Answering Vicki’s questions…
Welcome to the confusing world of Word 2007, Vicky. Assuming I’ve correctly understood your questions, here are some answers.
>>How do I open Word 2007?
Lots of ways. Click the Start button - All Programs - Microsoft Office - Word 2007.
Or, open Windows Explorer, navigate to the file(s) you want to open, and double-click on it/them. If Word 2007 isn’t opening automatically when you do that, then it’s likely that it a) wasn’t installed, or b) wasn’t installed correctly. You might need to take your computer back to whomever installed Office 2007 and find out why it appears not to be there.
>>And two: How can I convert a Word 2003 document stored in my virtual course (showing up as :Imported Resource 330675200630 and the course and the exercise and .doc)?
Convert it to what? Assuming Word 2007 is actually installed, it can open and work with Word 2003 file without any problems. Do you want to convert it to .pdf as the later part of your question implies? If so, then you don’t need DocSmartz PDF converter. Instead, download Microsoft’s free XPS/PDF add-on for Office 2007 and do the conversion from Word 2007:
Once you’ve installed it, open the file you want to convert. Then, in Word, click the Office button (big round button in the upper left corner that is the new equivalent of the File menu), choose Save as - PFD or XPS, and the rest should be intuitive.
>>So I need to be able to also (convert an open office doc format) into a Word 2007 and Word 2003, both ways I guess you’d say.
For converting to a different format, just click Office - Save As.
No Mother’s Day in 2008?
I was seeing Mother’s Day ads in various places, and this started me wondering when exactly Mother’s Day was going to be. “No problem,” I told myself. “Outlook will know.” Except… Outlook didn’t know. It’s probably because I’ve been bringing along my existing .pst file each time I move to a new version of Outlook. So, for all Outlook knew, Mother’s Day and all other holidays cease to exist on January 1, 2008.
In any case, I decided to add the new holidays. But, I knew from experience that when you do that, you usually end up with two of each. Sure, two Christmases are nice. But, two Groundhog days are a bit too much. So, step 1 when adding new holidays is to deep six the old ones. I put my Outlook calendar into Event view so that just the holidays would show up.
Then, I deleted all of the existing holidays. Finally, I chose Tool > Options > Calendar Options > Add Holidays. Since I live in the U.S., that’s the set I chose, and clicked OK.
Now I know that Mother’s Day is happening on May 11th. Whew! Still time!
Zoom Problem
I’m not exactly sure why, but many of us have problems using Ctrl+Wheel to zoom to increase the size of text in Word (Word 2007 especially, but also in Word 2003) in Vista. I recall having a problem with zooming Word 2007 in Windows XP as well, but not in Word 2003. One of these days, I’ll fire up an old XP computer and see if my memory is correct.
Those of us who experience the problem find that in order to zoom in Word, you have to twirl the mouse wheel really fast. The problem also occurs in Outlook message and Notes areas (not Outlook note items, but in the notes area within Outlook items such as Contacts, Journal, and Task entries).
I don’t know if the problem is specifically IntelliPoint related, but when I remove IntelliPoint (using version 6.2 with a Microsoft Natural Wireless Mouse 6000), the problem does not relent. Nor does it relent when using different kinds of wireless Microsoft laser Mice.
When I connect the no-name mouse that came with my computer, oddly enough, Ctrl+Wheel in Word and Outlook work perfectly. So, it’s clearly some kind of problem with wireless Microsoft laser mice. I don’t have any old optical or ball-based Microsoft mice lying about (I’ve given them away to family members with mouse problems), so I can’t fully test the extent of the problem.
In any event, one purpose of this blog entry is for those of you who are also having this problem: you are not alone. As nearly as I can tell, the problem is due to how Word and certain Microsoft mice “talk” to each other. I’d be interested in knowing if other enhanced mice (such as those from LogiTech) exhibit the same zoom problem.
So, if the issue could be resolved simply by switching to the mouse that came with this computer, then why don’t I? First, I’m addicted to the programmable buttons on my Microsoft mice, and have programmed them to do nifty things, like closing windows/applications, going back/forward in browsers, etc. The mouse that came with my computer doesn’t have extra buttons. Furthermore, it doesn’t have a tilt wheel function for horizontal scrolling either.
So, I remain in search of a solution. I tried X-mouse, but that while it solved the zooming problem, it introduced a number of other problem, so I ultimately retreated back to IntelliPoint.
Mind you, there are other ways to zoom in Word, but they are either too clunky (too many steps) or require too much manual precision. One, for example, is to click the – and + on the zoom slider on Word’s status bar. I’m a bit of a klutz, however, I and keep misfiring, clicking along the line rather than hitting the – and + tools.
In the meantime, I’ve found myself a macro-based keyboard shortcut for zooming that takes a lot of the edge off. I’ve also added tools for the macros, placing them onto the Quick Access Toolbar for zooming that requires less precision-clicking. I’m implemented a similar solution (toolbar only) in Outlook, since Ctrl+Wheel doesn’t cooperate there either.
The macros are quite simple:
Sub ZoomIn()
On Error Resume Next
With ActiveWindow.ActivePane.View
.Zoom.Percentage = .Zoom.Percentage + 5
End With
End Sub
And:
Sub ZoomIn()
On Error Resume Next
With ActiveWindow.ActivePane.View
.Zoom.Percentage = .Zoom.Percentage - 5
End With
End Sub
I assigned ZoomIn and ZoomOut to Ctrl+Alt+< and Ctrl+Alt+>, respectively. Note that I’ve set the zoom granularity to 5. The default for the – and + buttons is 10—it’s also that for Ctrl+Wheel, when it works. But, I preferred a little more granularity. I tried 1, but it was a bit too slow. I’ve also put zoom arrow onto the QAT for easy mouse access when the mouse is near the top of the screen.
Editing Previously Posted Blog Entries
When I wrote the Word 2007 Bible, there were some features that weren’t working quite right for me yet, so I could not write about them in detail. One was the Open Existing tool, shown at the right.
If you use Word 2007 for blogging—and I do—have you ever posted something and then noticed an error in it? I have. If the blog entry is still open in Word, you can immediately fix the error and then click Publish. The existing entry will be replaced rather than duplicated.
But, what about after you’ve closed the entry? It might be weeks or months later. Or, a picture you linked to has disappeared, and has been replaced by an ugly X or some other nasty indicator that there’s an unwanted gap. Many users then resort to using their blog’s web interface to do the repairs. But, it might not necessary. Thanks to the Open Existing tool, you might be able to edit your previously posted blog entries!
Why do I say might? I say it because what works for me, might not work for you. It wasn’t working for me a year ago, and unless you’re using WordPress 2.5 or later, it might not be working for you, now. But, it’s worth a try.
To access the Open Existing tool, you need to be in blog mode. So, click on Office button > Publish > Blog.
Tip: Right-click on Blog and choose Add to Quick Access Toolbar for quicker access to the Blog command.
Now that you’re in blog mode, click the Open Existing tool. Word will begin with the default blog and make a list of entries. Note that these are not stored locally on your hard drive—they are stored on your blog’s server. If you have multiple accounts, use the Account dropdown, if necessary, to choose the desired blog.
From the list of posts, click on the one you want to edit, and click OK. Word will load the entry from your published blog so that you can edit it. Make your changes, then click Publish.
The bad news, alas, is that you cannot delete a blog entry using Word’s interface (at least not that I’ve been able to discover—please let me know if I’ve overlooked something). You’ll need to use your blog’s web interface to do that.
Categories
While you’re here, you might see something you haven’t seen before—the Category tool. Depending on how your blog is hosted, you should be able to choose the desired category from a list of existing categories. You also might be able to create new categories. I use WordPress 2.5, hosted by Lunarpages (a wonderfully affordable web and email provider, by the way—if you choose them, please tell them that Herb sent you).
Using this implementation of WordPress, I can apply an existing category, but only one. I cannot create a new category. If I type a new category name, it is ignored. But, it is cool to at least be able to set the category. Since I use just a single category for most of my posts, this feature usually saves me a trip to the web interface. But, as they say, YMMV.
Oops! Thanks, Alan Gorski!
On page 718 of the Word 2007 Bible, I incorrectly stated that the default location for changes to the QAT is Normal.dotm. If you read that and believed it, then you might’ve scratched your head ponderously if you ever deleted or renamed Normal.dotm (which is often done to try to resolve problems). That’s because when you delete or rename Normal.dotm, your custom QAT is not affected.
The reason, pointed out by reader Alan Gorski, is that changes to the default QAT are NOT stored in Normal.dot. Instead, they are stored in WORD.QAT. If you use Vista, the default location is C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office. In Windows XP, it’s C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Office.
You can save QAT changes to Normal.dotm by editing it, then setting it as the storage location when customizing the QAT, as shown here:
This is basically pointless, however, since anything you add just to Normal.dotm will then be appended to the usual QAT. This is true not only when Normal.dotm is being edited directly, but when any other document (regardless of the underlying template) is being edited, as well.
Icons changed in Windows Explorer, Desktop, and Taskbar… in Vista
All of a sudden, a number of my icons changed from their specific normal Vista icons to a generic Windows 2000 icon. This happened to icons on the Desktop, in Windows Explorer, and in Windows’ Taskbar (including Quick Launch and the display of open programs).
I tried several things — including restoring to an earlier point from the same day. Nothing worked to fix the problem, until… I Googled about it and came up with this link:
Don Varnau, an IE MS MVP, posted a solution that worked for me. I eliminated a step to avoid confusion:
Right-click the desktop and choose Personalize®Tasks (left side)®Change desktop icons®Restore default. When you click Personalize, the Personalization section of the Control Panel opens. Click on Change desktop icons to display the Desktop Icon Settings dialog. Finally, click Restore Default.
And, presto! I’m back in business.
Windows Mail main window font too small in Vista?
Do you find the default font in Windows Mail’s main window (see below — shown after resizing to 12 points) too tiny to read? What? You say the default 9 points isn’t big enough? It’s not big enough for me, either.
Fortunately, it’s not cast in stone. It’s controlled by Icon text size, accessible in Windows’ Appearance Settings.
To change it, right-click on Vista’s desktop and choose Personalize. In the Personalization settings, click on Window Color and Appearance. From there, click on the link to Open classic appearance properties for more color options. Then click on the Advanced button to display the Advanced Appearance dialog box, shown below.
Click the dropdown arrow next to Item, and choose Icon. Set the Font: Size: control to the desired font size, then click OK. Back in Appearance Settings, click either on OK or Apply (the latter if you think you might want to experiment a little before settling).
This setting will also make any text on the desktop itself larger, as well. Now, for me personally, that’s that a bad thing, but you might want to experiment with Item Size: if the larger text results in text being clipped on the desktop or in other place controlled by the Icon Font Size setting.
Outlook 2007, Vista, Firefox, and General Failure
Should we salute General Failure?
For some reason, over the past few days, many Firefox users have encountered the General Failure error message when clicking links in Outlook. I haven’t yet tracked down the why in each case (one why occurs when you install the beta of Firefox 3, then remove it and revert to a still-installed Firefox 2.x), but several solutions seem to be floating around:
- Remove and reinstall Firefox;
- Change the default browser to Internet Explorer, then change it back to Firefox;
- Delete the (Default) REG_SZ registry value found at:HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\FirefoxURL\shell\open\ddeexec
i.e., replace what’s stored for (Default) with nothing; double-click (Default), select and delete what’s stored for Value data.
Caveat: editing the registry incorrectly can result in your computer not working anymore. It also is a major cause of global warming. Edit the registry at your own risk.
Shortcut for copying DRM files to my SmartPhone
I made an interesting discovery about my Samsung SCH-I760 today. I download books from my local library. For the most part, they are DRMed. So, I can’t just copy them to my SCH-I760’s MicroSD. Well, I can. Remove the MicroSD card from the phone, plug it directly into my computer, and it shows up as another drive, and just drag the files over—very simple. But, when I do that, they aren’t played because the license hasn’t been properly transferred.
So, the only way to play them on the I760 is if I transfer them using WMP or Overdrive Media Console, while the I760 is tethered. There are two problems with that, however. First, it takes a long time. A file that takes only a second to copy to the MicroSD takes over a minute while tethered. This brings up the second problem: the I760 is very rude, and turns its back in the middle of a conversation. That’s right. It simply disconnects. That means I have to keep tapping the screen periodically during a transfer, or it times out with an ugly error message: 0×80072746.
But, I discovered a solution. If I transfer just the first part of book (there usually are anywhere from 5 to 30 distinct parts) using WMP or Overdrive, that’s sufficient to transfer the license. Once that’s done, I can then remove the MicroSD from the phone and copy the remaining parts much more expeditiously, and they play just fine.
I suspect that this will work with other DRM devices as well… but I don’t have any, so I can’t check it out. I prefer my Sansa C140’s behavior, since it’s not DRMed. Once I put a book onto it, it doesn’t expire. But, that then means taking along two devices. That’s okay sometimes, but other times, I really would prefer the seamless way that, when a phone call comes in, the I760 just stops, I push a button, complete the call, and the I760 resumes automatically. That’s much easier than having to grapple with the C140 to pause it, then grapple with the phone. All in all, having it integrated is much nicer.
Adding your links/shortcuts to the Favorite Links area
If you use Office 2007 in Vista, you’ll notice that the Places bar has been replaced by a mini version of Windows Explorer. At first, this might be upsetting. But, I’ve found it to be more flexible than Windows XP’s Places bar. First, you can add your own shortcuts by dragging. Second, shortcuts you add are accessible throughout Windows Explorer, not just in Office.
You can add your own shortcuts/links to the Favorite Links area. Navigate so that the target folder is shown at the right. Shown here, I’m dragging Startup into the Favorite links area. Though I’m doing this from Word, the newly created link will show up in all Office dialogs, as well as in Windows Explorer and all other applications that use Vista’s approach to file dialogs (not many at present, but the number is growing).
If all you see on the left is the Folders area, click on the Folders title bar to divide the area into Favorite Links and Folders. You can also hover your mouse at the top edge of the Folders bar and drag up or down to change the relative allocations of vertical real estate for the Favorite Links and Folders areas.