Templates on an intranet

[Eric]

I have a couple of templates I want to run from an Intranet. The problem is
that word default saves the document in .dot-format (and not .doc-format) so
you need to change this which is a good ground for mistakes... Anyone know
a way to work around this? Someone told me that you could start Word instead
and then use the template as a parameter, anyone knows it this works?

/e

 

[Jean-Guy Marcil]

Eric was telling us:
Eric nous racontait que :

I have a couple of templates I want to run from an Intranet. The
problem is that word default saves the document in .dot-format (and
not .doc-format) so you need to change this which is a good ground
for mistakes... Anyone know a way to work around this? Someone told
me that you could start Word instead and then use the template as a
parameter, anyone knows it this works?

Word only saves as *.dot if you actually open the template (i.e. it will not
default save as *.dot if you open a *.doc or create a *.doc from a *.dot).
You have to check what is happening with the templates when they are used to
create documents.

How are they opened? How are they accessed by users? Are they stored in
Word's Workgroup folder?

--
Salut!
_______________________________________
Jean-Guy Marcil - Word MVP
(e-mail address removed)
Word MVP site: http://www.word.mvps.org

 

[Charles Kenyon]

Template files opened over an intranet (local internet) will be opened as
templates rather than as documents.
I know there is a work around for this that involves linking to a shortcut
on the intranet rather than to the template but don't remember the details.

The solution at http://addbalance.com/word/templatesmenu.htm#Hyperlinks is
for hyperlinks within Word documents but might work over the intranet.

 

[Tom Winter]

This may be what you are looking for:

How to start Word with a template other than the Normal template in Word
2002
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;290961

 

[Lighthouse]

On our intranet, Word forms are posted as templates--*.dot files. When
you look at the link in your browser it is:
http://our.intranet.com/forms/thisform.dot
when i click on this i get the standard dialog that asks if i want to
d/l or open. i choose "open" and it launches Word and opens a DOCUMENT
based on the template. When I click "Save" the file type is shown as
*.doc. I don't see anything "special" going on to force this behavior.

At another office, where I was in charge of the templates, I created a
"template" directory on a network server and had all the users add that
path to the "Workgroup Templates" location (TOOLS>OPTIONS>FILE
LOCATIONS). I liked the way this worked b/c it was standard Word
procedure: FILE>NEW, then select a template out of your list. If you
have multiple directories of templates for different purposes you can
put shortcuts to those directories into the location of your Workgroup
Templates folder. Each shortcut shows up as a separate tab on your
Templates dialog. Rename the shortcuts to something meaningful for that
purpose.

 

[Charles Kenyon]

I just verified this behavior on my own system (Windows XP Pro, Word 2003)
and did get a new document. This was not the behavior in previous
installations, though. I have had the template open, as a template, rather
than have a new document created based on the template. I suspect that it
may be the Word version that does this although it could be Windows.

 

[Eric]

With word 2003 (or xp) and Win xp pro sp2, when I klick a link (or enter the
full adress to the .dot-file) it opens a .dot in my word...:/

/e

 

[Charles Kenyon]

.... click a link?

Link in a Word document or a browser in an html?

 

[Jean-Guy Marcil]

Eric was telling us:
Eric nous racontait que :

With word 2003 (or xp) and Win xp pro sp2, when I klick a link (or
enter the full adress to the .dot-file) it opens a .dot in my
word...:/

See
http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=278627/

Also, I seem to remember that it has something to do with opening the target
in a new window instead of the same browser window, but I could not find the
reference to that.

Finally, you can also use VB Script or Java to force the hyperlink to open a
true Word window (Instead of a Word instance in an IE window).
Something like:

'_______________________________________
<script language="JavaScript">
function runWord(strFile)
{
var myWord = new ActiveXObject("Word.Application");
myWord.Visible = true;
myWord.Documents.Add Template:=strFile;
}
</script>
<a href="javascript:runWord('http://myserver/document.dot');">Create
Document</a>
'_______________________________________

--
Salut!
_______________________________________
Jean-Guy Marcil - Word MVP
(e-mail address removed)
Word MVP site: http://www.word.mvps.org

 

[Eric]

Browser.

... click a link?

Link in a Word document or a browser in an html?

 

[Eric]

Yes I've seen that link thanks (though it creates another problem),

The problem is not that it does open in ie instead of word (i can fix that
through explorer), it is simply that it open the .dot-file instaead of a
document based on the .dot-file. /e

 

[Jean-Guy Marcil]

Eric was telling us:
Eric nous racontait que :

Yes I've seen that link thanks (though it creates another problem),

The problem is not that it does open in ie instead of word (i can fix
that through explorer), it is simply that it open the .dot-file
instaead of a document based on the .dot-file. /e

Have you tried the Java example I posted? This will not open the *.dot file.

--
Salut!
_______________________________________
Jean-Guy Marcil - Word MVP
(e-mail address removed)
Word MVP site: http://www.word.mvps.org

 

[Charles Kenyon]

It gives me a new document in Word. Note, when I tried this, I had Word
already open. That may make a difference.

When I see links to Word documents or templates on the internet, I usually
right-click and save the target to my disk and open it from there so I don't
run into this routinely.