Word won't save settings

[Ken Spiker]

I reinstalled Word X for Mac v. 10.1.4 (I ran the 10.1.5
updater but it didin't take.) recently to add custom
dictionaries and now Word X won't save my AutoCorrect
settings. Everytime I have to reboot Word X loses my
settings and I have to reset them. Annoying. I think it's
losing other settings, but I'm not sure because with other
settings I tend to go with default. Interesting that half
the preferences on Word aren't in the preferences window. I
still haven't found the setting which allows me to print
last page first. Know anything about this? Thanx,

Ken

 

[Dayo Mitchell]

Printing in reverse order should be in Word | Preferences, Print tab, under
Printing Options. Any other preferences you can't find? Maybe someone can
help.

The 10.1.5 updater probably took, it just isn't reflected in the About Word
dialog. More info:
http://www.mcgimpsey.com/macoffice/office/vxversions.html

AutoCorrect entries and Custom Dictionaries are different files. What do
you mean by you reinstalled to add custom dictionaries?

When you say it loses AutoCorrect settings, what exactly do you mean? Do
you mean the checkboxes that control automatic behavior, or AutoCorrect
entries for specific words that you have created?

IF the checkboxes--all of them, or which ones do you notice wrong?

IF the entries for certain words--check to make sure your text is formatted
with a language--with the cursor in some text, go to Tools | Language and
your preferred language should come up already selected.

DM

 

[neva]

Not only check the check boxes, and be sure language is set, but there are
ways to lose all your carefully developed autocorrect entries and have Word
end up returning to the default ACL set.

So - if you still have a complete ACL file, be sure to make a copy of it.

An easy way to locate your current ACL file it to make a new autocorrect
test entry, save everything you have open, close Word, and do a Find.

Ask the Mac to find everything modified today, then sort by date/time.
Your current ACL file should be one of the most recent files modified.

As a heavy user of AutoCorrect, I back up that file regularly - a couple
times a day, using Data Backup X - very easy to use, and runs automatically
in the background. (I back up a lot of other things as well...)

Anyway - be sure you didn't accidentally revert to the default ACL file.
neva

 

[Ken Spiker]

Thanx for your input, neva. I have restarted Word and
restarted my computer and my settings *were* saved and
maybe it's okay now. Don't know what went wrong before but
I really did seem to lose those settings at least twice in
the last 2 days.

So - if you still have a complete ACL file, be sure to make a copy of it.

I tried to find the ACL file using your technique and found
Word Settings (10) and Microsoft Office Settings (10) but
nothing with ACL in the title. I copied the Word & Office
settings for future use if needed.

Is there a file I'm missing?

Thank you for your help.

 

[Ken Spiker]

Dayo, I found checkbox for reverse printing. Thanx.

Thanx for your input. I have restarted Word and restarted
my computer and my settings *are* saved and maybe it's okay
now. Don't know what went wrong before but I really did
seem to lose those settings at least twice in the last 3 days.

exactly do you mean? Do
you mean the checkboxes that control automatic behavior, or >>AutoCorrect
entries for specific words that you have created?

I was thinking of checkboxes under "AutoFormatAsYouType"
that give you "smart quotes" and "bulleted lists" which I
unchecked to turn off and which reappeared checked on
restart. Other settings in other windows were lost too, I
think. Since it's working now I won't go on. However I
don't understand about AutoCorrect for specific words that
I created. What is that? Guess I have something more to
learn about Word, does it ever stop? The learning curve, I
mean?

P.S. I have had trouble replying to earlier post in thread.
Is there something that prevents using reply more than once
to a single entry?

Thanx,

Ken

 

[Dayo Mitchell]

Thanx for your input, neva. I have restarted Word and
restarted my computer and my settings *were* saved and
maybe it's okay now. Don't know what went wrong before but
I really did seem to lose those settings at least twice in
the last 2 days.

I tried to find the ACL file using your technique and found
Word Settings (10) and Microsoft Office Settings (10) but
nothing with ACL in the title. I copied the Word & Office
settings for future use if needed.

The list of AutoCorrect entries is stored in the MS Office ACL [English]
file, which should be in ~/Library/Preferences/Microsoft. If you use
multiple languages, there's a separate file for each one.

You only need to back up the ACL file if you are adding your own entries in
the AutoCorrect dialog, e.g., to allow you to type "br" and have it
automatically replaced with "British", or "vn" for "Victorian". Saves me a
lot of shift-keying. More info on this useful trick:
http://word.mvps.org/faqs/customization/AutoCorrect.htm

Neva, thanks for the inadvertent heads-up--realized I had left the ACL file
out of my backup script, and I'd hate to lose it.

Dayo

 

[Dayo Mitchell]

Hi Ken,

Dayo, I found checkbox for reverse printing. Thanx.

Thanx for your input. I have restarted Word and restarted
my computer and my settings *are* saved and maybe it's okay
now. Don't know what went wrong before but I really did
seem to lose those settings at least twice in the last 3 days.

Don't think I did much, but glad to help. Interesting about losing your
settings. You can *cause* that to happen by moving or trashing the Word
Settings (10) file in the ~/Library/Preferences/Microsoft, and letting Word
create a new one, which sets the prefs back to the default. I'm not in X
yet, so I'm not going to venture theories on what else could have glitched
it (for now, anyhow...

For general troubleshooting, bookmark this page.
http://www.mcgimpsey.com/macoffice/word/troubleshooting.html
A more detailed one will be coming to the MVP site
(http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/WordMac/index.htm) soon-ish.

However I
don't understand about AutoCorrect for specific words that
I created. What is that? Guess I have something more to
learn about Word, does it ever stop? The learning curve, I
mean?

The learning curve never stops...I've been lurking/posting here and other
groups for a year and a half and just keep realizing how much I don't know.
Re AutoCorrect, see my other post on the original thread.

P.S. I have had trouble replying to earlier post in thread.
Is there something that prevents using reply more than once
to a single entry?

No, I think it's something about the MS Communities site not liking to reply
to Entourage 2001. They should be rolling out a new webreader soon, but you
can also access the ngs via newsreader or Google, see links below.

Dayo

For direct links to the Google interface for Mac NGs:
<http://www.microsoft.com/mac/community/community.aspx?pid=newsgroups>

For the substandard interface on the MS site:
<http://communities2.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/en-us/default.aspx
?guid=366BA05D-4181-BB41-B201-4C83D5F6024C>

Newsreaders are usually most efficient--here's a link on how to configure a
newsreader (e.g. Entourage or Outlook Express)
<http://www.microsoft.com/mac/community/community.aspx?pid=newsgroups&page=n
ewsgroupsetup>

Here's a link on how to spamproof your address to protect it if using
Entourage:
<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/help/nospam.html>
If using Outlook Express
<http://homepage.ntlworld.com/techie.grim/macfaq/articles/046.html>

 

[neva]

I think the group should be aware that Office X calls it MS Office ACL
[English] and the new 2004 calls it Microsoft Office ACL [English].

My ACL file (for Office 2004) is in Library/Preferences/Microsoft/Microsoft
Office ACL [English]

My old file MS Office ACL [English] (the Office X version) is still lurking
there as a sort of point-in-time backup.

neva

Thanx for your input, neva. I have restarted Word and
restarted my computer and my settings *were* saved and
maybe it's okay now. Don't know what went wrong before but
I really did seem to lose those settings at least twice in
the last 2 days.

I tried to find the ACL file using your technique and found
Word Settings (10) and Microsoft Office Settings (10) but
nothing with ACL in the title. I copied the Word & Office
settings for future use if needed.

The list of AutoCorrect entries is stored in the MS Office ACL [English]
file, which should be in ~/Library/Preferences/Microsoft. If you use
multiple languages, there's a separate file for each one.

You only need to back up the ACL file if you are adding your own entries in
the AutoCorrect dialog, e.g., to allow you to type "br" and have it
automatically replaced with "British", or "vn" for "Victorian". Saves me a
lot of shift-keying. More info on this useful trick:
http://word.mvps.org/faqs/customization/AutoCorrect.htm

Neva, thanks for the inadvertent heads-up--realized I had left the ACL file
out of my backup script, and I'd hate to lose it.

Dayo

 

[Dayo Mitchell]

I think the group should be aware that Office X calls it MS Office ACL
[English] and the new 2004 calls it Microsoft Office ACL [English].

My ACL file (for Office 2004) is in Library/Preferences/Microsoft/Microsoft
Office ACL [English]

We sure should! Thanks very much, you just saved me some trouble.

Dayo