Word opening original template while opening a file.

[Teddy]

I have been trying to find an answer online to this question however I
am not sure how to phrase it correctly so that a search engine
understands so I'll try my luck here.

Basically what I have noticed in Word 2007, and I am sure this was the
case for previous versions of Word as well I just didn't notice it as
they didn't have a notification window, but when I am opening up a
word file that was created using a custom template, stored on a
network server, it first tries to open the template (it says so as a
small notification window pops up), and then it opens up the actual
file that I want to open and displays it on the screen.

It's not that it actually opens up the template for me to view or
edit, it just says it is trying to open the templat with a progress
bar going across the screen and then once it is done with whatever it
does with the original template file it opens up the file that I want
to open.

This wouldn't be annoying if I was sitting connected and working on my
network 24/7 but it does become an issue when I am tryign to work on
my laptop offsite and have to wait for Word to try and open the
template first (which is only located on my server) and then have it
open the actual Word file.

And even with offline files enabled I don't want Word to take that
extra 2 seconds to check with the template of the file before opening
the file that I want to edit.

What is Word doing (and actually I am pretty sure Excell and
Powerpoint and any office application do this)? And how can I stop it
from doing it as I can hit ESC every time it tries to open up the
template and my Word file pops up instantly (I don't want to have to
hit ESC every time I want to open an office document).

Thanks for any pointers.

 

[Jonathan West]

I have been trying to find an answer online to this question however I
am not sure how to phrase it correctly so that a search engine
understands so I'll try my luck here.

Basically what I have noticed in Word 2007, and I am sure this was the
case for previous versions of Word as well I just didn't notice it as
they didn't have a notification window, but when I am opening up a
word file that was created using a custom template, stored on a
network server, it first tries to open the template (it says so as a
small notification window pops up), and then it opens up the actual
file that I want to open and displays it on the screen.

That is correct, and has been for every version of Word at least since Word
2 for Windows (Word 2007 is Word 12!)

It's not that it actually opens up the template for me to view or
edit, it just says it is trying to open the templat with a progress
bar going across the screen and then once it is done with whatever it
does with the original template file it opens up the file that I want
to open.

Exactly.


The reason that the template is opened is that certain things in the
template are not copied into the document itself. The following article
describes the sorts of things that are stored in the template. (The article
was written for earlier versions of Word, but is still largely accurate for
Word 2007)

This wouldn't be annoying if I was sitting connected and working on my
network 24/7 but it does become an issue when I am tryign to work on
my laptop offsite and have to wait for Word to try and open the
template first (which is only located on my server) and then have it
open the actual Word file.

I recommend never storing templates on a network share, but always
distributing them to the local drives of all PCs on a network. The behavior
you have described is just one of several good reasons for doing so.

And even with offline files enabled I don't want Word to take that
extra 2 seconds to check with the template of the file before opening
the file that I want to edit.

It should be much less than 2 seconds if the template is stored locally and
the document is pointing to the local copy of the template.

What is Word doing (and actually I am pretty sure Excell and
Powerpoint and any office application do this)?

Actually, I believe Excel works differently, there is no long between a
workbook and the template it was based on once the workbook has been
created. Powerpoint works more like Word.

And how can I stop it
from doing it as I can hit ESC every time it tries to open up the
template and my Word file pops up instantly (I don't want to have to
hit ESC every time I want to open an office document).

You won't need to hit ESC if you always have local templates and base your
documents on them. What is happening is that Word is looking for the
document's template on the network, and that takes time. If the network is
unavailable, Word waits for more time before giving up. It is much improved
in Word 2007, in older versions of Word, it could take 2 minutes if you
hadn't installed the proper patches.

 

[Teddy]

That is correct, and has been for every version of Word at least since Word
2 for Windows (Word 2007 is Word 12!)




Exactly.

The reason that the template is opened is that certain things in the
template are not copied into the document itself. The following article
describes the sorts of things that are stored in the template. (The article
was written for earlier versions of Word, but is still largely accurate for
Word 2007)




I recommend never storing templates on a network share, but always
distributing them to the local drives of all PCs on a network. The behavior
you have described is just one of several good reasons for doing so.




It should be much less than 2 seconds if the template is stored locally and
the document is pointing to the local copy of the template.




Actually, I believe Excel works differently, there is no long between a
workbook and the template it was based on once the workbook has been
created. Powerpoint works more like Word.


You won't need to hit ESC if you always have local templates and base your
documents on them. What is happening is that Word is looking for the
document's template on the network, and that takes time. If the network is
unavailable, Word waits for more time before giving up. It is much improved
in Word 2007, in older versions of Word, it could take 2 minutes if you
hadn't installed the proper patches.

Finally, I have at least an answer to what is going on (you didn't
post the link to the article though). The problem that I am running
into though is that the Word documents that I need to use are created
by somebody else in my office and to make things even more complicated
more then one person is using the same template to create the
documents that I need to use. It would become a nightmare to have to
upload the template to each computer every time someting changes in
it.

Am I stuck with the slow load times or is there a way to make this all
work and still have my whole office use the same template file?

Igor

 

[Jonathan West]

Finally, I have at least an answer to what is going on (you didn't
post the link to the article though).

Oops. Here it is

What do Templates and Add-ins store?
http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customization/WhatTemplatesStore.htm

The problem that I am running
into though is that the Word documents that I need to use are created
by somebody else in my office and to make things even more complicated
more then one person is using the same template to create the
documents that I need to use. It would become a nightmare to have to
upload the template to each computer every time someting changes in
it.

Am I stuck with the slow load times or is there a way to make this all
work and still have my whole office use the same template file?

That's what network admin people are for - they should have tools for
pushing out updates to everyone on the network. Productivity improvements in
an application everyone uses are a very good reason to push out an update to
all users.

 

[lia]

Hi Im new here and its a pleasure!
Ive just posted my question when noticing this chat, my problem is the same
but your solution doesnt help me because these documents based on network
templates are later sent to clients that are not connected to my server.
What can I do inorder for my clients to be able to open my documents without
connecting or trying to connect to the server/template ??!!?

 

[Jonathan West]

Hi Im new here and its a pleasure!
Ive just posted my question when noticing this chat, my problem is the
same
but your solution doesnt help me because these documents based on network
templates are later sent to clients that are not connected to my server.
What can I do inorder for my clients to be able to open my documents
without
connecting or trying to connect to the server/template ??!!?

Two suggestions.

1. Convert the documents to PDF before sending them, if clients are not
intended to edit the documents.

2. Attach the normal template and then re-save the document before sending
it out, if the clients do need to edit the documents.

But the long-term solution is to move your templates into everyone's local
drive, and base documents on those local templates. Then the documents will
then open immediately even if the template is not available. For documents
based on network templates, depending on the version of Word, there can be a
delay of anything from a second or two to several minutes before the
document actually opens if the network template is not available.