Jane:
I'm not familiar with a General.dot template, so I can't comment on it.
Word requires Normal.dot to operate. In Word 2000, when you click File >
New, the document called "Blank.dot" actually refers to Normal.dot.
If you delete all Normal.dot files, Word will create a new one. The
Normal.dot file may be located in one of several locations, depending on your
version of Word, your operating system, and the sequence of events that led
to your current configuration.
I suggest that you use Windows Explorer to delete all instances of
Normal.dot. Then use Word to define the path you want to use for your
Templates. Word will create a new Normal.dot in that folder, and you should
be solid from there on.
You may need to change your Windows Explorer settings to even find
Normal.dot. I think you may need (in a Windows Explorer window) to click
Tools > Folder Options > View then click Show Hidden Files and Folders and
clear Hide Protected Operating System Files. Then search (F3) your hard
drives for Normal.dot, and delete it wherever it's found. Note: You have to
have Word closed to be able to delete the Normal.dot it's using.
After that, start Word and click Tools > Options > File Locations. Select
for the User Templates item and click Modify. Browse to the folder you want
to use for templates. Personally, I prefer to use C:\Program Files\Microsoft
Office\Templates.
Create a dummy document, make some trivial changes, save the document
anywhere you like (I usually name such documents "Trash.doc" to remind myself
to delete them whenever I encounter them.) Then exit from Word, open a
Windows Explorer window and navigate to the folder you just specified for
Templates. Verify that Word has created a new Normal.dot there.
From this point on, whenever you change the definition of a style, create or
modify AutoText, create a custom keyboard shortcut, or record a macro, be
aware of which template your changes will be recorded in.
Changing styles is fairly clear. You're either in the template itself, or in
a document based on a template you know. For other customizations, look for
a box variously labeled: Look In, Save Changes In, or Store Macro In. That's
the template you're about to save your customization in.
I suggest you save such customizations only in document templates (the
templates in which your designs are defined, and that you use to create new
documents) and in global add-ins.
Global add-ins are DOT files, just like any other DOT files, with two
exceptions.
First, they typically don't contain any initial content (i.e. the pages are
blank), have few styles (as they're not used for style definitions), and have
macros and customizations that are part of your global toolset -- the
customizations you use no matter what kind of document you're working on.
Second, they are stored in your Startup folder. Again, this might be in
several locations. Use Tools > Options > File Locations, and determine or set
the path to your Startup folder. You can use C:\Program Files\Microsoft
Office\Office\Startup if you like.
Add-in templates that you place in the root of the Startup folder are opened
each time you start Word. (So is Normal.) You can see which global add-ins
you've got open by clicking Tools > Templates and Add-Ins.
Use Word to create a new template called JaneTools.dot and save it in your
Startup folder. Store your global customizations in that template, and back
it up regularly. (Back up your document templates regularly, too.)
After that, create a subfolder in Startup, called Hidden. To prevent a
global add-in from loading, use Windows Explorere to move it into the Hidden
folder before you start Word. You can also use Tools > Templates and Add-Ins
to load or unload add-ins during a Word session, by checking or clearing the
add-in's check box.
So hide all your add-ins, then start Word. A blank document based on your
new Normal.dot is created, but no other add-ins or templates will impact your
work environment. Add templates and add-ins back in a controlled fashion to
troubleshoot customization problems.
However, if you can abandon all your customizations and start fresh with the
setup I've described, you shouldn't encounter too many problems.
I hope some of the MVPs will chime in with the URLs for some articles you
can read on templates and add-ins.
Bear
