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Old 06-29-2015, 07:48 PM
TRK TRK is offline How Do I Change the NORMAL defaults permanently for doc's opened via SHELL MENU Windows 7 64bit How Do I Change the NORMAL defaults permanently for doc's opened via SHELL MENU Office 2007
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How Do I Change the NORMAL defaults permanently for doc's opened via SHELL MENU
 
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Default How Do I Change the NORMAL defaults permanently for doc's opened via SHELL MENU

Hello... I typically open Word by clicking a shortcut on the desktop and have the default NORMAL template modified to my liking.



However, I often use the shell menu to open a doc when convenient (right-click on desktop or within a folder -> New -> list of things I can open including a Word Doc...) but when I open Word from the shell menu I get a MS-default NORMAL template I don't like. I modify it, and tell it to save not just for this template but all the ones going forward, but the next time I use the shell menu, it's the same MS-default template instead of my modified one.

How can I modify the NORMAL template for docs opened via the shell menu? Thanks!

Last edited by Charles Kenyon; 06-30-2015 at 05:03 AM. Reason: Mark as solved (not really solved so much as answered)
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Old 06-29-2015, 10:18 PM
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gmayor gmayor is offline How Do I Change the NORMAL defaults permanently for doc's opened via SHELL MENU Windows 7 64bit How Do I Change the NORMAL defaults permanently for doc's opened via SHELL MENU Office 2010 32bit
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You can't. If you call Word in this manner you get the in-built defaults. A more salient question is why you are doing this? If you want to create a Word document based on your normal template from the desktop, drop a shortcut to the normal template on your desktop and click that, or even simpler drop a link to Word on your desktop and click that.
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Old 06-30-2015, 10:42 AM
TRK TRK is offline How Do I Change the NORMAL defaults permanently for doc's opened via SHELL MENU Windows 7 64bit How Do I Change the NORMAL defaults permanently for doc's opened via SHELL MENU Office 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gmayor View Post
You can't. If you call Word in this manner you get the in-built defaults.
And there is no way to modify this, even via a registry key or the like?

Quote:
A more salient question is why you are doing this?
I explained in my OP. I have a shortcut on the desktop and in quick launch for starting Word in general. However, the right-click menu is handy for opening a doc where I want it saved, rather than having to open it from DT then save it to said folder by navigating to said folder in the save process, or saving to DT then having to cut/copy and paste it into the folder, which I still have to navigate to.

For example, I archive programs and guides for myself about installation and config tweaks so I don't have to reinvent the wheel later. I usually right-click and open a text msg to use for this purpose. But every so often if the instructions/config/info I want to archive is more complex, I prefer using a Word doc. The folder I am working in may be many levels deep... right-clicking inside the folder where I want the doc is many times easier, quicker and more efficient.

I do thank you for answering but I find your comment "a more salient question is why would you want to do that?" a little perplexing. The fact is, MS makes Word available via the shell menu, probably for reasons I just stated. It is highly convenient. That said, there should be a way to modify the default template. Users should not be blamed for using the programs as made available per Windows' own design.

I would guess there is a way to either modify the template OR substitute the shell call to Word with a modified string that would open the already-modified normal.dotm template instead of the default template the shell call appears to use. Unfortunately I am not adept enough to know how to do this.

Hence my question...
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Old 06-30-2015, 12:10 PM
TRK TRK is offline How Do I Change the NORMAL defaults permanently for doc's opened via SHELL MENU Windows 7 64bit How Do I Change the NORMAL defaults permanently for doc's opened via SHELL MENU Office 2007
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@Charles Kenyon - SOLVED? Really?? "Not so much solved as answered." And not answered to my satisfaction and I am the OP. "You can't" is no answer... it means the ONE PERSON who answered doesn't know how, or that no one here knows the answer, because there is certainly a way to make Word available via shell (as it is by default) but to have it call a different template *IF* modifying the default template is "impossible" as claimed.

This is the LEAST HELPFUL FORUM I have ever been on in my 21 years online when the mods swoop in and mark a question as solved/answered when it is neither and has ONE SINGLE REPLY that is decidedly UNHELPFUL that basically blamed ME for using the shell menu to start Word. What I see here is laziness and ignorance. "If we don't know the answer we just say 'you can't' and mark it solved."

Please do ban me. There is no reason to come back here with "help" like this. I should have expected as much from an MS forum! For MS fanboys MS is never wrong... it's always the user who needs to change their habits to accommodate the bugs and shortcomings in MS.

Maybe you can't but I can. Just not with any "help" from this forum!

Thanks for nothing guys, and have a great day.
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Old 06-30-2015, 09:02 PM
TRK TRK is offline How Do I Change the NORMAL defaults permanently for doc's opened via SHELL MENU Windows 7 64bit How Do I Change the NORMAL defaults permanently for doc's opened via SHELL MENU Office 2007
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So for anyone who wants to solve this problem, I found a way to do it.

Installed the free program Right Click Enhancer and used the "New Menu Editor." The window opens to show all enabled items in the New shell menu. Microsoft Office Word is enabled and listed as either .doc or .docx (or both). Clicked the red X to remove .doc.

Scrolled down to find .doc again in the disabled list. Highlighted it by single-clicking. Went up to top toolbar and clicked the chevron (drop-down arrow) next to the green check mark. Chose TEMPLATE. Browser window opens to navigate to the template you want associated with this shell menu shortcut. Note that the default file selection is .doc so templates won't appear in the nav window but go to the folder where you know the template is, and manually type in the template's name. In my case, "Normal.dotm" (no quotes), then click OPEN.

Right Click Enhancer will associate the template with .doc and this shortcut, and enable it in the New menu. Now right-click on any empty space -> New -> Microsoft Office Word ... and the doc will open using the Normal.dotm template (or your template of choice).

Where there's a will, there's a way. And...

...You're welcome.
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