Prompted to save empty pages after editing Normal template

[Guest]

I've changed normal.dotm in Word 2007 to add three fields to the footer:
Author, page number (from the page number gallery) and Publish Date. Word now
prompts me to save every new document I create, even if it's entirely blank
save for these three items. Is there anything I can do about this?

 

[Beth Melton]

Not really. By adding the footer you are modifying the new documents. The
fields you added are automatically updating to the Author and Page Number
which are triggering the prompt to Save.

Now, instead of modifying your Normal.dotm and including these fields,
another option would be to create a Building Block for this purpose and
insert it when needed. If you add it to the Footer gallery then all you need
to do is select the Building Block. Word will automatically find the Footer
for you, insert the data, and leave the Footer open for editing. Since you
are using Publish Date you may want to use this method anyway. Otherwise,
how will the Publish Date field be updated without a manual edit?

Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for
assistance by email cannot be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

Coauthor of Word 2007 Inside Out:
http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/books/9801.aspx#AboutTheBook

Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word
TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/
MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/

 

[Guest]

Tom:

I believe the document is being marked as "dirty" because the fields are
getting updated when you create or open the documents.

Try adjusting your Options settings to prevent automatic update of the
fields when opening or printing, and see if that helps. (I'm not sure, but I
think you'd have to make these settings in Normal.)

Bear

 

[Guest]

Thanks Beth, that's perfect!

Not really. By adding the footer you are modifying the new documents. The
fields you added are automatically updating to the Author and Page Number
which are triggering the prompt to Save.

Now, instead of modifying your Normal.dotm and including these fields,
another option would be to create a Building Block for this purpose and
insert it when needed. If you add it to the Footer gallery then all you need
to do is select the Building Block. Word will automatically find the Footer
for you, insert the data, and leave the Footer open for editing. Since you
are using Publish Date you may want to use this method anyway. Otherwise,
how will the Publish Date field be updated without a manual edit?

Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for
assistance by email cannot be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

Coauthor of Word 2007 Inside Out:
http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/books/9801.aspx#AboutTheBook

Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word
TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/
MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/

 

[Beth Melton]

I'm glad the alternate method works for you, Tom.

Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for
assistance by email cannot be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

Coauthor of Word 2007 Inside Out:
http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/books/9801.aspx#AboutTheBook

Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word
TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/
MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/