ribbon customization for table borders

[Peter T. Daniels]

Peter,

Keeping in mind that I am a mere autodidact, I can say for sure what your
template problem is, but I feel pretty sure that it is not caused be SP2 or
some malfuntioning of the RibbonXML in the template your have.

Start Word.  Click the Developer Tab>Templates>Document Template>Templates.
In the window "Checked items are currently loaded" do you see your template
for customizing the ribbon?  If so, is it checked?

Yes, it's there, along with normal.dot (the other one that's in the
Word Startup folder) and, bizarrely, a snagit template, which is in a
snagit folder left over from when I did the month's free trial of
snagit, quite a while ago.

I suspect the answer to both questions is no.

The only one of the three that was checked was the snagit template.

Is it listed?  If so, check it.  Does the ribbon now display the customized
ribbon?

I checked it, and the customized ribbon did display.

If yes then you will simply need to determine what is in fact your
Word\Startup path and place the template in that directory.

The template is in that directory. Presumably that's why it appears in
that window. The template was unchecked.

Are any items checked?  If so then look at the "Full Path" line at the
bottom of the dialog and see if you can determine the path.  That well could
be your Startup path.

The path for the one that was checked was to a snagit folder. (I
unchecked the snagit template, since snagit didn't consistently do
what it was needed to do at the time so I didn't buy it.)

This suggests that there is some way of telling Word to load a
template upon opening, independent of the folder it's located in.

I don't know what you have done wrt to Normal.dotm.  You should only have
one and is should be in your User Templates path not Startup.

I have only one normal.dotm, and it's in the Peter\AppData\Roaming
\Microsoft\Templates folder (along with a second copy of Table Menu
Layout.dotm, which is the name you gave the template you sent me)..

 

[Beth Melton]

Here's what I would do:

First, rename the Normal template in your Office12\STARTUP folder to
something other than Normal.dotm or Normal.dot. Whatever it's named, use
something other than Normal. It might be a good idea to use a name that
describes its function. Otherwise it can cause confusion - Word could be
confused and we're obviously confused about it. ;-)

Then, move both templates in your Office12\STARTUP to your
Roaming\Microsoft\Word\STARTUP folder if this is indeed the location set in
Word Options, File Locations.*

I'd also perform a search for the template Greg gave you. You may have
changed the location for your Word Startup folder (I'm wondering if you
pointed it to your User Templates folder) and the SP2 patch changed the
location of your Word Startup folder back to the default since your Word
Startup folder shouldn't point to the same location as your User Templates.
I'm not certain this happened, of course, but based on what you've described
it's something along these lines.

*The default location of your Startup folder can be changed and pointed to
any folder. IOW, just because you have a STARTUP folder in
Roaming\Microsoft\Word that doesn't mean Word still recognizes it as your
Startup folder. The only way to determine this for sure is to check your
File Locations as Greg described. If the templates are in the location you
have set for your Startup folder then when you view the Templates and
Add-ins dialog box they should be selected since Word automatically loads
add-ins in your Startup folder. If they aren't selected then it indicates
they were loaded at one time but they are no longer being loaded when Word
starts. There is automatic loading and manual loading for global templates.
Manual is when you use the Templates and Add-ins dialog box to load a
template and it is loaded only for your current Word session and it will not
be loaded the next time Word starts. Automatic is when Word loads templates
from your Startup folder.

Also, in regards to the SnagIt add-in, the developers are manually loading
their template via a macro which why you see a different location for it.
The creators of SnagIt use this method to provide the UI for their add-in.
They use a COM Add-in for the automation and it loads the template. If it's
selected then deselecting only unloads it for your current Word session. The
next time you start Word it will be loaded again. To disable the SnagIt
add-in:

- Click the Office Button
- Click Word Options
- Click Add-ins
- In the Mange drop down at the bottom, select COM Add-ins if necessary
- Click Go
- In the resulting dialog box, disable the SnagIt add-in to unload it and
prevent it from loading the next time Word starts.

~Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

 

[Peter T. Daniels]

This seems to have worked.

(1) In the ...\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates folder, I renamed
normal.dotm to EditPoint.dotm (it changed from normal.dotx to
normal.dotm when I installed Graham's macros, which have worked fine
all along).

(2) I moved EditPoint.dotm to the ...\Roaming\Microsoft\Word\STARTUP
folder (I didn't move Table Menu Layout.dotm, because there was
already a copy in this folder.)

(3) I didn't have instructions about determining the path to the
Startup folder, so I simply opened Word. In Developer > Templates,
both EditPoint and Table Menu Layout are listed and checked. (So is
normal.dot, which is my old Word2003 template with the dozens of
keyboard shortcuts. I may not need that any more, because I may have
had to recreate all of them because of the specific-font settings that
many of them had, and they save to normal.dotm.)

(4) A new normal.dotm appeared in the \Templates folder. Presumably
the keyboard shortcuts still exist, in the one that was renamed to
EditPoint. (When I create new ones, should I save them to normal.dotm,
which is the default location, or should I save them to EditPoint to
keep them all together?)

So everything seems to be back to normal, though the only real change
that seems to have been made was getting a new normal.dotm.

Thank you!

(5) However, I couldn't uncheck or delete the SnagIt add-in, because
Word says the Administrator has to do that. Windows knows that I'm the
Administrator (when it shows that dialog, it next simply gives me the
box to click the OK in). How do I tell Word that I'm the
Administrator?

 

[Beth Melton]

This seems to have worked.

(1) In the ...\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates folder, I renamed
normal.dotm to EditPoint.dotm (it changed from normal.dotx to
normal.dotm when I installed Graham's macros, which have worked fine
all along).

You didn't need to do this, your Normal template was fine. The file I
recommended you rename is the one in your Startup folder to avoid confusion
and this is an example of why - more than one file named "Normal" makes it
difficult to track and convey which file is actually your "real" Normal
template.

(2) I moved EditPoint.dotm to the ...\Roaming\Microsoft\Word\STARTUP
folder (I didn't move Table Menu Layout.dotm, because there was
already a copy in this folder.)

(3) I didn't have instructions about determining the path to the
Startup folder, so I simply opened Word. In Developer > Templates,
both EditPoint and Table Menu Layout are listed and checked. (So is
normal.dot, which is my old Word2003 template with the dozens of
keyboard shortcuts. I may not need that any more, because I may have
had to recreate all of them because of the specific-font settings that
many of them had, and they save to normal.dotm.)

Greg provided the instructions earlier in this thread, remember? You found
it was ...\Roaming\Microsoft\Word\STARTUP. But then, there are so many
locations floating around in this thread it's easy to lose track.

You may not need Normal.dot (this is the one you should have renamed). One
way to find out is to deselect it to unload it for your Word session and see
if your shortcuts still work. If they do then you can rename the template to
something like Normal.dotOLD to prevent it from loading when Word starts.
That way if you find you need it all you need to do is remove "OLD". Note
you need to modify the file extension to prevent it from loading. A name
such as OldNormal.dot will still load.

(4) A new normal.dotm appeared in the \Templates folder. Presumably
the keyboard shortcuts still exist, in the one that was renamed to
EditPoint. (When I create new ones, should I save them to normal.dotm,
which is the default location, or should I save them to EditPoint to
keep them all together?)

Since you renamed and moved EditPoint.dotm there was no longer a Normal.dotm
so Word created a new one. You can either rename EditPoint.dotm back to
Normal.dotm, delete the newly created Normal.dotm, and move your renamed
Normal.dotm back to your Templates folder. Or, leave it like it is and add
any new shortcuts to EditPoint.dotm. Whatever you end up doing I'd keep them
in one place.

So everything seems to be back to normal, though the only real change
that seems to have been made was getting a new normal.dotm.

Thank you!

You're welcome. I can't take full credit, though, Suzanne and Greg helped
ascertain the necessary details. They did the heavy lifting -- all I did was

(5) However, I couldn't uncheck or delete the SnagIt add-in, because
Word says the Administrator has to do that. Windows knows that I'm the
Administrator (when it shows that dialog, it next simply gives me the
box to click the OK in). How do I tell Word that I'm the
Administrator?

Check your Add/Remove Programs and see if there is still an entry for
SnagIt. The reason Word is denying you access is because the add-in is what
is called a per-machine add-in and it's not specific to the user. The only
add-ins you can disable in Word are called per-user add-ins. If you don't
see an entry you may need to remove it from the Registry. I can give you
instructions if you find that to be the case.

~Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

 

[Greg Maxey]

You did have instructions for determining the path of your startup folder.

<(3) I didn't have instructions about determining the path to the Startup
folder, so I simply ...

I gave you those instructions in my post 9/1 6:04 p.m. and again 9/2 12:52
a.m.

Recalling your fondness for the simplicity usefulness of macros you could
have also used:

Sub NeedToDetermineMyWordStartupPathNailMeetsTheHammer()
MsgBox Application.StartupPath
End Sub

Regardless, I am relieved that we have all managed to stumble through the
issue. Perhaps peace and calm can again settle on the village.

--
Greg Maxey

See my web site http://gregmaxey.mvps.org
for an eclectic collection of Word Tips.

This seems to have worked.

(1) In the ...\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates folder, I renamed
normal.dotm to EditPoint.dotm (it changed from normal.dotx to
normal.dotm when I installed Graham's macros, which have worked fine
all along).

(2) I moved EditPoint.dotm to the ...\Roaming\Microsoft\Word\STARTUP
folder (I didn't move Table Menu Layout.dotm, because there was
already a copy in this folder.)

(3) I didn't have instructions about determining the path to the
Startup folder, so I simply opened Word. In Developer > Templates,
both EditPoint and Table Menu Layout are listed and checked. (So is
normal.dot, which is my old Word2003 template with the dozens of
keyboard shortcuts. I may not need that any more, because I may have
had to recreate all of them because of the specific-font settings that
many of them had, and they save to normal.dotm.)

(4) A new normal.dotm appeared in the \Templates folder. Presumably
the keyboard shortcuts still exist, in the one that was renamed to
EditPoint. (When I create new ones, should I save them to normal.dotm,
which is the default location, or should I save them to EditPoint to
keep them all together?)

So everything seems to be back to normal, though the only real change
that seems to have been made was getting a new normal.dotm.

Thank you!

(5) However, I couldn't uncheck or delete the SnagIt add-in, because
Word says the Administrator has to do that. Windows knows that I'm the
Administrator (when it shows that dialog, it next simply gives me the
box to click the OK in). How do I tell Word that I'm the
Administrator?

 

[Peter T. Daniels]

after going out for lunch ...

You didn't need to do this, your Normal template was fine. The file I
recommended you rename is the one in your Startup folder to avoid confusion
and this is an example of why - more than one file named "Normal" makes it
difficult to track and convey which file is actually your "real" Normal
template.

Ok, I've read and acted on everything in this message.

I changed EditPoint back to Normal and moved it back to the Templates
folder (overwriting the newly created one).

Greg provided the instructions earlier in this thread, remember? You found
it was ...\Roaming\Microsoft\Word\STARTUP. But then, there are so many
locations floating around in this thread it's easy to lose track.

I see that now -- I was remembering only the Documents > Templates
method of finding things I was looking for. So the Startup folder was
still the one it was supposed to be.

You may not need Normal.dot (this is the one you should have renamed). One
way to find out is to deselect it to unload it for your Word session and see
if your shortcuts still work. If they do then you can rename the templateto
something like Normal.dotOLD to prevent it from loading when Word starts.
That way if you find you need it all you need to do is remove "OLD". Note
you need to modify the file extension to prevent it from loading. A name
such as OldNormal.dot will still load.

Ok, I tried that, and curiously the few letters that had been coming
up in Gentium _still_ were coming up in Gentium. I went ahead and
deleted normal.dotold, since the keyboard shortcuts were still there.
And the next time I opened Word, the affected letters were coming up
in TNR. So something succeeded.

Since you renamed and moved EditPoint.dotm there was no longer a Normal.dotm
so Word created a new one. You can either rename EditPoint.dotm back to
Normal.dotm, delete the newly created Normal.dotm, and move your renamed
Normal.dotm back to your Templates folder. Or, leave it like it is and add
any new shortcuts to EditPoint.dotm. Whatever you end up doing I'd keep them
in one place.

Back to normal.dotm.

You're welcome. I can't take full credit, though, Suzanne and Greg helped
ascertain the necessary details. They did the heavy lifting -- all I did was
read the replies and summarize. <grin>

Thanks especially to Greg, and to Suzanne. Beth clearly has a major
career opportunity in writing textbooks! (Don't you have a longer .sig
indicating that you have done so?)

Check your Add/Remove Programs and see if there is still an entry for
SnagIt. The reason Word is denying you access is because the add-in is what
is called a per-machine add-in and it's not specific to the user. The only
add-ins you can disable in Word are called per-user add-ins. If you don't
see an entry you may need to remove it from the Registry. I can give you
instructions if you find that to be the case.

Of course Vista makes it harder to find Add/Remove than it was in XP.
Turns out (and Help actually helped!) it's now Control Panel >
Programs and Features.

It seemed to take a long time to uninstall SnagIt, as if it has
tentacles in many places.

SnagIt no longer appeared in the Options > Add-ins panel, but the
SnagIt.dot template still appeared in the Developer > Templates list,
but it wasn't checked, and there was no objection to Remove when it
was selected.

 

[Beth Melton]

<snipped for readability>

I'm glad to hear everything is finally working for you again. Thanks for
hanging in there and for your patience.

Thanks especially to Greg, and to Suzanne. Beth clearly has a major
career opportunity in writing textbooks! (Don't you have a longer .sig
indicating that you have done so?)

<blush> Yes, an older signature noted I'm co-author of Word 2007 Inside Out.
I think I'm a stronger technical reviewer than author, though, starting with
a blank page doesn't come as natural for me as I'd like...

Of course Vista makes it harder to find Add/Remove than it was in XP.
Turns out (and Help actually helped!) it's now Control Panel >
Programs and Features.

Sorry about that! I keep forgetting they changed the name.

It seemed to take a long time to uninstall SnagIt, as if it has
tentacles in many places.

SnagIt no longer appeared in the Options > Add-ins panel, but the
SnagIt.dot template still appeared in the Developer > Templates list,
but it wasn't checked, and there was no objection to Remove when it
was selected.

Once a template has been loaded the reference isn't removed. If it's no
longer showing in the Add-ins then it's no longer installed.

~Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP