Templates/Macros/Autotext in Word 2003 and Word 2007

[ColG]

I have recently started using Word 2007. I have a few questions relating to
it.

1. Are templates created in 2003 usable in 2007?
2. Are macros created in 2003 usable in 2007?
3. Are macros created in 2003 and saved in a templated in 2003 usable in 2007?
4. Are auto text entries created in 2003 usable in 2007?

5. Where (what file) are the building blocks/autotext entries stored in 2007?
6. Where (what file) are the style gallery entried stored in 2007?

7. What's the difference between normal.dotm and normal.dotx?

Sorry there are so many questions, but I hope there are just simple answers
to them.
Thank you all very much!

 

[Jay Freedman]

I have recently started using Word 2007. I have a few questions relating to
it.

1. Are templates created in 2003 usable in 2007? Yes.

2. Are macros created in 2003 usable in 2007?

Yes, as long as they don't refer to features that have changed between
versions. For example, using AutoText in a macro is not the same and
the macro would have to be rewritten. A macro that searches a folder
for documents with the specific extension .doc will miss ones that
have a .docx extension. The bottom line is that each macro has to be
tested, and preferably inspected line by line, to look for "bad"
behavior.

3. Are macros created in 2003 and saved in a templated in 2003 usable in 2007?

Yes, subject to the same considerations discussed in #2.

4. Are auto text entries created in 2003 usable in 2007?

Yes. The simplest way is to take the 2003 template containing the
autotexts, remove any macros it might contain, and save the template
in the folder "%appdata%\Microsoft\Document Building Blocks". The
next time you start Word, the autotexts will be available.

5. Where (what file) are the building blocks/autotext entries stored in 2007?

By default, they're in "%appdata%\Microsoft\Document Building
Blocks\1033\Building Blocks.dotx". (The 1033 part is specific to US
English; other languages have other numeric identifiers.) When you
create new ones, Word suggests the same Building Blocks.dotx, but you
can choose any other template that's loaded at the time.

6. Where (what file) are the style gallery entried stored in 2007?

Each template can store its own set of styles. I haven't gone looking
for where the gallery information is stored, but I suspect it's also
in the template.

7. What's the difference between normal.dotm and normal.dotx?

A .dotx extension indicates a template that is _not_ allowed to hold
macros; a .dotm extension indicates that macros _are_ allowed. Since
the Normal template should always be macro-enabled, you should have
Normal.dotm. Again, I'm not sure of this, but I suspect Normal.dotx
wouldn't even be loaded unless Normal.dotm was absent -- and Word
would probably build a new Normal.dotm.

Sorry there are so many questions, but I hope there are just simple answers
to them.
Thank you all very much!

No problem -- they're all good questions.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
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