Saving settings in Microsoft Word 2007

[jon matthews]

I've extensively personalized the version of MS Word 2007 on my desktop's
hard drive. Is there an easy way (or even a difficult way) to transfer all
that customization to the version of MS Word 2007 on my laptop? Or am I
going to have to do all the personaliztion all over again?

 

[grammatim]

Many of your personalizations are stored in the normal.dotx (or
normal.dotm) template. Copy it to the same location in the new
computer. Specific information (like custom dictionaries, AutoCorrect
entries, etc.) are in their own files that can also be copied over.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Although not written or updated for Word 2007, the article at
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/General/FilesToBackup.htm lists most of the
important files to transfer. This does not include the new ones for Word
2007 such as the Building Blocks file (I believe it's BuildingBlocks.dotx?)
or any files that contain QAT information; perhaps someone more
knowledgeable about those issues can add to this thread.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

Many of your personalizations are stored in the normal.dotx (or
normal.dotm) template. Copy it to the same location in the new
computer. Specific information (like custom dictionaries, AutoCorrect
entries, etc.) are in their own files that can also be copied over.

 

[grammatim]

The QAT seems to be in the normal.dotx template.

Although not written or updated for Word 2007, the article athttp://word.mvps.org/FAQs/General/FilesToBackup.htmlists most of the
important files to transfer. This does not include the new ones for Word
2007 such as the Building Blocks file (I believe it's BuildingBlocks.dotx?)
or any files that contain QAT information; perhaps someone more
knowledgeable about those issues can add to this thread.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USAhttp://word.mvps.org


Many of your personalizations are stored in the normal.dotx (or
normal.dotm) template. Copy it to the same location in the new
computer. Specific information (like custom dictionaries, AutoCorrect
entries, etc.) are in their own files that can also be copied over.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Although it is possible to have special-use QATs stored in other documents
or templates, I believe.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

The QAT seems to be in the normal.dotx template.

 

[Graham Mayor]

The QAT is stored in a file called Word.QAT in the folder
C:\Documents and Settings\<UserName>\Local Settings\Application
Data\Microsoft\OFFICE (or its equivalent in Vista)
BuildingBlocks.dotx is stored in
C:\Documents and Settings\<UserName>\Application Data\Microsoft\Document
Building Blocks\1033 (where 1033 is the language code)

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP


<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Thanks for the follow-up, Graham. Are there additional .QAT files for
specific templates if you have created them?

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

 

[Graham Mayor]

Custom QAT entries for document templates are stored in the templates
themselves. If you open the template with Winzip or WinRar you will find the
toolbar customisation in a file called customUI.xml

It is the universally available QAT that is stored in Word.QAT.

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP


<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>

 

[Beth Melton]

Are there additional .QAT files for specific templates if you have created
them?

If you customize a QAT and set the customization context to the template
(i.e select your document or template from the Customize Quick Access
Toolbar drop down) then the customizations are stored in that document or
template.

The primary difference between Word 2007 and previous versions when it comes
to storing customizations, such as Building Blocks (AutoText in previous
versions) and QAT customizations (toolbar/menu customizations in previous
versions) is they no longer use the Normal template by default since
recreating the Normal template became a "standard" troubleshooting step and
numerous users were losing their customizations accordingly.
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Melton
What is a Microsoft MVP? http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/gp/mvpfaqs

Guides for the Office 2007 Interface:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/training/HA102295841033.aspx

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Thanks for the clarification, Graham.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Thanks for the additional information, Beth.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

 

[PamC via OfficeKB.com]

One good way to keep the same QATs on different computers (say desktop and
laptop) is to use an add-in template QATs and copy it from one computer to
the other. Of course, add-in templatescan be shared. The add-in QATs do not
overwrite the other person's QAT (which may result in some duplicates), and
each QAT is displayed in its own section. Also, I carry my templates with me
on a thumb drive and load them, when permitted, on any computer I use.

Note that when editing the QAT, you have access only to the document you are
in and to normal.dotm (or the attached template). So you must open the add-in
template to add, delete, or rearrange the QAT as well as to create or delete
keyboard shortcuts you want to store in the add-in.

PamC

Thanks for the additional information, Beth.
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]

since recreating the Normal template became a "standard" troubleshooting
step and numerous users were losing their customizations accordingly.

 

[Legal Learning]

Ok, so I have found two building block paths.

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\Document Parts\1033

Data\Microsoft\OFFICE

Both contained a building blocks template. I thought I was losing my mind
when I made changes in that file, Word upon exit said it was saving that
file, only to find out that when copying the local building block template
(c:\program files location) to another machine it would not have the updated
date stamp or quick part.

What's up with that?