Microsoft KB Archive/79931

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Cannot Copy Over NORMAL.DOT When Running Word for Windows

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Q79931

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 1.0, 1.1, 1.1a, 2.0, 2.0a, 2.0a-CD, 2.0b, 2.0c, 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c

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SUMMARY
In Microsoft Word for Windows, you cannot save a document or template (other than the NORMAL.DOT being used) with the filename NORMAL.DOT to the directory the templates are stored in.

MORE INFORMATION
For example, you cannot open the file NORMAL.DOT from one version of Word for Windows and save it as NORMAL.DOT in a running version of Word for Windows in order to convert and use the default template in the newer version.

NORMAL.DOT is the default template in Word for Windows. If you run Word for Windows and NORMAL.DOT is not found, Word for Windows creates the file. In Word for Windows version 6.0, this file is saved upon exit even if no changes have been made to it. In Word for Windows version 2.0, if there is nothing in this file (such as a macro, glossary change, or global style change) when the session ends, the file is not saved.

This file is considered open while you run Word for Windows; therefore, you cannot replace this file with another while Word for Windows is running.

Steps to Reproduce Problem
The following steps assume that your system contains two versions of Word for Windows, one stored in C:\WINWORD and one stored in C:\WW2:


 * 1) From the WW2 directory, start Word for Windows.
 * 2) From the File menu, choose Open.
 * 3) Open the file C:\WINWORD\NORMAL.DOT.
 * 4) From the File menu, choose Save As.
 * 5) In the File Name box, type C:\WW2\NORMAL.DOT, and choose the OK button.

The error message

Word cannot give a document the same name as an open document.

appears on the screen.

If conversion is necessary to use another template as the NORMAL.DOT in the running version of Word for Windows, use the following procedure:


 * 1) Verify that Word for Windows is not running.
 * 2) In MS-DOS or File Manager, copy C:\WINWORD\NORMAL.DOT to C:\WW2\NORMAL.DOT.
 * 3) From the WW2 directory, start Word for Windows.

This causes the version of Word for Windows started from the WW2 directory to convert and use the NORMAL.DOT file that you copied into the WW2 directory in step 2 (assuming there is no User-Dot-Path in the WINWORD6.INI file (Dot-Path in the WIN.INI file for Word for Windows version 2.0) redirecting the template directory).