Commands are unavailable in a template or in a document that is based on a custom template in Word 2003 (889335)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Office Word 2003

SYMPTOMS

When you open a template or a document that is based on a custom template in Microsoft Office Word 2003, commands that were added as part of the Normal.dot template or by using an add-in may be unavailable. The commands are unavailable even though they are available in documents that are based on other templates.

CAUSE

This issue occurs because of the customization context behavior in Word 2003. Typically, when you add or remove a command in Word 2003, the changes are stored in the Normal.dot template. However, the changes are not stored in the Normal.dot template when either of the following conditions is true:
  • You specify a different template when you add or remove a command.
  • You modify a custom template directly.
If you remove a command directly from a custom template, the command will not be available unless you add the command to the same custom template.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, use one of the following methods.

Method 1: Modify the affected template

You can add the missing commands by modifying the affected template. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Start Word 2003.
  2. Open the affected template.

    If you modified a template that is installed with Word 2003, the template is stored in the following location:

    C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Templates\1033

    If you modified a custom template, the template is stored in the following location:

    C:\Documents and Settings\User_Name\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates

  3. On the Tools menu, click Customize.
  4. Click the Commands tab, and make sure that the template name appears in the Save in box.
  5. Add or remove commands as needed.
  6. Click Close.
  7. On the File menu, click Save.

Method 2: Create a new template

If the affected template is damaged, and you cannot modify it, you must create a new template. After you create the new template, you must move elements from the affected template to the new template. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Open the affected template.
  2. On the File menu, click New, and then click Blank document in the New Document pane.
  3. Switch to the affected template.
  4. On the Edit menu, click Select All, and then click Copy.
  5. Switch to the new document.
  6. On the Edit menu, click Paste.
  7. On the File menu, click Save as, and then click Document Template (*.dot) in the Save as type list.
  8. Name the file, and then click Save.
  9. On the Tools menu, point to Macro, and then click Macros.
  10. Click Organizer.
  11. Click the Macro Projects Items tab.
  12. On the right side of the Organizer dialog box, click the affected template in the Macro Project Items available in list.
  13. Select all the macro projects that are listed in the In Affected_Template_Name.dot list, and then click Copy.
  14. Click the Style tab.
  15. If the template had any custom styles defined, select them in the In Affected_Template_Name.dot list, and then click Copy.
  16. Click the Autotext tab.
  17. If the template had any custom autotext defined, select them in the In Affected_Template_Name.dot list, and then click Copy.
  18. Click Close.
  19. Click Save on the File menu and save the new template.
  20. Close the new template, and then close the affected template.
  21. On the File menu, click Open, and then open the new template.
  22. On the Tools menu, point to Macro, and then click Visual Basic Editor.
  23. On the Tools menu, click References.
  24. Click to select the references that are used by the macro projects in the template.
  25. Click OK, click File, and then click Close and Return to Microsoft Word.
  26. Save and then close the template.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:3/23/2006
Keywords:kbToolbar kbtemplate kbMenu kbtshoot kbprb KB889335 kbAudEndUser kbAudDeveloper
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