Word 2000 templates in Word 2007

[Rob TUC]

Hi
We've moved to Office 2007 and our old Word templates, specially authored
for 2000 users with our own macros, open fine, but the docs made with them
give us problems afterwards. We need some users still on 2000 to open these
docs but if we 'maintain compatibility' then some layout properties are lost.
If we save down then that's Ok but if the 2000 user makes changes the 2007
author then has problems re-opening (files get corrupted) and sometimes even
re-saving (error message: disc is full etc.). It would seem there is some
clash going on.

None of this happens with docs not built from the templates.

Would it help if I saved the old templates as .dotx or .dotm? (If so,
which of those?) There is a global template too - would I have to change that?

Any suggestions gratefully received. I don't want to re-author the templates
(we have a set af about 12 and they all have forms and pops up and reference
the global template).

Thanks Rob

 

[Graham Mayor]

If you save the templates in Word 2007 format, Word 2000 users will have
problems with them - see
http://www.gmayor.com/Problems_opening_2007_docs.htm .

I would leave the templates as they are now - at least until all users have
2007.

I would think that you would be better saving the documents as Word 97-2003
doc format with the compatibility option or save the documents as docx,
using the compatibility pack to open them on Word 2000.

Inevitably Word 2000 does not have the full formatting abilities of Word
2007 and the solution that keeps things as close to how it all works in 2000
is the way forwards.

--
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Graham Mayor - Word MVP


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

 

[Rob TUC]

Hi Graham that's good advice - thank you.
The problem is definitely when a 2007 user makes a doc from one of our
templates and then saves down for a 2000 user to be able to amend. Then
afterwards the 2007 author can't open it again. But if we stay in .docx and
'maintain compatibility' is ticked it doesn't happen but we do get layout
changes when a 2000 user opens it.

As you say I will keep the templates as they are until we have all moved
over, but afterwards, to attempt to solve the problem above, should I resave
all the templates (including the global one) as .dotm then?

best Rob

 

[Jonathan West]

Hi Graham that's good advice - thank you.
The problem is definitely when a 2007 user makes a doc from one of our
templates and then saves down for a 2000 user to be able to amend. Then
afterwards the 2007 author can't open it again. But if we stay in .docx
and
'maintain compatibility' is ticked it doesn't happen but we do get layout
changes when a 2000 user opens it.

As you say I will keep the templates as they are until we have all moved
over, but afterwards, to attempt to solve the problem above, should I
resave
all the templates (including the global one) as .dotm then?

Once you have moved completely to 2007, you will get the greatest benefit
and flexibility from having your templates in th new file format.

Save as dotm if the templates contain macros. Save as dotx otherwise.

 

[Rob TUC]

thanks Jonathan!

Once you have moved completely to 2007, you will get the greatest benefit
and flexibility from having your templates in th new file format.

Save as dotm if the templates contain macros. Save as dotx otherwise.


--
Regards
Jonathan West - Word MVP
www.intelligentdocuments.co.uk
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