Documents won't save

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We are using a template to create pleadings. When the document (based on the template) is complete, we click the save button (or use “Control+S”) the document doesn’t save. It is not until we click the CLOSE button are we prompted to save. This happens on 2 workstations, only. I’ve already deleted the “normal.dot” I’ve checked security and it is set to LOW and ALLOW VBA. In addition, one workstation is getting an error message that a certain font cannot be read….
Any ideas?
Thanks.

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What Operating System (Win XP, Vista, Win7…) are the workstations running? And are you sure they aren’t saved, or are you seeing a situation where Word 2007 thinks the document has changed since you clicked the Save button? (To check that, look at the folder where the document is to be saved before you click the close button.) Finally, are you running any Word Addins (they are common in legal offices)? On the font, check to see if that particular font is installed on that workstation.

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OS is Windows XP; they are not getting saved at all based on the tltle bar information; it still says “doc 1.doc” or whatever the increment number is. Issue #2, the font is Times New Romans.

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Following up on WendellB’s suggestion, this sounds like something that could be caused by an add-in – if you go to Tools > Templates and Add-Ins, is there anything showing?

Also, although not directly on topic, setting macro security to Low isn’t typically a good practice – do you have that setting applied for all users, and if so, why?

Gary

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I have not been on site at the firm since I posted this. I will be there tomorrow and check the “Add-Ins.” The security is set to low because they do not want to have to “allow” macros to run every time they use this template. Is there a better way?

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The security is set to low because they do not want to have to “allow” macros to run every time they use this template. Is there a better way?

There definitely is – a couple of ways, in fact. The simplest way to do this is to make sure any templates containing macros, are stored in a ‘trusted location’. If you’re using Word 2003 or earlier, there are two locations available to you that are trusted by default: these are the ‘User templates’ location, and the ‘Workgroup templates’ location.

The User templates location is where Word stores the Normal.dot template, and in Windows XP would usually be found in: C:Documents and SettingsApplication DataMicrosoftTemplates.

The Workgroup templates location gives you more flexibility because it can be a location of your choosing. You can specify the Workgroup templates location within Word by going to Tools > Options > File locations. In a large organization this location will often be set by group policy, and copies of templates pushed out to individual users via login scripts. Another alternative is to keep workgroup templates on a network share.

Am not near a Word 2007 PC at the moment, but I think it works similarly to the above, except that you also have the flexibility to designate any location you choose, as a trusted location.

Another, more complicated method is to use templates that are digitally signed.

With any of the above methods, just set macro security to Medium, and you will not get the macro prompt when you open documents based on your own templates.

The (huge) downside to keeping macro security set to low is that you’re not only turning off the macro prompt when users open their own firm’s documents that contain macros, but you’re also turning off the macro prompt when they open documents containing macros that come from any outside source. It’s true that antivirus software should still catch anything nasty, but why take away an important line of defense?

Gary

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Gary, I checked the “add ins” on each of the computers in this firm. There is nothing that caught my attention. Of the three workstations, two are having trouble and one is not having any trouble at all. The workstation having no trouble has the same add-ins as one of the computers having trouble. So, nothing there.
I saved the “FileSave” Word Command Macro in the template macros as well and that gave them the ability to save, but if they choose “cancel” they get an error:
WD2000: “Error 4198 Command Failed” Error Message and Word Hangs When You Try to Close” I’m not sure what is happening here.
One other piece of information: One of the computers having trouble cannot run the macro “=rand()” If I type this in a blank document, nothing happens.

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Gary, I checked the “add ins” on each of the computers in this firm. There is nothing that caught my attention. Of the three workstations, two are having trouble and one is not having any trouble at all. The workstation having no trouble has the same add-ins as one of the computers having trouble. So, nothing there.
I saved the “FileSave” Word Command Macro in the template macros as well and that gave them the ability to save, but if they choose “cancel” they get an error:
WD2000: “Error 4198 Command Failed” Error Message and Word Hangs When You Try to Close” I’m not sure what is happening here.
One other piece of information: One of the computers having trouble cannot run the macro “=rand()” If I type this in a blank document, nothing happens.

I have experienced this a few times (Word not saving) after a macro fails. It’s been a while, but I believe the error message I got said something about macros. It made me think that at least some Word commands are VBA commands too. Fortunately, I was able to save on close. Shutting down and restarting Word fixed it. AFAIR, I found and disabled the offending macro (or unloaded the add-on).

Pam

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I wouldn’t absolutely exonerate the add-ins, just because it doesn’t appear to be causing trouble on one workstation – it still might be worth trying disabling the add-ins and seeing if that helps.

Not sure exactly which macro you saved or what it contains, but often trying to substitute your own macro for a built-in command can be complicated, because you have to write extra code to deal with scenarios that Word automatically deals with, behind the scenes. So, best to avoid that route if possible.

One thing worth trying is to take a look at the recommendations in the post Systematic Approach to Behavorial Problems in Word – particularly with regard to deleting the Data key.

Hope that helps,
Gary

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