How to use the Registry Options (RegOptions) macro to examine Word settings and to make changes to Word settings in the Windows registry

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This article was previously published under Q318796

SUMMARY

This step-by-step article describes how you can use the Registry Options (RegOptions) macro to examine Word settings and to make changes to Word settings in the Windows registry. The following is a list of the options that are available in the macro and a brief description of each option's purpose:

Word Options

AutoSave-Path: Sets the folder where the AutoRecovery files are saved.

DOC-Path: The default folder that is used for Word documents.

Picture-Path: Sets the default path that is used when you point to Picture on the Insert menu and then click From File.

Startup-Path: Sets the path for Word startup files, such as templates and .wll files (WLLs) that are loaded when you start Word.

Tools-Path: Sets a location in which Word searches for proofing tools, filters, converters, and other components, in the event that these components are not registered correctly or cannot be found.

User-Dot-Path: The path for user templates. Note that when this setting is changed for Word, the change affects all of the Microsoft Office programs.

Workgroup-Dot-Path: The path for workgroup templates. You can specify a UNC path.

BAK-Extension: The default extension that is used for Word backup files. The default extension is *.wbk.

DOC-Extension: The default extension that is used for Word document files. The default is *.doc.

DOT-Extension: The default extension that is used for Word template files. The default is *.dot.

NoFontMRUList: Turns on or turns off the most recently used (MRU) font list. To turn on the MRU font list, type 0 (zero). To turn off the MRU font list, type 1.

SpellingWavyUnderlineColor: Use this to change the color of the wavy underline that is displayed under misspelled words.

GrammarWavyUnderlineColor: Use this to change the color of the wavy underline that is displayed under grammar errors.

SmartTagUnderlineColor: Use this to change the color of the dotted underline that is displayed under smart tags.

FormatConsistencyWavyUnderlineColor: Use this to change the color of the wavy underline that is displayed under formatting errors.

OLEDOT: Specifies the document template that is used when you create a document object in Word or in another OLE application.

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Install the Word 2002 Support Template

The Word 2002 Support Template makes it easy to make changes to the various Word options. To install the Word 2002 Support Template, click the following link, and then save the download to your computer.

The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:

Collapse this imageExpand this image

Download Support.exe now (http://download.microsoft.com/download/word2002/utility/1.0/w98nt42kmexp/en-us/support.exe) For additional information about how to download Microsoft Support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

119591 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/119591/EN-US/ ) How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online Services

Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help to prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.

After the download is completed, follow these steps to install the Word 2002 Support Template:

Double-click Support.exe.
In the Please type the location where you want to place the extracted files box, type (or click Browse to) the location where you want to extract the downloaded files.
Click OK.
Click OK to the following message:
To install the Word 2002 Support Template, please run the Setup.exe file. After the Setup has completed, start the Word 2002 Support Template from Microsoft Office Tools on the Programs menu.
Click Start and then click Run.
In the Run dialog box, browse to the location where you extracted the files in steps 1 through 3.
Click the Setup.exe file, and then click Open.
In the Run dialog box, click OK.
In the Word 2002 Support Template dialog box, click OK.
By default, the Word 2002 Support Template is installed to the following location:
C:\Program Files\Word 2002 Support Template
NOTE: If you want to change the location to which the Word 2002 Support Template is installed, click Change Directory.
To install the Word 2002 Support Template, click Click here to begin setup.
In the Choose Program Group dialog box, click Continue. By default, the Word 2002 Support Template is installed as a shortcut in Microsoft Office Tools.
Click OK to the following message:
Word 2002 Support Template Setup was completed successfully.

NOTE: After you install the Word 2002 Support Template, a shortcut is created in Microsoft Office Tools on your Programs menu.

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Start Word with the Word 2002 Support Template

To start Word with the modified Support.dot template, follow these steps:

If Microsoft Word is running, quit Word. If you use Microsoft Word as your e-mail editor, you must quit Microsoft Outlook also.
Click Start and then point to Programs. (In Microsoft Windows XP, point to All Programs.)
Point to Microsoft Office Tools.
Click Word 2002 Support Template.

Microsoft Word starts in a default condition and opens the Word 2002 Support Template.

NOTE: If Word does not open with the Word 2002 Support Template, please see the Correct the Word 2002 Support Template Shortcut section of this article.

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How to Use the Registry Options Macro

To use the RegOptions macro, follow these steps:

Quit all Office programs.
Start Microsoft Word by following the steps in the Start Word with the Word 2002 Support Template section.
In the Macro column of the table that is in the file, click the Registry Options button.
On the Word Options tab, click to select the option that you want to change, type the new setting in the Setting box (or click Browse, if available, and then click to select the setting that you want), and then click Change.
Click Close to close the Set Registry Options dialog box.
On the File menu, click Exit to quit Microsoft Word.
Start Word the way that you typically do.

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Correct the Word 2002 Support Template Shortcut

To correct the shortcut that was created when you installed the Word 2002 Support Template, follow these steps:

Quit all Microsoft Office programs.
Click Start, point to Programs (in Windows XP, point to All Programs), and then point to Microsoft Office Tools.
Right-click Word 2002 Support Template, and then click Properties on the shortcut menu.
On the Shortcut tab, change the Target box to the correct location where Word is installed. For example, if Word is installed on drive D, the path in the Target box will look similar to the following example:
"D:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\WINWORD.EXE" /a "C:\Program Files\Word 2002 Support Template\SUPPORT.DOT"
Also note the location of the Support.dot template. If the path that is specified is different from the path where you installed the modified Support.dot template, make any necessary corrections to the path in the Target box.

IMPORTANT: When you make changes to the path that is listed in the Target box, do not delete the /a switch. The /a switch is necessary to start Word in its default state when you use the Troubleshooting Utility.