What is the normal way to use a template with a userform?

[rusty cranbrook]

I have a userform that helps generate Word documents. The userform is
in a dot file. So far my coworkers think we should be passing the
users the dot file and have them create the doc files by clicking it
in explorere. I think this is funky. My idea of how this should be
used in the org is to

[1] Create a toolbar in the dot file that has one button that when
clicked runs a function that opens the userform.

[2] place the dot file (with userform) in a network accessible
template storage location

[3] create a word doc file named something like "create new dandy
document.doc" and set it's template to the dot file above.

[4] distribute the doc file mentioned above to the users.

Now they can open the userform by opening the doc file and clicking
the toolbar command button. If they want to save the doc that they
generate (which they won't always need to) they can call it whatever
they want. Even if they blow it and save the doc as "create new dandy
document.doc", the name it already has, it's ok (sort of) as the next
user will just overwrite the saved doc text with whatever they
generate.

Is this a good approach to take? Any others that are standard?

I guess it would be cool to keep the users from saving the doc they
generate as to the doc they originally opened, if it's "create new
dandy document.doc" I'd need to be able to mod it, but not the
users... any tips on how to manage that issue?

 

[Graham Mayor]

I have a userform that helps generate Word documents. The userform is
in a dot file. So far my coworkers think we should be passing the
users the dot file and have them create the doc files by clicking it
in explorere. I think this is funky. My idea of how this should be
used in the org is to

[1] Create a toolbar in the dot file that has one button that when
clicked runs a function that opens the userform.

That would work

[2] place the dot file (with userform) in a network accessible
template storage location

Use the workgroup folder (tools > options > file locations) and ensure
everyone who needs it has access to that folder.

[3] create a word doc file named something like "create new dandy
document.doc" and set it's template to the dot file above.
No!

[4] distribute the doc file mentioned above to the users.
No

Now they can open the userform by opening the doc file and clicking
the toolbar command button. If they want to save the doc that they
generate (which they won't always need to) they can call it whatever
they want. Even if they blow it and save the doc as "create new dandy
document.doc", the name it already has, it's ok (sort of) as the next
user will just overwrite the saved doc text with whatever they
generate.

Is this a good approach to take? Any others that are standard?

I guess it would be cool to keep the users from saving the doc they
generate as to the doc they originally opened, if it's "create new
dandy document.doc" I'd need to be able to mod it, but not the
users... any tips on how to manage that issue?

Use an autonew and an autopen macro in the document template to pop up the
userform
eg

Sub AutoNew()
frmName.Show
End Sub
Sub AutoOpen()
frmName.Show
End Sub

Add a toolbar to the template to run the same code.
Distribute the template.

--
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Graham Mayor - Word MVP
E-mail (e-mail address removed)
Web site www.gmayor.dsl.pipex.com
Word MVP web site www.mvps.org/word
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[rusty cranbrook]

Graham thanks, I came to something like the same conclusions after I posted.