Template in Word 2008

[bootsontrail]

When I open Word 2008 on my new iMac, it automatically goes to Template 1 as the default blank document.

That document is one I set up in all respects but the typeface. I change the typeface to the one I want and save as Template 1 by, seemingly, overwriting the default.

Yet when I close Word and re-open, it automatically goes to Template 1 with the wrong typeface.

If I close Template 1 and go to New Blank Document, it opens to Document 1, which shows all my specs but the wrong typeface.

If I Save after changing the typeface, it doesn't overwrite but re-opens with the wrong typeface.

In any case, the result is I don't get the default blank doc I want. I have to change the typeface every time.

Is there a fix?

 

[chscag]

Is there a fix?

Yes. You need to apply the changes to the Word Normal Template and save it. Every time Word opens it starts with the Normal Template so that any changes you make to that template will show up in every new document.

 

[bootsontrail]

I've done that countless times to no effect.

That's the problem. I change the typeface to what I want, save Template 1 by overwriting, but when I re-open, I get the default with the wrong typeface instead of the Template 1 I saved.

 

[chscag]

Then you are not saving it correctly to the Normal Template. I have done that numerous times and it always works. You keep saying you're saving Template 1, what's template 1? You need to save the changes to the Normal Template. The Normal Template is located here:

Macintosh HD/Users/your user name/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Office/User Templates/Normal.dotm

You didn't say which version of macOS you're running so it's possible your user library may be hidden.

 

[bootsontrail]

Template 1 is the default that keeps coming up wrong regardless of my overwriting it.

The path you gave doesn't exist on my new iMac running OS 10.13.5.

Library is on the list at my hard drive name. It goes Library/Application Support/Microsoft/nothing for Office but Office Converter Support then 10 items with .framework extensions and nothing saying User Templates or Normal.dotm

 

[Slydude]

Template 1 is the name that Microsft is giving the document because it thinks this is going to be a user template. What you really want to do is replace the normal teemplate that Word uses as the basis for its documents. Once you make the changes to your template it has to be saved with the same name as the original Microsoft template.

The path exists on your Mac but can't be seen because your user Library folder is hidden on that version of macOS. Here's how to find the right path.
1. Frome the Finder Go menu choose Go to Folder and when the dialog sheet appears type ~/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Office/User Templates/Normal.dotm The tilde at the begining of that path is impoortant. That's what sends you down the path for your Library rather than the System Library.
2. Normal.m is the document that needs to be replaced. Open a document in Word and give it the font, margins, and other settings you want the your documenst to start with Save the document as a template with the name Normal.m It has to have that name.

That should work but it has been a while since I did that. If you have problems post back.

 

[chscag]

Like I said above, your user library may be hidden. Let's unhide it:

Open your terminal app (Applications -> Utilities -> terminal.app) and type in the following:

chflags no hidden ~/Library/

Shut the terminal app and then follow the instructions to find your normal template that I gave you in post # 4.

 

[MacInWin]

CLIP...
Library is on the list at my hard drive name. It goes Library/Application Support/Microsoft/nothing for Office but Office Converter Support then 10 items with .framework extensions and nothing saying User Templates or Normal.dotm

As Sly and Charlie are trying to tell you, you have a hidden Library in YOUR folder. The one at the root is the Library for everyone, but that's not where YOUR templates are stored. So just follow what Sly and Charlie have said and you will find Normal.dotm there.

 

[pm-r]

I've done that countless times to no effect.

That's the problem. I change the typeface to what I want, save Template 1 by overwriting, but when I re-open, I get the default with the wrong typeface instead of the Template 1 I saved.

I don't know about Word but if it's anything like how Pages saves a template that I was reading about yesterday, with Pages, you can't create a template that will work as a template if the template is created from an existing custom template. The new template must be created from a default template.

I hope this just might help, maybe.

And sorry if I'm way off base.




- Patrick
======

 

[chscag]

Saving a template in Word is very easy. The problem he or she is having is that their default template (named "normal.dotm") is not being changed to the new fonts. It's actually very simple to do, but the catch is you have to know how to do it. That's what the thread is about.

As for Pages, any document can be saved as a template and the default template likewise can be easily changed so that the blank startup document reflects the same. For example, my default startup template for Pages has a different font. I'm referring here to the latest version of Pages = 7.1.

 

[pm-r]

It's actually very simple to do, but the catch is you have to know how to do it.

And I guess the other catch is actually learning where the directions for how to do it are.

Gee, remember the good ol' days when all one had to do was use the Get Info on a document sample and click the "Use as Stationary" box and just double click it to use it. Oh yeah... worked like a hot **** too... ;D

Opps, I forgot, that still works with many apps, at least when using Mavericks and some in El Capitan. I don't know about the latest macOS versions.




- Patrick
======

 

[bootsontrail]

Looks like two ways to accomplish the same thing.

Sly's way: I don't see anything contained here — "Finder Go menu choose Go to Folder" in the Finder menu.

Charlie's way: When I typed and entered as you instructed in the Terminal app window, this is what I got — chflags: invalid flag: no

And the path in your post #4 doesn't exist on my iMac. The path is as I posted in #5, but it doesn't end where you suggest it does.

So far, neither way worked.

 

[MacInWin]

The command is

chflags nohidden ~/Library/

But the easiest way to get there is to use Finder, click on Go and then when the drop down menu appears, hold the Option key and Library will appear. You can then go to that entry and from there get to the Normal.dotm file.

EDIT: Spellcheck changed nohidden to no hidden. That's why the command didn't work for you.

 

[IWT]

As several people have said, including Jake, above:

Go to an empty Desktop with Finder showing next to the Apple icon on the top menu bar.

On this bar, you will see Go. If you click on it, you will see the image below; but id you hold down the Option Key, the word Library appears just under Home - where the Red arrow is



Click on the word Library. This open the Library we are talking about, as in this screenshot:



From within that Library, you can get to: Application Support/Microsoft/Office/User Templates/Normal.dotm

Like this:





Ian

 

[pm-r]

Looks like two ways to accomplish the same thing.
…
So far, neither way worked.

Maybe like myself, I prefer a good "how-to" video for many explanations, unfortunately not too many good one always exist.

In this case, maybe try some of the listed ones from here:
https://www.google.com/search?clien...Template+in+Word+2008+video&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

Or maybe you could try setting a saved modified/formatted doc file setup as you want as a 'Stationary File" using Get Info and see if it works for your setup???
And just leave it somewhere convenient to use and open to make a copy you could use.

Just yet another possible way…




- Patrick
======

 

[Slydude]

@bpptspntrail We've been going at this from the standpoint of changing the "normal" template which does not seem to be working for you for whatever reason. Just to clarify things for me: If you save create your documet with the fonts, margins, etc. that you want and save the document as a template what happens. If you double click your document does it open with the correct font.

BTW Are you havinng other issues with Word/Office? It almost seems to me that there is a preference file that is a problem.

 

[ferrarr]

I always have my user Library in my Sidebar for easy access.

 

[pm-r]

@bpptspntrail We've been going at this from the standpoint of changing the "normal" template which does not seem to be working for you for whatever reason.

If it helps at all, I just tried my earlier suggestion of creating a new modified/formatted Word '08 document and making it a 'Stationary Document" and it works just fine, at least running Mavericks.

As I mentioned, just another method, but it's sure easy to do and set up.

PS: My Word '08 isn't even on my boot drive, but is in my old 10.6.8 partition volume. Works fine.




- Patrick
======

 

[bootsontrail]

I posted most of the below yesterday, but I don't see it here.

At User Templates and My Templates, the Normal.dotm files open in Pages, not Word.

When I open Word, it goes to a blank doc it calls Template1.docx. If I click on New while in that doc, it goes to what it calls Document1.docx.

Neither has my specs for typeface or margins. If I change to my specs and overwrite both individually and Save them to both User Templates and My Templates, they show with my typeface and margin specs.

Then when I close Word and re-open expecting to see Template1.docx with my specs, it persists with the wrong typeface and margins.

IOW, what I just changed and saved to overwrite the Template1.docx doesn't show.

 

[MacInWin]

At User Templates and My Templates, the Normal.dotm files open in Pages, not Word.

That should not happen. Use Finder to go to Normal.dotm, right click on it (ctrl-click), then Get Info and change the default application for that type of file to Word, not Pages. Somehow the system thinks .dotm files should open in Pages, which does you no good. You can actually make the change by finding any .dotm file, use Get Info and change the default and then click on the "Change all..." button to change every .dotm file to open in Word, not Pages and that will find the Normal.dotm file and change it as well as all the others.

All .docx files are documents, NOT templates. Templates are always .dotm files. And when Word begins, it should open, by default, Normal.dotm to see what your preferences are, then open a document using those settings. No matter how many times you change and save a .docx file, you are NOT changing the .dotm file that you need to change. It's been a long time since I used Word 2008, but I just did an experiment on Word for Mac 2011, and there is a setting in Preferences on the General tab labelled "Show Document Gallery when opening Word." If that is checked, Word opens to show all templates that it knows about, including Normal (which shows as just "Word document" in the list). With that option UNCHECKED, a document named Document1 opens automatically, using the Normal.dotm template. Naming a document (a .docx file) as Template.docx does not make it a template, it's still a document. Saving that .docx to your template location doesn't make it a template, either. And that's why when you change Template1.docx and save it when you reopen it nothing has persisted. It's NOT a template, as far as Word is concerned because ALL templates end in .dotm.

Bottom line, you need to get .dotm back to Word as the application and then change Normal.dotm as you have already been advised. Nothing you are doing with .docx files will make any difference at all.