Template in Word 2008

You don't need to buy another copy of Word, yet. Just find the installation media (disk), and see if it has an uninstall program. Or look in the Microsoft folder in the Applications folder to see if there is an uninstaller. According to this somewhat old guidance, there should be an uninstaller:

https://kb.iu.edu/d/aprq

Once uninstalled, use the installation media to reinstall (I am pretty sure you will need the authentication codes again. It's been 10 years since I last had to deal with 2008.)

As for a new user account, what is being suggested is that you create a new user on your Mac by going to System Preferences/Users & Groups and add a new user. It's a smart thing to do for troubleshooting as you can have that user "virgin," that is, with no extras installed or settings changed from the defaults. Once the new user is established, reboot and at the login screen pick the new account. If you don't get a login screen, open System Preferences, Security & Privacy and check the "Disable Automatic Login" box (you will have to click on the lock icon and provide an admin user password, presumably your own. Now reboot again to get back to the login screen (again). From there you should be able to launch Word and see if the problem is the same (it may not be as the new user will have it's own copy of Normal.dotm created when you launch Word in that account).

No. He means to go into the SUers and Groups preference pane on your Mac and create a new user account. Then try to launch Word. Make the changes that you want to make and save the document as the Normal template. Do the changes stick then?

To slightly amplify on what Slydude said, do all that testing in the NEW account as that will have a new Normal.dotm created with the factory defaults when it first launches Word. Then try making your desired changes to that and same a new template and see if it works. If it did, then the problem is with something in YOUR account area. If it does the same thing, the problem is more likely in Word itself.

On your Mac, create a new User, by going into System Preferences > Users & Accounts, or something similar.

I truly appreciate the suggestions, but the possible solutions are getting far too complex for this non-techie.

Never before in human history have so many people had to know so much just to get through everyday life. My TV, radio, stereo, DVD player, landline phone, microwave, refrigerator, stove, car, etc. work without my having to know much about them. But for my computer to work, I have to know tons, and so does everybody else who uses one.

One of the most frustrating things about software is that its creators are so **** presumptuous. They decide how I'm going to use it. I have to develop workarounds to pass by their presumptions.

So this is what I did this morning: I trashed every Normal.dotm file I could find, which was three or four. Then I converted every Template1 and Document1 file I could find, which was at least four, to my specs and made sure they showed today's date and time as having been saved.

Then I quit Word and re-opened, expecting to have ingeniously solved the problem. Nope. Word opened to Template1 with the wrong specs. With that open, I clicked on New and that window came up as Document1 with the wrong specs.

So here's my workaround: I created a Word doc with my specs and saved it as WordTemplate in an easy-to-find place. When I open Word, I close the wrong specs Template1 doc it shows, go to my WordTemplate, go to Save As, and give it the name of the new doc I want to write, then save that doc to the appropriate folder.

When I buy a new MacBook, I'll explain the problem I've had with the iMac to the guy who will transfer my old apps and content from my old MacBook to the new one, and I'll see if he can avoid a repeat.

If not, I'll apply the same workaround there.

One of the presumptions I've never liked about Word 2008 is that it opens a blank doc when I launch the app. I want it to just open the app and let me take it from there. That's what the earlier version of Word did.

One of the presumptions I've never liked about Word 2008 is that it opens a blank doc when I launch the app. I want it to just open the app and let me take it from there. That's what the earlier version of Word did.

Click to expand...

That is just exactly one additional reason of why using a "Stationary File" has its advantages. Word '08 would (should, and does for me (Mavericks and El Capitain)) just opens a new "copy" of that stationary file doc and start typing. An Apple OS developer thing, not Microsoft.

Works for me.




- Patrick
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Actually Word 2008 behaved the same way the current version does:

Word -> Preferences -> General -> "Open Word Document Gallery when application opens"

chscag said:

Actually Word 2008 behaved the same way the current version does:

Word -> Preferences -> General -> "Open Word Document Gallery when application opens"

Click to expand...

I've never seen any such an option in my 2008 Word Preferences, it just opens and shows the doc file I double clicked, and this is all that I have:




Edit:
Maybe having the "show project gallery at startup" disabled has something to do with it.




- Patrick
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Maybe having the "show project gallery at startup" disabled has something to do with it.

Click to expand...

LOL, Patrick, yes it does. The project gallery is an option in Word that can conveniently open any Doc or assign any template to a blank Doc that you wish. Over the years, I have found most folks who complain about Word (or MS Office in general) do not utilize or sometimes even understand what options are available. The changing or updating of the Normal template is an area that many folks get wrong, yet if done according to MS instructions is easy to do.

Well anyway, we've beat this thread and subject now to over 4 pages. Time to put it to bed?

Preferences is grayed out on my Word.

It's Stationery, not Stationary.

Preferences is working now.

Show Project Gallery at startup is not checked.

When I open the app Word, not a specific saved doc, it produces a blank doc named Template1.

If there's a toggle that turns that off, I'd like to know what it is.

I don't know what previous version of Word I had, but when I opened it, it didn't produce a blank doc.

That was a good thing as far as I'm concerned.

Show Project Gallery at startup is not checked.

Click to expand...

You want it checked. That way you get an option for which template you want to open for the new document.

It's Stationery, not Stationary.

Click to expand...

Quite correct, and maybe someone will eventually get the auto-spellcheck fixed!!! But I have a feeling it may be the FF browser I'm using as my Safari has been doing wierd things and I had to change.

At least the Dictionary.app, which I think it might use, gives a suggestion and cautionary help note:

The words stationary and stationery are often confused.

Click to expand...

- Patrick
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I checked it and got the same result: Template1 with the wrong specs.

"Stationery" and "write" have the letter "e" in them. "Stationary" doesn't.

"Stationery" and "write" have the letter "e" in them. "Stationary" doesn't.

Click to expand...

Or if you prefer: Cars are stationary and paper is stationery.

Ian

"Stationery" and "write" have the letter "e" in them. "Stationary" doesn't.

Click to expand...

And "Stationary" has two a's. Interesting eh???




- Patrick
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IWT said:

Or if you prefer: Cars are stationary and paper is stationery.

Ian

Click to expand...

But Cars are only stationary when they's stopped or run out of gas/fuel or maybe battery charge for some these days.




- Patrick
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bootsontrail said:

I checked it and got the same result: Template1 with the wrong specs.

...CLIP.

Click to expand...

If that is the case, then Word is broken and needs to be reinstalled. IF that box is checked, Word should NOT open any document on start, but should open up to a menu of templates for you to choose.

One thought: Are you actually quitting Word after making the preferences change? And by that I mean not by clicking the red "X" but opening the Word menu and selecting "Quit."

If that is the case, then Word is broken and needs to be reinstalled.

Click to expand...

To add to that.... Office 2008 does not require activation and is very easy to reinstall. You do, however, need your serial numbers. And if I remember correctly, the Home and Student version of Office 2008 came with three serial numbers.

Yes, I quit Word after checking the box. When I re-opened, I got Template1 with the wrong specs.

Finding the disc will involve an archeological dig. I don't remember if it's Office or only Word. I do remember it was for three uses; I used two.

Ah, but I just realized I can't do that anyway cause the wonderful folks at Apple no longer put CD drives on iMacs, and I don't have a separate CD drive.

Looks as if I'm stuck with the workaround I posted above, or every time I want a new doc, I can change the specs in Template1 to those I want and save that doc with whatever name I choose.

Either way is annoying as ****, which is why I posted the question in the first place.