Am using MSOffice 2011. Want to change the normal.dot template in Word. I see after "save" there is an option to save something as a template, however after saving this new template, when I open using what I just created "My Templates" the changes are not there. The change I want to make is to add the toolbar that has the "Paint Brush" copy formatting icon. My research says it is on the Standard toolbar. Fine. "Standard Toolbar" is already checked (view/toolbar) on my program. However in order to actually have the toolbar appear, I have to View/toolbar/uncheck standard formatting and toggle back and forth *four times* before the toolbar with the copy formatting icon appears. I know there must be a simple answer.
normal.dot
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I have not used Office since 2008 so take what I say with a huge grain of salt. First Microsoft made it something of a pain to change the "Normal" template though it can be done. The changes may not have actually taken hold.
If I remember correctly changing the "normal" template changers issues such as base font, size, formatting. I don't think that affects which buttons are visible on the toolbar.
It sounds like one of Office's preference files may be getting a bit wonky. Try logging into your Mac on a different user account, launch, word and configure it the way you like. Now quit Word and re-launch it.If things are the way you want them that suggest there may be a corrupt Word preference in your user account.
If I remember correctly changing the "normal" template changers issues such as base font, size, formatting. I don't think that affects which buttons are visible on the toolbar.
It sounds like one of Office's preference files may be getting a bit wonky. Try logging into your Mac on a different user account, launch, word and configure it the way you like. Now quit Word and re-launch it.If things are the way you want them that suggest there may be a corrupt Word preference in your user account.
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In order to make changes to the "normal.dotm" (not normal.dot, that's only in Windows) do this:
Start Word 2011. Select open from the file menu. Navigate to the following location:
MacIntosh HD/Users/your user name/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Office/User Templates/normal.dotm
Open normal.dotm and make whatever changes you need to. Save the file but make absolute certain you save it as "normal.dotm" and nothing else. Shut down Word 2011 and restart it. Your changes will be saved.
One more thing.... if you're using Lion, your library folder is hidden. You will have to unhide it first. You can not use the "Go" command here since the changes have to be done within Word itself.
Do this to unhide the library folder:
Open your terminal application (Applications, Utilities, Terminal.app) and type in the following command:
chflags nohidden ~/Library
Now press enter.
Exit terminal and your user library folder will appear.
Start Word 2011. Select open from the file menu. Navigate to the following location:
MacIntosh HD/Users/your user name/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Office/User Templates/normal.dotm
Open normal.dotm and make whatever changes you need to. Save the file but make absolute certain you save it as "normal.dotm" and nothing else. Shut down Word 2011 and restart it. Your changes will be saved.
One more thing.... if you're using Lion, your library folder is hidden. You will have to unhide it first. You can not use the "Go" command here since the changes have to be done within Word itself.
Do this to unhide the library folder:
Open your terminal application (Applications, Utilities, Terminal.app) and type in the following command:
chflags nohidden ~/Library
Now press enter.
Exit terminal and your user library folder will appear.
Normal.dotm - I am close, I think
I am using Lion -- and I was able to unhide my Library (thanks). I double clicked on the Normal.dotm in my User Templates and it brought up a screen. I added the toolbar. I chose "save as" and thought I should be saving in the User Template section but I received a message that I "cannot save this document with extension ".dotm" at the end of the name." So, no problem, I opened "My Templates" thinking that might be the trick and received the same message. I then used the drop down under "Format" and chose Word Macro-enabled Template (.dotm) and saved to "My Templates". I closed down Word, brought it back up again and chose the "Normal" from "My Templates" and had no luck. It did not save the toolbar. I think I am really close and could be missing a step or putting it in the wrong place. Any other suggestions? Thank you so much for spending time on this. I really appreciate it.
I am using Lion -- and I was able to unhide my Library (thanks). I double clicked on the Normal.dotm in my User Templates and it brought up a screen. I added the toolbar. I chose "save as" and thought I should be saving in the User Template section but I received a message that I "cannot save this document with extension ".dotm" at the end of the name." So, no problem, I opened "My Templates" thinking that might be the trick and received the same message. I then used the drop down under "Format" and chose Word Macro-enabled Template (.dotm) and saved to "My Templates". I closed down Word, brought it back up again and chose the "Normal" from "My Templates" and had no luck. It did not save the toolbar. I think I am really close and could be missing a step or putting it in the wrong place. Any other suggestions? Thank you so much for spending time on this. I really appreciate it.
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You can't do it that way because normal.dotm is already in use. You have to open another instance of it and make the changes. Did you follow my directions above?
Let me know if it works for you. If not, I'll give you another way to do it.
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OK, let's try it this way:
Open your Finder: Make sure MS Office is not open, close it if it is.
Now navigate to normal.dotm:
MacIntosh HD/Users/your user name/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Office/User Templates/normal.dotm
Double click on normal.dotm. MS Office Word 2011 will open normal.dotm. Make the changes you need and then save the file. Make sure you save it as normal.dotm and nothing else. Close Word. Restart Word and the changes you made to normal.dotm should be reflected and permanent until changed again.
Open your Finder: Make sure MS Office is not open, close it if it is.
Now navigate to normal.dotm:
MacIntosh HD/Users/your user name/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Office/User Templates/normal.dotm
Double click on normal.dotm. MS Office Word 2011 will open normal.dotm. Make the changes you need and then save the file. Make sure you save it as normal.dotm and nothing else. Close Word. Restart Word and the changes you made to normal.dotm should be reflected and permanent until changed again.
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Great information all around -- I thought Cambria was going to drive me crazy.
Thanks for your advice ... it worked perfectly.
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