Word 2007, I can change the default font, paragraph parameters, etc. for
documents created via the "New" button in an active copy of Word. However,
if I create a blank document by right-clicking on the desktop, then
New/MicrosoftOfficeWordDocument, it creates one using the originally
installed defaults.

What do I have to do to change defaults for documents created in this latter
way?

Thank you.
--
Wayra

Hello Wayra

Wayra wrote:
> Word 2007, I can change the default font, paragraph parameters, etc. for
> documents created via the "New" button in an active copy of Word. However,
> if I create a blank document by right-clicking on the desktop, then
> New/MicrosoftOfficeWordDocument, it creates one using the originally
> installed defaults.

yes, that's right: it's not the current Normal.dotx that's pulled in
this case. Microsoft is aware of this and they're considering changing
it back to the old behavior for the next release of Word.


> What do I have to do to change defaults for documents created in this latter
> way?

I got the following info a couple of weeks ago. I've never tested this
myself (partly because I'm pretty reluctant to go into my Registry, and
partly because I work on so many different system throughout the week
that I wouldn't want to trust whatever happens to be in the current
Normal.dot(x) I'm looking at :-)), so take this with a grain of salt,
and if you wanna try it, backup your registry first!

<quote>
The way to perform this is following the next steps:

1st) In the registry under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, we have to find find
".docx" extension.

2nd) Expand that node and expand the "Word.Document.12" node.

3rd) Then find "ShellNew". Note that it has a key called "NullFile", a
REG_SZ, that makes Word create the zero-byte document.

4th) We proceed to rename that item (to xNullFile for instance)

5th) Then next to it in the same node, add a new key called Filename,
also a REG_SZ, and provide as data a full path to a document that can be
copied each time . then the Right-Click-New scenario happens.

After performing these actions our registry appears like this after our
trial and verification:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.docx\Word.Document.12\ShellNew]
"xNullFile"=""
"Filename"="C:\\Users\\Machine\\Desktop\\starter.docx"

Now each time the user does Right-Click and "New Word Document" in the
File System (Windows Shell), that file is copied.

Anything in that "starter" file will be in the new document.

Our recommendation is that it would be a blank document based on
Normal.dotm.
</quote>

HTH
Robert
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