‘Add to template’ (2003)

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Hello,

When I go into a style and click “modify,” a dialogue box appears where I can modify the style. In that dialogue box is a checkbox that says, “Add to template.” In a previous threat, Stuart told me that if I checked that, I could change the template without needing to actually open it up, manually make the changes, and save and close it.

However, even when I check that box, the changes to teh template don’t stick. For example, if I open up a new document under the template, the old, not new settings, apply.

Why is that? How can it be changed? Can’t I change the template without needing to open it up each time?

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After ticking the box to Add to Template, the next time you save your document-in-progress you should be presented with a dialog prompting you to save or discard that change to the template. If you don’t get this dialog, then the change might be attaching to the Normal template somehow, or an add-in might be interfering…

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In addition to the previous post, make sure that your template is still attached. If the template has been moved or renamed or if the file is on a computer that has no access to the path where the template is, Word won’t be able to find it. That means that after your affirmative response to “Do you want to save changes to the document template”, Word will probably save the changes to the Normal template. Note that the last attached template name will appear in the Document Template input box, even if it is not available to Word. How can you tell? From a copy of your document (for safety’s sake), go to the Templates and Add-Ins dialog box and click OK. If Word can’t find the template, it will give this message “This document template does not exist.”

HTH,
Pam

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Thanks Pam and Jscher,

This might explain why the changes weren’t being saved. I think they were saving to Normal maybe because the template wasn’t properly attached. Let me see if I can figure this out and get back to you.

JMT

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Check your file size and the last change date on your template. You might want to have a set of templates for your specialized styles. The best way to ensure the template goes to the right spot in another person’s pc is to send both documents via email, and instruct the user to choose File>sav e as, and have them save the template as a .dot file. Windows places the template exactly where it should be.

I keep a separate copy of the normal.dot template in a completely different spot just to make sure I have a non-currupted copy.

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Wait one minute: do you mean that each time I send someone a document based on a customized template I have to send them the template with the document?

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In general, you don’t have to send the template together with the document. The styles have been copied from the template to the document, so they will be available to the recipient even if he/she doesn’t have the template.
You’d only need to send the template if it contains macros, autotext entries or menu/toolbar/keyboard customizations that you want to be available to the recipient.

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