I've created a newspaper column-style template and saved it accordingly.
I would like to be able to start a new document based on this template
but I have not discovered how to do this in MSWord 2003. The templates I
do see are the canned ones supplied with the program or those provided
on the MS site.

A. How can I do this?
B. Is there a way to produce a custom button "New from Template" that I
can then place on a toolbar?

Oh yes, there another issue: when I use a background color on a document
and print to PDF, the background color disappears. Suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

If you have actually saved this as a template (.dot file), then, unless you
explicitly saved it in another folder, it will be in the root user templates
folder and will be displayed on the General tab of the File New dialog. In
Word 2003, unless you customize the UI, you have to access this via
Templates: On my computer... in the New Document task pane.

To streamline access to the New dialog, select the FileNewDialog command
from the All Commands list on the Commands tab of the Tools | Customize
dialog. Drag it to a toolbar, where it will be identified with the text
Other... You can substitute the New icon or any other icon you like. For
more on this, see
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customizat...oToToolbar.htm and
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/MacrosVBA/...uttonFaces.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.

"Cary" wrote in message
...
I've created a newspaper column-style template and saved it accordingly.
I would like to be able to start a new document based on this template
but I have not discovered how to do this in MSWord 2003. The templates I
do see are the canned ones supplied with the program or those provided
on the MS site.

A. How can I do this?
B. Is there a way to produce a custom button "New from Template" that I
can then place on a toolbar?

Oh yes, there another issue: when I use a background color on a document
and print to PDF, the background color disappears. Suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

First, read Suzanne's response and the links she provided. If you've saved
your template as a template (Save As under the File menu) you will be able
to use it. For more on the different kinds of templates, tabs on the file
new dialog, and locations of templates folders see
http://addbalance.com/usersguide/templates.htm.
--

Charles Kenyon

Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word

Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of
Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide

See also the MVP FAQ: http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/ which is awesome!
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn
from my ignorance and your wisdom.

"Cary" wrote in message
...
I've created a newspaper column-style template and saved it accordingly.
I would like to be able to start a new document based on this template but
I have not discovered how to do this in MSWord 2003. The templates I do
see are the canned ones supplied with the program or those provided on the
MS site.

A. How can I do this?
B. Is there a way to produce a custom button "New from Template" that I
can then place on a toolbar?

Oh yes, there another issue: when I use a background color on a document
and print to PDF, the background color disappears. Suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

Brilliant! Thanks!

Suzanne S. Barnhill wrote:
If you have actually saved this as a template (.dot file), then, unless you
explicitly saved it in another folder, it will be in the root user templates
folder and will be displayed on the General tab of the File New dialog. In
Word 2003, unless you customize the UI, you have to access this via
Templates: On my computer... in the New Document task pane.

To streamline access to the New dialog, select the FileNewDialog command
from the All Commands list on the Commands tab of the Tools | Customize
dialog. Drag it to a toolbar, where it will be identified with the text
Other... You can substitute the New icon or any other icon you like. For
more on this, see
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customizat...oToToolbar.htm and
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/MacrosVBA/...uttonFaces.htm

I know that I'm getting greedy: is there a way of moving my template
"newspaper.dot" on to the toolbar?

Suzanne S. Barnhill wrote:
If you have actually saved this as a template (.dot file), then, unless you
explicitly saved it in another folder, it will be in the root user templates
folder and will be displayed on the General tab of the File New dialog. In
Word 2003, unless you customize the UI, you have to access this via
Templates: On my computer... in the New Document task pane.

To streamline access to the New dialog, select the FileNewDialog command
from the All Commands list on the Commands tab of the Tools | Customize
dialog. Drag it to a toolbar, where it will be identified with the text
Other... You can substitute the New icon or any other icon you like. For
more on this, see
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customizat...oToToolbar.htm and
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/MacrosVBA/...uttonFaces.htm

http://addbalance.com/word/templatesmenu.htm While written about menus, a
menu command is just a toolbar button positioned on a menu.
--
Charles Kenyon

Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word

Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of
Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide

See also the MVP FAQ: http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/ which is awesome!

My criminal defense site: http://addbalance.com
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn
from my ignorance and your wisdom.


"Cary" wrote in message
...
I know that I'm getting greedy: is there a way of moving my template
"newspaper.dot" on to the toolbar?

Suzanne S. Barnhill wrote:
If you have actually saved this as a template (.dot file), then, unless
you
explicitly saved it in another folder, it will be in the root user
templates
folder and will be displayed on the General tab of the File New dialog.
In
Word 2003, unless you customize the UI, you have to access this via
Templates: On my computer... in the New Document task pane.

To streamline access to the New dialog, select the FileNewDialog command
from the All Commands list on the Commands tab of the Tools | Customize
dialog. Drag it to a toolbar, where it will be identified with the text
Other... You can substitute the New icon or any other icon you like. For
more on this, see
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customizat...oToToolbar.htm and
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/MacrosVBA/...uttonFaces.htm