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WD2000: How to Share a Customized Built-in Toolbar

Article ID: 211243 - View products that this article applies to.

This article was previously published under Q211243

SUMMARY

This article describes how to share a customized toolbar with other users and how to test a button on one of the toolbars.

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MORE INFORMATION

You can share a customized toolbar by using one of the following methods.

Method 1: Add the Customized Toolbar to a Document or Custom Template

To add the customized toolbar to a document or custom template, do either of the following:

Create or open a custom Word template, save your customized toolbar in the template, and then share the template with other users.

-or-
Create or open a Word document, save your customized toolbar in the document, and then share the document with other users.

Method 2: Add the Customized Toolbar to a Template Based on Normal.dot

Add the customized toolbar to the default Word template, Normal.dot, but save the template using a new name, such as "SpecialNormal.dot". Share the new template with other users.

NOTE: Because the Normal.dot template is a global file, if you customize it, the changes will be visible in all documents or templates as long as the toolbar is visible.

CAUTION: Microsoft does not recommend sharing the Normal.dot template with other users. This template contains user-specific, customized settings. If you replace another user's Normal.dot template with your version, the settings, macros, AutoText entries, and styles stored in the other user's default template will be lost. Also, if another user changes a default setting that is stored in the shared copy of the default template, this change will affect all instances of the shared copy of the template.

For example, if one user wants to set the default left and right margins at one-half inch while another user wants to set the default left and right margins at one inch, the last user to save his or her settings will overwrite the previous settings. All new documents that are created based on the default template will then inherit those settings. In this procedure, you are sharing a renamed version of Normal.dot, such as "Specialnormal.dot".

When you customize a toolbar, you can specify where you want to store these settings. To do this, click Customize on the Tools menu, and then click the Commands tab. In the Save in list, select an open document or template, or select the Normal.dot file.

NOTE: To save a customized toolbar in a document or template other than the default template, open the document or template before you specify where you want to store your settings.

Testing the Customized Toolbar Button

If you customized the Normal template, the changes will be visible in all documents or templates as long as the toolbar is visible.

If you customized a document or template other than the Normal template, you can test the customized button by closing the document or template in which you saved your changes. If the toolbar returns to its default state, the customization was stored in the document or template (not the Normal template). If the changes you made are still visible after closing the document or template, either of the following may be true:

You saved the customized toolbar settings in the Normal template.

-or-
You have a document open that is based on the template you just customized.

If this is the case, close all documents based on the custom template or remove the toolbar button you added to the default Normal template.

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REFERENCES

For additional information about customizing toolbars, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

191178

(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/191178/EN-US/ )

WD2000: How to Create Custom Toolbars, Toolbar Buttons

For more information about customizing toolbars, click Microsoft Word Help on the Help menu, type customize toolbar in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.

For more information about removing a button from a toolbar, click Microsoft Word Help on the Help menu, type delete a toolbar button in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.

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