Normal 2007 Problem

[JaniceR2003]

I previously used Word 2007 and understand how to change my default settings
for Normal. The problem is that when I exit Word and get back into it, all
of my settings I have changed for Normal are back to the previous default
settings. Plus, I lose all of my shortcut keystrokes and macros. Is there a
problem with Normal? If so, how do I fix it?

 

[grammatim]

When you change stuff, there's a line at the bottom that says This
document only? vs. All future documents from this template? (or
something like that). Choose the second so that your changes are saved
to your normal.dotx or normal.dotm template.

(You can also make changes directly in the template: Office button >
Open and when it says Open What?, choose *.dotm, *.dotx, and it takes
you to the templates folder so you can choose one (rather than opening
a new blank document based on the active template).)

 

[JaniceR2003]

I have tried both of those suggestions, but it still won't hold my changes
when I get back into Word. I have done it over and over again so many times.
I use macros so much in my job, that this is very frustrating.

I read somewhere about changing the name of Normal.dot. Do you think that
would work?

 

[grammatim]

That's what you do when your template is broken; Word makes you a new
one (minus any customizations you've done), using the old name
normal.dot. Couldn't hurt!

 

[Graham Mayor]

The normal template for Word 2007 is normal.dotm.

See http://www.gmayor.com/what_to_do_when_word_crashes.htm It is possible
that orphaned lock files are preventing the template from being saved.

Check the option Word Options > Advanced > Save > Prompt to save normal
template. Dores it prompt when you close Word?

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

My web site www.gmayor.com

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

 

[grammatim]

She asked about normal.dot. There was no reason to study the rest of
the thread to discover that she may have been talking about something
else -- which I identified as .dotx or .dotm in the message she was
replying to.

 

[Graham Mayor]

Not even the message title?

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

My web site www.gmayor.com

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

 

[grammatim]

She had changed the subject. It's called "thread drift."

 

[JaniceR2003]

I'm not sure how I've changed the subject. I just need to know why my Normal
won't hold my changes, my macros disappear, etc. and reverts back to original
default settings. I am confused about "thread drift". I am new to asking
questions on these boards. Maybe I am just doing it wrong. Any help would
be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Basically there are two possibilities:

1. Normal.dotm is not being saved.

2. Normal.dotm is being saved at shutdown but recreated at startup.

The cause of (1) is usually an interfering add-in. You can force an
immediate save of Normal.dotm, or you can find the add-in that is preventing
it from being saved and remove it.

The cause of (2) is usually corporate network policy that results in
resetting Normal.dotm to its default (or a company-prescribed) state at
startup. If this is the case, you'll either need to negotiate with the
network admin, save settings elsewhere (in document templates or add-ins),
or learn to live with the situation. In the case of keyboard shortcuts and
macros, they could certainly be saved in an add-in (document template in
Word's Startup folder). Some other customizations can also be accessed this
way, and I believe changes to the QAT are stored elsewhere than Normal.dotm
to begin with.

 

[grammatim]

Just that you mentioned normal.dot instead of normal.dotm.