Word 2003 prompt to save template on closure

[mjk_ayles]

Hey, this is driving me nuts: Whenever I create a new word document using a
user template I am asked if I want to save changes to the template when I
close the document - even if I have saved the document craeted from the
template with a completely name (in the user directory). Any clues ???

 

[Terry Farrell]

If you create a document from a template and then edit the document's
underlying styles, Word will prompt you to save those changes to the
template too. However, if this is only happening when you close the document
(but not when you save the document), it suggests that the template has some
macros or fields that are updating when the document was created. It is the
template that needs to be 'fixed' out rather than the document.

 

[mjk_ayles]

Thanks Terry, that was quick. However, I'm not editing any styles - I have
templates which I've used for years which I open to create the master
document and that's it ... previously there were no problems; I have recently
built a new machine (I'm quite used to doing this) and reinstalled everything
on it with just this one annoying problem. It's a problem with all templates
- it certainly looks as though there are changes being made to the template
.... but not by me I simply can't find any way of stoppping the problem -
nothing in Options, and I have no idea if / where there's an appropriate
registry key to hack. Any other thoughts gratefully received!

 

[Rob Giordano \(Crash\)]

Make sure when you are creating a new document from a template that you
don't inadvertantly have the checkbox next to Template checked (bottom right
in the opening dialog).

--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rob Giordano
Microsoft MVP Expression





| Thanks Terry, that was quick. However, I'm not editing any styles - I
have
| templates which I've used for years which I open to create the master
| document and that's it ... previously there were no problems; I have
recently
| built a new machine (I'm quite used to doing this) and reinstalled
everything
| on it with just this one annoying problem. It's a problem with all
templates
| - it certainly looks as though there are changes being made to the
template
| ... but not by me I simply can't find any way of stoppping the
problem -
| nothing in Options, and I have no idea if / where there's an appropriate
| registry key to hack. Any other thoughts gratefully received!
| --
| Ta, M
|
|
| "Terry Farrell" wrote:
|
| > If you create a document from a template and then edit the document's
| > underlying styles, Word will prompt you to save those changes to the
| > template too. However, if this is only happening when you close the
document
| > (but not when you save the document), it suggests that the template has
some
| > macros or fields that are updating when the document was created. It is
the
| > template that needs to be 'fixed' out rather than the document.
| >
| > --
| > Terry Farrell - MS Word MVP
| >
| >
| > | > > Hey, this is driving me nuts: Whenever I create a new word document
using
| > > a
| > > user template I am asked if I want to save changes to the template
when I
| > > close the document - even if I have saved the document craeted from
the
| > > template with a completely name (in the user directory). Any clues
???
| > >
| > > --
| > > Ta, M
| >

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

Another possibility... some add-ins mark templates (usually normal.dot) as
changed each and every time Word opens. Adobe Acrobat was famous for this
for a long time (more recent versions seem to be better behaved), as
were/are some other add-ins.

A symptom that this is happening... just opening and closing a document can
generate the message that the template has changed. If you're seeing this,
check to see what add-ins Word is using, and try disabling them to see if
the problem goes away (Tools - Templates and Add-ins).

 

[mjk_ayles]

Thanks Gents - another couple of useful responses, both of which I checked -
no Add-Ins at all (or at least nothing showing in the Tools - Templates and
Add-ins), and the radio button is checked against creating a new Document
when I load the template. But you have the symptoms correct, so hopefullly
we're close to the cure!
More ideas ????

 

[Terry Farrell]

Please test this in Safe Mode. From the Run command, type in

winword /a

and press enter. Test opening a new document now and see if you get the same
symptoms.

Terry

 

[mjk_ayles]

Aha, looking hopeful Terry: Just by starting Word in safe mode (i.e. with
<Ctrl> down) the problem went away .... So, what's the cause (and solution)
when not in safe mode?

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

If it runs properly in Safe Mode, this points to a problem with (a)
Normal.dot, (b) the Registry, (c) an add-in, or (d) the printer driver.

 

[mjk_ayles]

OK, sounds sensible. Now, there were no add-ons when I looked earlier in
this exchange. Dunno about the printer driver (it seems to be OK in all
other respects?), so that leaves Normal.dot or the registry. What further
can I check, and how can I correct?

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Fine more on Normal.dot at
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/AppErrors/BlankDocNotBlank.htm, instructions for
editing the Registry at
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/AppErrors/MissingMenusEtc.htm, and more on add-ins
at http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customization/CheckIfAddinsInstalled.htm.

 

[mjk_ayles]

Hey, thanks Suzanne: Those articles look rather interesting / educational -
I will follow them through (probably later in the week now - some work to do
right now) and let you know how I get on.

Many thanks.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Good luck! And note that that should be "Find more..." <sigh>

 

[mjk_ayles]

Hi Suzanne:

Right, I looked at all that, thanks. I'd been pointed to the add-ins
previously, but I took another look just to be sure. No add-ins (that I
could see ...). Normal.dot doesn't appear to be the problem either - it is
the "do you want to save <user-created> template" which is the problem -
although runninng winword /a also gets over the problem ....


More thoughts?

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

I can only repeat that, if it works with the /a switch, then the problem
*must* be with (a) Normal.dot, (b) the Registry, (c) add-ins, or (d) the
printer. If you've eliminated everything else, then try reinstalling the
printer (with an updated driver if there is one).

 

[mjk_ayles]

Hmmm Suzanne, it seems rather odd that the printer should cause this, but as
you say, everything else has been eliminated. I've got two networked
printers, one of which is old and has to work through a USB print server ...
but hitherto it's all worked fine. I know for a fact that the latest printer
driver for the older laser is dated mid 2003 (yes, I check the HP site
regularly) .... so maybe I just have to put-up with this until I eventually
get a new printer. As I say, odd, because this problem has only started
since I built this new machine - on the old steam-driven machine (which
achieved 7 years of being hammered), it was no problem. Appreciate your time
on this, thanks.

 

[Beth Melton]

Everything hasn't necessarily been eliminated. You checked for COM Add-ins
using the utility provided in Word but there are some COM Add-ins that do
not display in the list. Those that display are per user add-ins. There are
also per-machine add-ins that don't display in the COM Add-ins dialog box.

Here's an article that can help you find the per-machine COM Add-ins:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;555220

Disregard the title and start with Method 2. Also, in Method 4 the link for
the Process Explorer needs to be updated. Use this link instead:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/processesandthreads/processexplorer.mspx
(there's a link for the download at the bottom of the page.)

Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for
assistance by email cannot be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

Coauthor of Word 2007 Inside Out:
http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/books/9801.aspx#AboutTheBook

Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word
TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/
MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Thanks, Beth. I knew there were add-ins that the utility didn't find, but I
didn't know "the rest of the story" (how to find them).

 

[Beth Melton]

Even with knowing where to look it's still like looking for a needle in a
haystack.

It wouldn't be so difficult to find if Microsoft could only show the
per-machine add-ins as well. We've made this request numerous times and
we're still not seeing everything. We're closer in Word 2007 but it's still
not perfect. It's crazy to need to resort to another utility to determine
what is hooking into Word.

Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for
assistance by email cannot be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

Coauthor of Word 2007 Inside Out:
http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/books/9801.aspx#AboutTheBook

Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word
TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/
MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/

 

[mjk_ayles]

Thanks Beth, I shall give that a try (probably on the weekend now) - really
good aht there's so many folks who know so much about this software - really
educational for me (I'm more of an Excel whiz, but equally very conscious of
how much I probably don't know even about that!). Anyway, will post-up how I
get on. Thanks again.