (obviously) is that by creating
the Toolbar, it is dirtying normal.dot. Killing the toolbar only dirties it
more, therefore the prompt to save.

The VAB gurus may be able to give you a way to do this without dirtying
normal.dot.

: I add a toolbar on startup of Word and remove it at Word exit using a VBA
macro. This to enable a user to use only specific toolbars. Now I get the
message normal.dot has been changed.
: How can i avoid this message in combination with keeping the selective
appearance of the toolbars ?
: thank you
: jos Reulen

 

[Charles Kenyon]

Idea 1: Use a global template or COM Add-In with your modifications rather
than code. You shouldn't be using code that modifies normal.dot.

Idea 2: In your code, at the end, put the command:
NormalTemplate.Saved = True
This will get rid of the dialog box being called because of what you have
done.

I guarantee you that if you use idea 2 you will at some point mess up one or
more user's normal.dot. This is because there are a lot of things a user can
do to change normal.dot either deliberately or by mistake. If the user saves
those changes, your changes will be saved as well. If your code is not very
well written it will multiply custom toolbars or delete the wrong controls
when it next runs on the modified normal.dot.

IMO, another term for code that modifies normal.dot is "virus."
--

Charles Kenyon

See the MVP FAQ: <URL: http://www.mvps.org/word/> which is awesome!
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn
from my ignorance and your wisdom.

I add a toolbar on startup of Word and remove it at Word exit using a VBA

macro. This to enable a user to use only specific toolbars. Now I get the
message normal.dot has been changed.

 

[Mike H.]

Normal.dot is often modified by Norton Antivirus. Did you install that?