Missing reference - Word Template - but it's there

[Carol]

I have fixed this problem but I'd like to know why it happened. Here
goes:

I created a document that contains a macro that basically merges the
document with a .TXT file. I transferred (if that's the right word)
into a new template called "projectabstract.dot". I sent the document
to other users along with instructions to save projectabstract.dot into
the subdirectory where their other templates were (found by Tools,
Options, File Locations). Most of the users did everything right and
the macro ran fine.

Then I needed to edit the document and the macro and send it out again.
This time, some users (all Word97 users) got the message "Compile
error: Can't find project or library". When I got them to stop the
macro and go to Tools, References, it showed that the
projectabstract.dot template file was MISSING. BUT it wasn't. It was
in the same place that it had been (I got them to check). They
unchecked the missing reference, saved the document and now the macro
runs fine.

BUT why did it say that the template itself was missing, which was
wrong? I'm pretty sure that I sent them another copy of the template
and told them to save it again, overwriting the one that was already
there. The users I was working with are pretty savvy and usually
follow the directions they are given. But if they hadn't replaced
projectabstract.dot, could that have made the difference? We will
probably be doing other things like this (i.e. one person creates a
document/macro and sends it to other users) so I'd like to know which
pitfall I fell into. Many thanks.

Carol.

 

[Word Heretic]

G'day "Carol" <[email protected]>,

My first thought is they copied into another valid directory. Also,
were you signing each release?


Steve Hudson - Word Heretic

steve from wordheretic.com (Email replies require payment)
Without prejudice


Carol reckoned:

 

[Carol]

Hi, Steve. I don't know what you mean by "signing" each release? Is
there something special I need to do or is it just some comment line
that I can put into the macro saying "updated on...". And are you
saying that the users could have multiple copies of the document
template so the one in the correct directory is too old?

Thanks for the clarifications. Carol.

 

[Word Heretic]

G'day "Carol" <[email protected]>,

Obviously you didn't sign each release - a process which raises its
own problems. Signing involves attaching a security certificate to
verify the author.

Those users with problems could do a search for the filename on ther
machine, searching all hidden and system files, to ensure they have no
duplicates.

Steve Hudson - Word Heretic

steve from wordheretic.com (Email replies require payment)
Without prejudice


Carol reckoned: