I'm relatively new to the forum, although I got some help here years ago with getting rid of extra carriage returns with a great macro (that still works, BTW), so perhaps these should have been posted as separate threads, but they seem related, at least to me. Be patient and consider me a "newby" even though I've been using MSW for many years.

Three issues:
1. All of my recorded macros (perhaps only 15 or 20 of them) seem to “’go away” when I reload or save (or both) the document I’m working on.. What I’d like to do is store my recorded macros in a different template and have it load every time I start MS Word.

What I’m currently doing is when I find the macro list blank and sigh angrily, I go to a copied text version of the VBA file with all the macros in it, copy it, and paste it into the new file (I guess it’s really getting saved in the normal.dotm file) and for the remainder of the session I can still access all my macros.

2. Several (not all) of my recorded macros are much more useful to me if they are assigned keys to execute with a single key (or combination). Even after reloading my macros, the previously made customizations are gone, and I have to make these customizations again. I’ve tried the “save customizations” button that exists when I first do “customize the ribbon” to no avail.

3. A very simple key sequence that I would like to record as a macro is the following:

Alt FàFile
T àOptions
Cursor down toàProofing
Tab to Auto correct options
[enter} to Auto Correct options “list box”
And STOP here (I just want a quick way to get to this list to enter new auto correct options)

Immediately below is the box I want to be able to call up with a macro:
Try as I might I cannot paste this picture here, it can be arrived at with File tab>Optiions>Proofing>AutoCorrect options



[IMG]file:///C:/Users/rjosl/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image002.jpg[/IMG]

As I've said, all I want is to have a macro that will get me to that screen and StOP, allowing me to input text at that point

Rick J

I moved your posts to the vba forum.

You have several questions but the primary one seems t be about macros.

You can add AutoCorrect Options to your QAT rather easily.
I did a number of years ago.
Modifying the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) in Microsoft Word




That gives you access to the full (four-tab) AutoCorrect Options dialog.


Some things cannot be recorded or even written as macros. I believe this is one of them.


You can also assign a keyboard shortcut directly to the command.

There are two commands available. The first "ToolsAutoCorrect" gives you only the main AutoCorrect Options dialog (the first tab); the second "ToolsAutoCorrectManager" would give you access to the first tab and the Math AutoCorrect tab. (There are separate ones, also for AutoFormat Options and AutoFormat as you type Options.) I prefer to simply put it on the QAT.

Back to your main question about disappearing macros...


The default location for storing recorded macros is in NewMacros module of the normal.dotm template. I suspect that is what you exported as text.
That is seldom the best location to keep macros you want to use regularly. It is in the nature of a temporary workbench.

See:

• Install/Employ VBA Procedures (Macros) by Greg Maxey
• Organizing your macros by Beth Melton, Word MVP
• How to Modify a Recorded Macro by Jay Freedman

Strange things seem to happen periodically to the Normal.dotm template. This has been true as long as Word has been around. You can make regular backups.

• Backup Normal.dotm template using a macro
• or keep your macros in other custom Global Templates
• or both. I do both because there are things stored in the Normal Template besides macros.

You may be able to find a recent version of your Normal.dotm template with your macros in your User Templates folder. It will have "normal" as part of the file name and a recent date.

I don't know that this thread is really "new," but I can't seem to find anything like it by searching, so... [Moderator's note - this was separately posted again in the Word forum. I combined it.]

All of my recorded macros (perhaps only 15 or 20 of them) seem to “’go away” (literally cease to exist) when I reload or save (or both) the document I’m working on. I get the dreaded question about whether I want save changes to the global template, and it doesn't seem to matter whether I answer yes or no. What I’d like to do is store my recorded macros and keyboard customizations in a different template and have it load every time I start MS Word.

What I’m currently doing is, after I find the macro list blank and sigh angrily, going to a copied text version of the VBA file with all the macros in it, copy it, and paste it into the new file (I guess it’s really getting saved in the normal.dotm file) and for the remainder of the session I can still access all my macros, but not the custom keys that I assigned them to.

As I said above, I'd like to have a template that contains all of my macros and customizations, and which loads EVERY time I run MS Word.

Or, alternately, can I somehow attach macros and customizations to a document itself, without getting the global template (which seems accident-prone)?

I'd like some pretty specific instructions about how to do this, if possible, especially regarding how and where to save my new template (rixtemplate.dotc,) how to get my macros and key customizations into it and how to be sure it loads either (1) every time I run Word, or (2) every time I load a specific document to which I attach them.

Aside: For me, as a long-term user of Word, the global template is by far the most frustrating part of working with what is, otherwise, a very decent word processor. I think it would make much more sense to have all shortcuts, macros, key assignments in a single file that could be accessed and modified as needed. Obviously that ship has already sailed, and I'm just on the dock wishin'

Any help would be great and if this post merely exposes my ignorance, it's only because that ignorance is quite real--thanks.
Rick Joslin

Please see https://www.msofficeforums.com/word-...shortcuts.html

Hi Rick,

As I told you yesterday, I moved your post to the vba forum. I have combined your new post into that thread.

Please look at the links I gave you in a previous response. They describe some of the best practices and tell you how to create a Global Template other than the Normal Template . It is not difficult. Such a template supplements the Normal template; it does not replace it. You can have multiple such templates. (I have more than ten that are active and work together.) You should store all of the following in the same template:

1. Macros
2. Keyboard Shortcuts that call those macros
3. Any QAT buttons calling the macros
4. Any building blocks being used by the macros

You can find a number of such global templates in my downloads page under Add-Ins. You would also find a number on Graham Mayor's site and Greg Maxey's site that you can look at.

• Add-Ins
• Microsoft Word Help, Tips and Tutorials @ The Anchorage
• Microsoft Word Tips by Graham Mayor, MVP

Here are two more links that may be helpful:

• Assigning Keyboard Shortcuts in Microsoft Word 2007-2021 (365)
• Modifying the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) in Microsoft Word

First, Charles, I apologize; I thought my first (longer) post had somehow not been posted--failed to see you had moved it to VBA. That's when I sent the more concise and focused version and started looking for replies, I found yours telling me they both had been transferred to the VBA forum. I'll try everything you mentioned before posting again, and will stick with the VBA forum.


Second, I've seen your name all over the website and have noted contributions by you almost everywhere I looked. I Appreciate the work involved in helping people with their frustrations, and give you my thanks for doing it.


Thanks again.
R. Joslin

Thanks to everyone who responded, but I'm still somewhat lost. Most of the recommended readings seem far over my head. Maybe I can focus more clearly on exactly the result I want, someone can tell me precisely what to do in order to get there.
Goals:

1. I want all my recorded macros to be available to me for all documents I might create on word.
2. I want all my keyboard customizations (KC's) for the macros to be available as well.


I need some detailed instructions on how to accomplish this seemingly simple (to me, at least) mission. Someone told me that tech people (and they were actually referring to ME, ha-ha) often leave out steps that novices wouldn't think of doing. I need small steps, as in a recipe. And yes, I know there are usually 5 or 6 ways to accomplish the same thing in situations like this. I just want one, and the simplest.



For example, something like this:

1. fashion a file with all your macros and key customizations and no text
2. Save it as a .dotm file in a certain directory
3. Tell Word in some way that you want it to do vis-a-vis this template
etc.


I'm not desperate. There's no dire consequences if I don't succeed. I can keep reloading my VBA file of macros, and reassigning keys manually over and over. Nothing I'm doing is important to national security, or nuclear .codes or the like. I'm just trying to make my journaling a bit easier. Thanks in advance for any help.

1. fashion a file with all your macros and key customizations and no text
   (it actually can have text, you can also use it to save building blocks once you have saved it as a .dotm file)
   Make sure that the macros and keyboard shortcuts are saved in that file.
2. Save it as a .dotm file in a certain directory
   That directory is the one designated as your Word Startup Folder. That folder should be different from your User Templates Folder.
   See Startup Folder and User Templates
3. Tell Word in some way that you want it to do vis-a-vis this template
   By placing it in the Startup Folder you have told Word that you want all of your files to have access to the macros, keyboard shortcuts, QAT modifications, and building blocks stored is the folder. You have made it a Global Template.

Note that to record new macros in that file, you will need to either open it for editing or create a document based on it. Likewise to add keyboard shortcuts or QAT modifications to it.

• Modifying the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) in Microsoft Word
• Assigning Keyboard Shortcuts in Microsoft Word 2007-2021 (365)

You may want to move it out of the Startup Folder and close and restart Word first. Then when you are done making changes, move it back there.

Charles
I've created rixtemplate.dotm and stored it my startup folder


i.e. "C:\Users\rjosl\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\ Start Menu\Programs\Startup\rixtemplate.dotm"


This file seems to have all my macros and even SOME of my key customizations.
Oddly, though, it seems to be a "word for windows 10" file, which was put on this laptop before word365 and is STILL on here. Is it possible that having both Word for Windows 10 (from MS Office for which I still have the original CD) and Word 365 which was added later--is causing some sort of conflict that could be related to my problem. I've always though the older version was a better fit for me. should I perhaps get rid of 365 entirely and just go with the older version.


Frankly, I don't really know how I got into Word365; it clearly became active when I first launched this new laptop. The very name seems to imply that's it's a yearly subscription, and I'm just waiting for an email that tells me it's time to renew.


And lastly, when I've visited forums in the past (even THIS one, I think), it was easy to get back to a thread or a post that one started. I seem to be having trouble with this now. So I'm never sure that I'm posting in the right place. Perhaps there's something I am missing.

That is the Windows startup folder. Executable files in that location get loaded when Windows starts.

Your template should be in the Word startup folder located at "C:\Users\rjosl\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Word\STA RTUP"

Kudos for catching my mistaking a WINDOWS startup folder for a WORD startup folder. I'm glad I included the file location that enabled you to pick up on my error. I'll try switching he file to the proper folder.


Is it likely that including the "rixtemplate.dotm" file in the Windows startup folder resulted in a blank Word10 file being created every time I re-start Word?


Thanks for your help.
RJ

I think this is the FIRST time my macros did not dsappear when I reopened my journal in Word. This is quite a relief! Thanks SO much.

No. Files in that folder are only executed when Windows first starts. By default Word creates a blank document when started based on Normal.dotm, unless "Show the Start screen when this application starts" is set (File | Options | General | Start up options)

As I said several times...
I moved your post from the general Word forum to the Word vba forum because that seemed a better fit for the questions. That may be why you had trouble finding it, even though you should have received a link.


For more on the Startup Folder, please see:

• Startup Folder
• Global Templates

Microsoft has a weird way of designating versions.
See What version of Word do I have? by Shauna Kelly.

Word 97 was Word 8.

Word 2000 was Word 9.

Word 2002 was Word 10.

Word 2003 was Word 11.
Word 2007 was Word 12.
Word 2010 was Word 14 (superstitious bunch at Microsoft).
Word 2013 was Word 15 (I believe).

Word 2016 and every subsequent release is Word 16 as far as coding and folders goes.

Your Word for Windows on Windows 10 would work fine on Windows 11 unless, I think, it was Word 95 which was released as part of Office 95. Word 97 runs on Windows 11 if I need it.