Missing normal.dot template In Word 2002

[Bill Spikowski]

I'm trying to customize my toolbar and have followed all the regular
instructions, including saving the changes to normal.dot.

However, the changed toolbar never reappears when I reopen Word 2002.

I tried to rename normal.dot and let it be recreated, but no file by that
name exists anywhere on my computer. How can I recreate a normal.dot file,
and where does it belong?

I am the administrator on a Windows XP Pro system (experienced computer
user, but spooked by the complexity of Word).

 

[Bob I]

I suspect that your "search" didn't include "hidden and system files"
make corrections to the operating system "Folder Options" View settings,
and also the Search companion settings.

 

[Bill Spikowski]

Thank you! That seems to have been the problem. I have Explorer set to show
extensions and hidden & system files; didn't realize that the search button
required a separate setting to do the same thing.

 

[garfield-n-odie]

Is Adobe Acrobat 7.0 installed on the computer? If yes, then the
Acrobat 7.0 Create Adobe PDF toolbar add-in for Word prevents
Word from automatically saving changes to the normal.dot template
(which is where toolbar customizations are stored). Customize
the Word toolbar button again, and click "Shift+File | Save All"
to force Word to save the normal.dot template. Alternatively,
you can prevent the Adobe add-in from loading by editing the
Windows registry key
"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\Word\Addins\PDFMaker.OfficeAddin"
and changing the "LoadBehavior" subkey value from 3 to 0, but
you'll lose the PDF toolbar if you do this.

In Word, click on Tools | Options | File Locations, and note the
folder designated for User Templates. That is the folder where
your Normal.dot template is stored. In newer versions of Office
and Windows, the file and folder are hidden, so you have to turn
on display of hidden files and folders in Windows Explorer or My
Computer by clicking on Tools | Folder Options | View tab | click
the "Show hidden files and folders" radio button | OK.

 

[Bill Spikowski]

Yes, Acrobat 7 is installed here. Maybe that's where the problem originated.

After deleting normal.dot, my toolbar customizations now stick -- but I do
notice that the Adobe PDF toolbar is missing.

I never used that toolbar anyway, so I think I'll just leave things the way
they are -- otherwise next time I customize the regular Word toolbar, I'll
be back in the same hole!

Thanks for the tip -- always nice to know where the problem originated.

 

[Bob I]

You're welcome, have a good one!

Thank you! That seems to have been the problem. I have Explorer set to
show extensions and hidden & system files; didn't realize that the
search button required a separate setting to do the same thing.