Filename path Footer in Network Word

[crosbypm]

I have a mixed enivronment of Word XP and Word 2003 machines all
running Windows XP.
We currently have a globalsettings.dot file which has all of our
office customizations.
This file also has a footer for Word which just has Filename and
path.

If you open this file, you see the footer at the bottom of the screen,
yet when you open just Word
with the proper location of the globalsettings file set under Tools,
Options, File Locations, you just get the normal blank document. All
of the other customization is available, just not the footer with the
filename path.

Is there a way to have the footer work as it should, or is there a
step I am missing?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike Ashley

 

[Dawn Crosier, Word MVP]

Standard text - which your file name and path are - comes from creating a
document based on the template. So, in order to create a document which has
the file name and path already in the document, you will need to start your
new document based on the global setting file.

See http://word.mvps.org/faqs/apperrors/blankdocnotblank.htm for how to
configure the Normal.dot template so that it contains your "standard" text.

Also, here is some good info about what a Global Template can store:
http://word.mvps.org/faqs/customization/WhatTemplatesStore.htm


--
Dawn Crosier
Microsoft MVP
"Education Lasts a Lifetime"

This message was posted to a newsgroup, Please post replies and questions
to the group so that others can learn as well.
I have a mixed enivronment of Word XP and Word 2003 machines all
running Windows XP.
We currently have a globalsettings.dot file which has all of our
office customizations.
This file also has a footer for Word which just has Filename and
path.

If you open this file, you see the footer at the bottom of the screen,
yet when you open just Word
with the proper location of the globalsettings file set under Tools,
Options, File Locations, you just get the normal blank document. All
of the other customization is available, just not the footer with the
filename path.

Is there a way to have the footer work as it should, or is there a
step I am missing?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike Ashley

 

[Graham Mayor]

See http://word.mvps.org/faqs/apperrors/blankdocnotblank.htm for how
to configure the Normal.dot template so that it contains your
"standard" text.

Note it is not a good idea to put footers in normal.dot - it will (for
example) prevent you from creating labels. Put the footers in the document
templates.

You cannot share the Normal.dot file among multiple users in Word
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=811468

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com

<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>

 

[crosbypm]

Standard text - which your file name and path are - comes from creating a
document based on the template. So, in order to create a document which has
the file name and path already in the document, you will need to start your
new document based on the global setting file.

Seehttp://word.mvps.org/faqs/apperrors/blankdocnotblank.htmfor how to
configure the Normal.dot template so that it contains your "standard" text.

Also, here is some good info about what a Global Template can store:http://word.mvps.org/faqs/customization/WhatTemplatesStore.htm

--
Dawn Crosier
Microsoft MVP
"Education Lasts a Lifetime"

This message was posted to a newsgroup, Please post replies and questions

I have a mixed enivronment ofWordXP andWord2003 machines all
running Windows XP.
We currently have a globalsettings.dot file which has all of our
office customizations.
This file also has afooterforWordwhich just has Filename and
path.

If you open this file, you see thefooterat the bottom of the screen,
yet when you open justWord
with the proper location of the globalsettings file set under Tools,
Options, File Locations, you just get the normal blank document. All
of the other customization is available, just not thefooterwith the
filename path.

Is there a way to have thefooterwork as it should, or is there a
step I am missing?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike Ashley

Thanks for the information but we are already using a globalsettings
template that is loaded with the footer and we are already using it to
store macros and autotext. This template also contains the filename
and path footer, but that information is never loaded when we start
word. So our new document is already basing its settings on the global
template, which already contains a footer, it is just the footer that
is not being implemented.

Are there any other suggestions that you could make on why the new
document is not picking up the footer that is in the template.
Thanks,

Mike

 

[Jay Freedman]

Thanks for the information but we are already using a globalsettings
template that is loaded with the footer and we are already using it to
store macros and autotext. This template also contains the filename
and path footer, but that information is never loaded when we start
word. So our new document is already basing its settings on the global
template, which already contains a footer, it is just the footer that
is not being implemented.

Are there any other suggestions that you could make on why the new
document is not picking up the footer that is in the template.
Thanks,

Mike

Hi Mike,

What Dawn tried to tell you was that a "global settings" template -- one
that's stored in the Word Startup folder -- never supplies any text for new
documents. Not in the footer, not in the body, not anywhere. It supplies
macros, toolbars, AutoText, but not text.

If you want the document footer to contain the Filename field, that must
come from the template on which the document is based through the File > New
dialog, not from the "global settings" template. That base template might be
Normal.dot (for a "blank document") or it might/should be another template.

The article Dawn cited,
http://word.mvps.org/faqs/customization/WhatTemplatesStore.htm, explains
this.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

 

[crosbypm]

Hi Mike,

What Dawn tried to tell you was that a "global settings" template -- one
that's stored in the Word Startup folder -- never supplies any text for new
documents. Not in thefooter, not in the body, not anywhere. It supplies
macros, toolbars, AutoText, but not text.

If you want the documentfooterto contain theFilenamefield, that must
come from the template on which the document is based through the File > New
dialog, not from the "global settings" template. That base template might be
Normal.dot (for a "blank document") or it might/should be another template.

The article Dawn cited,http://word.mvps.org/faqs/customization/WhatTemplatesStore.htm, explains
this.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP FAQ:http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

Hi Jay et al,

Thanks for the information, but now I'm totally confused. There are 3
startup locations in Word: User Templates, Workgroup templates, and
Startup. I've placed a file called footer.dot in all 3 locations, and
have not got a footer in any of my new files, even though it shows
that the file footer.dot has been loaded.

Now if I wanted to have a new file in Word that always has a footer
that contains the filename and path, how should I go about setting
that up and where should I store it and which location should it be in
so that it is accessible by all our users. The only way that I have
done this so far is by modifying normal.dot on the local test machine,
but everything I have read says that is a bad idea.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Mike

 

[Jay Freedman]

Hi Jay et al,

Thanks for the information, but now I'm totally confused. There are 3
startup locations in Word: User Templates, Workgroup templates, and
Startup. I've placed a file called footer.dot in all 3 locations, and
have not got a footer in any of my new files, even though it shows
that the file footer.dot has been loaded.

Now if I wanted to have a new file in Word that always has a footer
that contains the filename and path, how should I go about setting
that up and where should I store it and which location should it be in
so that it is accessible by all our users. The only way that I have
done this so far is by modifying normal.dot on the local test machine,
but everything I have read says that is a bad idea.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Mike

Hi Mike,

Let's start with this distinction, which is explained in more detail
in http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customization/WhatTemplatesStore.htm:

- A "global" template is one that is stored in the STARTUP folder (as
shown in the File Locations dialog). That is the *only* "startup
location", the other two are not "startup locations".

- Any other template stored in any other folder is not a global
template, but is a "regular" template. There is a single exception to
that statement: the Normal.dot template is stored in the Templates
folder, and it is both a global template and a regular template.

Now let's consider what these two types of templates do:

- A global template, when it is loaded, makes these things available
in all documents: AutoText entries, keyboard shortcuts, custom
toolbars and buttons, custom menus and menu items, and macros. That's
all -- no text, no headers/footers, etc.

- A regular template that you use as the base for a new document can
supply text, headers/footers, etc., as well as the things a global
template can supply. To do this, you can use the File > New dialog and
choose the regular template from the list (which shows the templates
in the User Templates and Workgroup Templates folders) -- or you can
use Windows Explorer and double-click the icon of a template stored in
any folder.

The standard "blank document" you get when you use the New Document
button in fact is based on Normal.dot in its role as a regular
template. Any AutoText, shortcut keys, toolbars, menus or macros that
are defined in Normal.dot will also be available in documents based on
other templates, because of its role as a global template. However,
text in Normal.dot (such as a footer) won't appear in documents based
on other templates.

So the bottom line (pun intended) is that you should make a regular
template that contains the filename/path field in its footer, and
store that template in a folder on a network server. All the users
should point their Workgroup Templates location at that folder. When
they use the File > New dialog, your template will be included in the
list. They should choose that template, which makes a new document,
and that document will contain the filename/path field in its footer.
Any other text that you have in that template will also be in the new
document. If you want several kinds of documents, you need several
different templates; each one can contain the filename footer.

Does that cover it?

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
newsgroup so all may benefit.

 

[crosbypm]

Hi Mike,

Let's start with this distinction, which is explained in more detail
inhttp://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customization/WhatTemplatesStore.htm:

- A "global" template is one that is stored in the STARTUP folder (as
shown in the File Locations dialog). That is the *only* "startup
location", the other two are not "startup locations".

- Any other template stored in any other folder is not a global
template, but is a "regular" template. There is a single exception to
that statement: the Normal.dot template is stored in the Templates
folder, and it is both a global template and a regular template.

Now let's consider what these two types of templates do:

- A global template, when it is loaded, makes these things available
in all documents: AutoText entries, keyboard shortcuts, custom
toolbars and buttons, custom menus and menu items, and macros. That's
all -- no text, no headers/footers, etc.

- A regular template that you use as the base for a new document can
supply text, headers/footers, etc., as well as the things a global
template can supply. To do this, you can use the File > New dialog and
choose the regular template from the list (which shows the templates
in the User Templates and Workgroup Templates folders) -- or you can
use Windows Explorer and double-click the icon of a template stored in
any folder.

The standard "blank document" you get when you use the New Document
button in fact is based on Normal.dot in its role as a regular
template. Any AutoText, shortcut keys, toolbars, menus or macros that
are defined in Normal.dot will also be available in documents based on
other templates, because of its role as a global template. However,
text in Normal.dot (such as afooter) won't appear in documents based
on other templates.

So the bottom line (pun intended) is that you should make a regular
template that contains thefilename/path field in itsfooter, and
store that template in a folder on anetworkserver. All the users
should point their Workgroup Templates location at that folder. When
they use the File > New dialog, your template will be included in the
list. They should choose that template, which makes a new document,
and that document will contain thefilename/path field in itsfooter.
Any other text that you have in that template will also be in the new
document. If you want several kinds of documents, you need several
different templates; each one can contain thefilenamefooter.

Does that cover it?

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP FAQ:http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
newsgroup so all may benefit.

Thanks Jay,

So we will not be able to have a seamless situation, where the users
start Word, start typing and then when they save the document, the
footer will already be there? They still have to select a a new
document, using File, New and then choose the appropriate template
(footer.dot for example). I'm just trying to save steps for the users,
because if they have to load the new document and then choose the
template, most of them won't be bothered to do it, so if there was a
way to automate it that would be best.

Mike

 

[Jay Freedman]

Thanks Jay,

So we will not be able to have a seamless situation, where the users
start Word, start typing and then when they save the document, the
footer will already be there? They still have to select a a new
document, using File, New and then choose the appropriate template
(footer.dot for example). I'm just trying to save steps for the users,
because if they have to load the new document and then choose the
template, most of them won't be bothered to do it, so if there was a
way to automate it that would be best.

Mike

One way to do that is to add the filename field to the footer of
Normal.dot. This has two shortcomings and one possible foulup attached
to it.

The first shortcoming is that you'll have to arrange at the start to
replace every user's Normal.dot with one that contains the footer.
Normal.dot can't be shared; horrible things happen when you try. Also,
Normal.dot is intended to be each user's personal scratch pad, where
all sorts of settings and customizations are stored. So you really
shouldn't just hand everyone the same plain-vanilla (except for the
footer) Normal.dot because that would wipe out whatever they already
have stored there. Unless you enjoy being considered the boss from
hell....

The second shortcoming is that Normal.dot is frequently modified and
resaved, so it has a greater chance of being corrupted than other
templates. Personally, I've never corrupted a Normal.dot, but I know
the risky behaviors to avoid; the average user doesn't even know there
is a Normal.dot and they often abuse it without realizing it.

The possible foulup occurs when Normal.dot contains a header or footer
and the user tries to run the Labels wizard. There's no way to tell
the wizard to use any template except Normal.dot, and it usually needs
to use the full depth of the page. If Normal.dot contains a footer,
the text for the last row of labels will be pushed to the next page.
This is not a problem only if you never print labels.

There is another solution, but it's even more convoluted than the
first: Write macros to intercept the Save and Print commands
(http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/MacrosVBA/InterceptSavePrint.htm) and
insert the filename field in the footer if there isn't one there yet.
This can be difficult because you don't want to disturb any text the
user might already have put into the footer.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
newsgroup so all may benefit.