Building Blocks not included in Attached Template

[rphox2003]

I created building blocks/quick parts and saved them in my template (DOTM) file.



But when I create a new document or edit a legacy document and attach the template, the building blocks are not included.

Any help?

[Charles Kenyon]

Use the Add-In at Building Blocks & AutoText to explore what is actually in your template.

What kind of building blocks are you storing? The default for storing AutoText is the normal.dotm template.

[rphox2003]

Please see the attached graphic.

The stepf and step quick parts are accessible only if I open a new doc using the PP-SP template. If I attach the template to an existing doc, they don't appear in the Building Blocks Organizer.

[Charles Kenyon]

How are you attaching the template?

I have a lot of quickparts (mostly AutoText) and click on the Template column heading to sort by template. I attach an example.

This is from a new document I created to which I attached the deleteme.dotx template.

[rphox2003]

Sorry, but I don't understand. How many ways can you attach a template? I thought there was only one:

1. On the Word menu bar, select Developer.
2. Click the Document Template icon.
3. Click Attach next to the Document template field.
4. Select the relevant template.
5. Select the Automatically update document styles checkbox.
6. Click OK.
7. Repeat steps 1 to 4.
8. Clear the Automatically update document styles checkbox.
9. Click OK.

After all this, the relevant Word styles are accessible - but not the quick parts.

[Charles Kenyon]

OK. I can't replicate your problem. As you can see in my attachment from the Organizer, one of my quick parts was stored as AutoText, the other as a General Quick Part. Both were accessible.

Does this happen with other templates or just this one? What is the nature of your quick part? Is it simply text?

[rphox2003]

This is my main template for Word styles, so I don't really use any others much.

It's not simple text. It's a quick part I use for numbering. Thanks for your time anyway.

[Charles Kenyon]

The reason I asked is that if it is only this one template, there is a good chance that the template is "corrupt," i.e., broken. See Document Corruption

Numbering should really be handled through styles rather than through quickparts. Even though your parts are not simply text, you probably want to save them as AutoText. See How to create numbered headings or outline numbering in Word 2007 and Word 2010

You could create a style set that includes your numbering styles. Otherwise, it is possible to have a global template (other than normal.dotm) that holds styles that are imported using a macro in the global template.

[Charles Kenyon]

Also, if you are using quick parts on a regular basis it makes sense to store them in a template that is either in your Word Startup folder or in the Building Blocks folder. That way they are always available for all documents. The only ones that should be in document templates are ones that are only applicable to documents based on that template or where you use the same quick part name to apply to different parts depending on which template is attached.

More on AutoText can be found at Automated Boilerplate Using Microsoft Word

[rphox2003]

Originally Posted by Charles Kenyon

Numbering should really be handled through styles rather than through quickparts.

Thanks but I've found that Word numbering styles are more trouble than they're worth.

I've NEVER had trouble with the numbering getting screwed up using this Quick Part method.

I'll try saving them to the Building Blocks template. I'm sure that will fix the problem.

Thanks.

[Charles Kenyon]

I hope it works for you. In a spare moment you might want to search Google using the terms: Word spaghetti numbering