Q198039: WD97: Understanding the Template Path and Normal.dot

Article: Q198039
Product(s): Word 97 for Windows
Version(s): WINDOWS:97
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbtemplate word97
Last Modified: 14-NOV-2000

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Word 97 for Windows 
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SUMMARY
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When you click New on the File menu, the templates listed in the Template box
are the templates found in the directory specified in the File Locations tab for
User Templates or Workgroup Templates. You can change this location by clicking
Options on the Tools menu, selecting the File Type, and clicking the Modify
button.

If you don't have a directory set for your User Templates, but you have a
Workgroup Templates directory set, Word looks to the Workgroup directory for a
Normal.dot file. If you have a workstation installation and you set both the
User Templates and the Workgroup Templates directories, Word first looks in the
Workgroup Templates directory for Normal.dot. Word searches for Normal.dot in
the following order:

  User-Dot-Path

  Workgroup-Dot-Path

  Word Program directory

  Current directory

If Word cannot find the Normal template in any of the above locations, it uses
the preset program default settings.

MORE INFORMATION
================

This article uses four examples to demonstrate how Word searches for
Normal.dot.

Situation 1
-----------

If your dot-path is set to C:\templates and there is no Normal.dot file in
C:\templates or in the Word for Windows program directory, Word uses the
dot-path correctly.

Situation 2
-----------

If your dot-path is set to C:\Templates and there is no Normal.dot file in
C:\Templates but there is in the Word for Windows program directory, Word for
Windows uses the Normal.dot file in the Word for Windows program directory.

NOTE: If you are working over a network and the Normal.dot file is in the program
directory, Normal.dot should be read-only; therefore, you will receive read-only
errors when you save changes to Normal.dot.

WARNING: If you are working over a network and the Normal.dot file is in the
program directory but is not marked as read-only, Word uses that copy of
Normal.dot, which can cause unexpected results for all users running Word from
the same network location.

Situation 3
-----------

If your dot-path is set to C:\Templates and there is a Normal.dot file in
C:\Templates and in the Word for Windows program directory, Word for Windows
uses the dot-path.

Situation 4
-----------

If your dot-path is set to C:\Templates and there is a Normal.dot file in
C:\Templates but not in the Word for Windows program directory, Word for Windows
uses the dot-path.

Additional query words: READ ONLY

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Keywords          : kbtemplate word97 
Technology        : kbWordSearch kbWord97 kbWord97Search kbZNotKeyword2
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Issue type        : kbinfo

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