Turn off "Getting Started" - permanently

[quartz]

I am using Office 2003 on Windows XP.

How can I turn off the annoying "Getting Started" window that appears on the
right side of the screen every time you open Word - manually as well as in
code?

Could someone please post example code (as well as inform me how to do it
manually?)? Thanks much in advance.

 

[Pat Garard]

G'Day Quartz,

Be objective: YOU may find it annoying, others may not!

Be accurate: It is called the Task Pane, and includes
Getting Started
Help
Clipart
Search Results
Research
Office Clipboard
Styles and Formatting and much more...

Manual: Search HELP for Task Pane, see the second article -
Turn off the task pane on startup.

Code: Record a Macro, while performing the manual operation.
You need only the 3rd line of the recorded Macro.

 

[Anne P.]

Or, just go to Tools, Options, on the General Tab, uncheck the box next to
Startup Task Pane. Exit Word. Each time you open Word from then on, it
will not appear. However, please note that the Getting Started Task Pane
won't appear on opening Word, but other Task Panes will appear when you
perform certain actions such as Choose Format, Styles and Formatting.

Anne P.

 

[Pat Garard]

G'Day Anne,

As a matter of fact, it's the "View" tab - but have you noticed
how the world is becoming divided into two major groups?

Askers: They ALWAYS ask - where can I find a Template
for..., How do I ..., why ...., why can't I ...
Very little self-reliance.

Answerers: Helping the Askers down ....

 

[quartz]

Pat,

Don't: Make users posting questions feel small. It is terribly ANNOYING.

Don't be ANNOYING: You are arguing semantics when in fact you knew what I
meant by "Getting Started". Your comments are unnecessary, just post a
helpful reply or don't post.

It is annoying because your suggestion I have already tried and it doesn't
work. The ANNOYING task pane still appears on open.

Have a great un-annoying day.

 

[quartz]

Anne,

Thank you for your kind response, but I have already tried this and it
doesn't work. FYI, since posting originally, I did, however, find a work
around on Microsoft's site (# 838676) which does address my problem.

Thanks.

 

[Pat Garard]

G'Day (again) Quartz,

It is annoying because your suggestion I have already tried and it doesn't
work.

Of course you EXPLAINED this - didn't you!

You explained that you KNEW the method, and that the method
did not work for you? No, Sir, you did not!!

I am sorry that you are upset, but you have had TWO potentially
workable answers, from two individuals who took the time to
frame those answers - not knowing that you had already tried it.

Two individuals have wasted their time, owing to a badly framed
question that was neither Objective and nor Accurate.

 

[Tabasco Ed]

G'Day (again) Quartz,

Of course you EXPLAINED this - didn't you!

You explained that you KNEW the method, and that the method
did not work for you? No, Sir, you did not!!

I am sorry that you are upset, but you have had TWO potentially
workable answers, from two individuals who took the time to
frame those answers - not knowing that you had already tried it.

Two individuals have wasted their time, owing to a badly framed
question that was neither Objective and nor Accurate.

Pat makes some good points. Anyway, try this:
http://word.mvps.org/faqs/customization/ShowTaskPane.htm

 

[Thank You Tabasco Ed.]

Pat makes some good points. Anyway, try this:
http://word.mvps.org/faqs/customization/ShowTaskPane.htm

 

[Thank You Tabasco Ed.]

Thank You Tabasco Ed--
Quartz, i agree with you about Pat treating us "users" like 2nd class
citizens. as far as the time i wasted in my day, i spent almost 1hour
45minutes trying to figure out how to get rid of that stupid, annoying and
USELESS "getting started" pane [which is nothing more than a glorified blue
help icon = (?)]. Although i think MS should have given me the answer instead
of outsourcing tech help to "volunteers" in the "community", it is only
thanks to the link provided by Tabasco Ed that i was able to kill the most
annoying Nicrosoft thing since Mr. Paperclip.
Quartz, here's how you do it: open a new Word document, go to the "TOOLS"
dropdown menu, then look for "OPTIONS" at the very bottom of the menu and
click on it; then pick the "VIEW" tab-- you'll see a box with a checkmark in
it for the task pane; click the box so the check mark goes away. Click "OK"
and that nasty "getting started" crap goes away. Since Pat finds "getting
started" helpful, that tells you what kind of dude he is-- like it's too much
trouble to use the MS start menu or push one of two MS buttons on the
keyboard.
....and in pure Microsoft lousy web page set-up, my display name apperas to
be "Thank You Tabasco Ed". it's not, i assure you.