My page default has changed to 2 columns in Word 2003 and I can't get it to
change back to 1. I have to go in and change each individual new document I
start! Somebody suggested I go into Options - General - (deselect) Allow
Starting in Reading Layout but it didn't change.

Start Word and click on Tools | Options | File Locations. The
folder designated for "User Templates" will be where your
normal.dot template is located. Normal.dot is a hidden file in
Word 2002 and 2003. Open the normal.dot file. Click on Format |
Columns | One | Apply to: Whole document | OK. Type a character
or two and delete what you just typed. Save the normal.dot file
and close it.

Les D. wrote:

My page default has changed to 2 columns in Word 2003 and I can't get it to
change back to 1. I have to go in and change each individual new document I
start! Somebody suggested I go into Options - General - (deselect) Allow
Starting in Reading Layout but it didn't change.

I got as far as the "User Templates", but there isn't a file in there. It
reads: C:\...\Microsoft\Templates, however, when I double click on the file
or try "modify", nothing shows up. Sorry to be so technically challenged but
I can't find the normal.dot file.

"garfield-n-odie" wrote:

Start Word and click on Tools | Options | File Locations. The
folder designated for "User Templates" will be where your
normal.dot template is located. Normal.dot is a hidden file in
Word 2002 and 2003. Open the normal.dot file. Click on Format |
Columns | One | Apply to: Whole document | OK. Type a character
or two and delete what you just typed. Save the normal.dot file
and close it.

Les D. wrote:

My page default has changed to 2 columns in Word 2003 and I can't get it to
change back to 1. I have to go in and change each individual new document I
start! Somebody suggested I go into Options - General - (deselect) Allow
Starting in Reading Layout but it didn't change.

As mentioned, normal.dot is a hidden file in Word 2002 and 2003.
Normal.dot is a hidden file. Normal.dot is a hidden file.
Normal.dot is a hidden file. Normal.dot is a hidden file.
Normal.dot is a hidden file. Normal.dot is a hidden file.
Normal.dot is a hidden file. Normal.dot is a hidden file.
Normal.dot is a hidden file. Normal.dot is a hidden file. To
display hidden files, start Windows Explorer and click on Tools |
Folder Options | View tab | turn on the "Show hidden files and
folders" radio button | OK.

Les D. wrote:

I got as far as the "User Templates", but there isn't a file in there. It
reads: C:\...\Microsoft\Templates, however, when I double click on the file
or try "modify", nothing shows up. Sorry to be so technically challenged but
I can't find the normal.dot file.

"garfield-n-odie" wrote:


Start Word and click on Tools | Options | File Locations. The
folder designated for "User Templates" will be where your
normal.dot template is located. Normal.dot is a hidden file in
Word 2002 and 2003. Open the normal.dot file. Click on Format |
Columns | One | Apply to: Whole document | OK. Type a character
or two and delete what you just typed. Save the normal.dot file
and close it.

Les D. wrote:


My page default has changed to 2 columns in Word 2003 and I can't get it to
change back to 1. I have to go in and change each individual new document I
start! Somebody suggested I go into Options - General - (deselect) Allow
Starting in Reading Layout but it didn't change.

You cannot open the normal.dot file by double-clicking on "User
Templates" or clicking on Modify. You should click on File |
Open, browse to the folder designated for user templates, select
the normal.dot file, and click on Open.

Les D. wrote:

I got as far as the "User Templates", but there isn't a file in there. It
reads: C:\...\Microsoft\Templates, however, when I double click on the file
or try "modify", nothing shows up. Sorry to be so technically challenged but
I can't find the normal.dot file.

"garfield-n-odie" wrote:


Start Word and click on Tools | Options | File Locations. The
folder designated for "User Templates" will be where your
normal.dot template is located. Normal.dot is a hidden file in
Word 2002 and 2003. Open the normal.dot file. Click on Format |
Columns | One | Apply to: Whole document | OK. Type a character
or two and delete what you just typed. Save the normal.dot file
and close it.

Les D. wrote:


My page default has changed to 2 columns in Word 2003 and I can't get it to
change back to 1. I have to go in and change each individual new document I
start! Somebody suggested I go into Options - General - (deselect) Allow
Starting in Reading Layout but it didn't change.

See http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/AppErrors/...ocNotBlank.htm

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

"Les D." Les wrote in message
...
My page default has changed to 2 columns in Word 2003 and I can't get it
to
change back to 1. I have to go in and change each individual new document
I
start! Somebody suggested I go into Options - General - (deselect) Allow
Starting in Reading Layout but it didn't change.

Ok ... I'm technically challenged, but I understood normal.dot is a hidden
file. I just didn't understand how to find it. I'll give this a shot.

Thanks.

"garfield-n-odie" wrote:

As mentioned, normal.dot is a hidden file in Word 2002 and 2003.
Normal.dot is a hidden file. Normal.dot is a hidden file.
Normal.dot is a hidden file. Normal.dot is a hidden file.
Normal.dot is a hidden file. Normal.dot is a hidden file.
Normal.dot is a hidden file. Normal.dot is a hidden file.
Normal.dot is a hidden file. Normal.dot is a hidden file. To
display hidden files, start Windows Explorer and click on Tools |
Folder Options | View tab | turn on the "Show hidden files and
folders" radio button | OK.

Les D. wrote:

I got as far as the "User Templates", but there isn't a file in there. It
reads: C:\...\Microsoft\Templates, however, when I double click on the file
or try "modify", nothing shows up. Sorry to be so technically challenged but
I can't find the normal.dot file.

"garfield-n-odie" wrote:


Start Word and click on Tools | Options | File Locations. The
folder designated for "User Templates" will be where your
normal.dot template is located. Normal.dot is a hidden file in
Word 2002 and 2003. Open the normal.dot file. Click on Format |
Columns | One | Apply to: Whole document | OK. Type a character
or two and delete what you just typed. Save the normal.dot file
and close it.

Les D. wrote:


My page default has changed to 2 columns in Word 2003 and I can't get it to
change back to 1. I have to go in and change each individual new document I
start! Somebody suggested I go into Options - General - (deselect) Allow
Starting in Reading Layout but it didn't change.

Problem solved. Thanks to all.
Note to Suzanne: Thanks for the link. Although I couldn't find normal.dot
the way you detailed, I understood what I needed to find, located it, and was
able to change it.

"Les D." wrote:

My page default has changed to 2 columns in Word 2003 and I can't get it to
change back to 1. I have to go in and change each individual new document I
start! Somebody suggested I go into Options - General - (deselect) Allow
Starting in Reading Layout but it didn't change.