Disappearing Menus and Menu Options Redux

[Craig Flores]

Thanks for the responses:

To clarify my issue with disappearing custom menus or menu
options:
1) I deleted Normal.dot in Word 2002 and generated a new
one by opening and closing Word. I did this to alleviate
any corruption issues.
2) I created a new template, exper.dot, in my default
templates directory where Normal resides: C:\Documents and
Settings\CFlores\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates.
3) I added a custom menu item under Word's built-in
Options menu. (Menu item is a 'child' of the
Options 'parent'.)
4) I saved the Exper.dot template.
5) I verified in Customization dialog box that my custom
menu was not saved to Normal.dot, but to exper.dot.
6) I closed the template.
7) I opened a .doc based on exper.dot. My menu item was
gone. When I opened the Customization template, the Save
In option was set to Normal.dot.

FYI, I tried the same procedure with a custom menu (at the
same level as Options rather than a child). When I opened
doc, I could see menu briefly before it disappeared.

So, the excellent info that Charles and Graham gave me
leads me to believe that Normal is loading AFTER exper.dot
loads. I absolutely don't know what to do...the toolbar
route helps somewhat, but our needs require some custom
child options to Word's built-in menus (such as Options).
The only workaround is to place templates in Startup. Does
anyone have any idea what could cause Normal to load after
exper.dot? I already deleted Normal.dot, and generated a
new one, in case corruption was an issue. None of these
problems occur in Word 2000--just Word 2002/XP.

Thanks!

 

[Graham Mayor]

Try this:

Open a new blank document.
Save it as a template (*.dot) - it should save in the default templates
folder.
Tools > customize > commands > new menu
Ensure that the save to box is set to the template name you chose above
drag the menu item to the menu bar.
Close the dialog and save the template.
You should have the new menu item on the menu bar
Close the template.
The menu item should have gone.
Open a new document from the template.
The menu item should appear.
Where are you varying from this?

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP
E-mail (e-mail address removed)
Web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site www.mvps.org/word
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>

 

[Guest]

Hi Graham-

I followed your procedure repeatedly. I am varying from your results in the following way

I followed your steps up to 'Close the [new] template' without a problem. But when I opened a doc based on that template, the custom menu was gone. When I clicked Tools > Customize, the Save In option pointed to Normal.dot. When I then closed the dialog (without making changes), the menu showed up again. (Note that the menu will disappear again after closing out of Word or when creating another doc based on the same template.

Note that I followed your procedures exactly--e.g., when creating the menu, the customization was pointing to my new template, exper.dot. I also verified that the menu doesn't show up when opening a doc based on Normal. This is all very strange... I am using Word 2002 SP 2.

 

[Graham Mayor]

It has me baffled

The only thing I can think of is that you have an add-in that is interfering
with the menu display.

Start Word in its safe mode from Windows > start > run, with the command
Winword /a and see if it works in that state. If it does, then the
probability is that it is an add-in or normal.dot itself that is the
problem.

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP
E-mail (e-mail address removed)
Web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site www.mvps.org/word
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>

 

[Dayo Mitchell]

Before you all go away, please note the thread Template-question/problem
from Glenn de Tollenaere, a few hours after Graham's post. He seems to have
the same problem, perhaps two people with it will enable pinpointing the
reason. I replied to his post to direct him to this thread.

DM

It has me baffled

The only thing I can think of is that you have an add-in that is interfering
with the menu display.

Start Word in its safe mode from Windows > start > run, with the command
Winword /a and see if it works in that state. If it does, then the
probability is that it is an add-in or normal.dot itself that is the
problem.

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP
E-mail (e-mail address removed)
Web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site www.mvps.org/word
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>

Hi Graham--

I followed your procedure repeatedly. I am varying from your results
in the following way.

I followed your steps up to 'Close the [new] template' without a
problem. But when I opened a doc based on that template, the custom
menu was gone. When I clicked Tools > Customize, the Save In option
pointed to Normal.dot. When I then closed the dialog (without making
changes), the menu showed up again. (Note that the menu will
disappear again after closing out of Word or when creating another
doc based on the same template.)

Note that I followed your procedures exactly--e.g., when creating the
menu, the customization was pointing to my new template, exper.dot. I
also verified that the menu doesn't show up when opening a doc based
on Normal. This is all very strange... I am using Word 2002 SP 2.

 

[Guest]

Graham was riight--issue resolved. Okay, Graham, per your last post I disabled some add-ins, then re-enabled them, etc. My conclusion is that the add in for Acrobat 6 was causing a problem. Specifically, the add-in called PDFMaker.dot. Unfortunately, trying to re-enable the macro (after disabling) causes Word to crash--I may have to uninstall and reinstall Acrobat 6

My guess is that there will be no workaround if I want to use 6....not sure if Word 2002 or Acrobat 6 is to blame; but the interaction is causing this problem. I haven't tried Acrobat 6 on Word 2000--but Acro 5 on 2000 was fine

Graham--thank you for your patience!!

--Craig

 

[Graham Mayor]

Check that you have the update from Adobe for Acrobat 6.

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP
E-mail (e-mail address removed)
Web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site www.mvps.org/word
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>>< ><<>

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

I used Acrobat 6 with Word 2002 with no problems at all (I did install
Acrobat after Office). I am now using Word 2003 with Acrobat 6.1 (or 6.01 or
whatever it is), again with no problems.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

Graham was riight--issue resolved. Okay, Graham, per your last post I

disabled some add-ins, then re-enabled them, etc. My conclusion is that the
add in for Acrobat 6 was causing a problem. Specifically, the add-in called
PDFMaker.dot. Unfortunately, trying to re-enable the macro (after disabling)
causes Word to crash--I may have to uninstall and reinstall Acrobat 6.

My guess is that there will be no workaround if I want to use 6....not

sure if Word 2002 or Acrobat 6 is to blame; but the interaction is causing
this problem. I haven't tried Acrobat 6 on Word 2000--but Acro 5 on 2000 was
fine.