WD97: Attached Template Changes to Normal After Saving Document

• Microsoft Word 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

When you save a document in a file format other than "Word Document (*.doc)," the document may lose its association with the template it was created from. When you reopen the document, it may be attached to the global template (Normal.dot).

NOTE: This problem occurs with documents that are created from any template other than Normal.dot.

CAUSE

This behavior is by design. When you save your document in a different format, for example "Text Only (*.txt)," the document is saved as text, but this format is still based on the Word 97 template (Normal.dot).

MORE INFORMATION

The following table lists whether the attached template for your document stays the same or is changed to Normal.dot when you reopen your document, after you save it in a different format.

   Save as type                                      Attached template
   --------------------------------------------------------------------

   Word Document (*.doc)                             Same
   Text Only (*.txt)                                 Normal.dot
   Text Only with Line Breaks (*.txt)                Normal.dot
   MS-DOS Text (*.txt)                               Normal.dot
   MS-DOS Text with Line Breaks (*.txt)              Normal.dot
   Rich Text Format (*.rtf)                          Same
   Unicode Text (*.txt)                              Normal.dot
   MS-DOS Text with Layout (*.asc)                   Normal.dot
   Text with Layout (*.ans)                          Normal.dot
   Windows Write (*.wri)                             Normal.dot
   Windows Write (*.wri)                             Normal.dot
   Word 3.x-5.x for MS-DOS (*.doc)                   Normal.dot
   Word 6.0 for MS-DOS (*.doc)                       Normal.dot
   RFT-DCA (*.rft)                                   Normal.dot
   WordStar 7.0 (*.ws7)                              Normal.dot
   WordStar 4.0 (*.ws4)                              Normal.dot
   Ami Pro 3.0 (*.sam)                               Normal.dot
   Word 2.x for Windows (*.doc)                      Same
   Word 4.0 for Macintosh (*.mcw)                    Normal.dot
   Word 5.0 for Macintosh (*.mcw)                    Normal.dot
   Word 5.1 for Macintosh (*.mcw)                    Normal.dot
   Word 6.0/95 (*.doc) (See Note 1 below)            Same
   Word 6.0/95 (*.doc) (See Note 2 below)            Normal.dot
   WordPerfect 5.0 (*.doc)                           Normal.dot
   WordPerfect 5.1 for DOS (*.doc)                   Normal.dot
   WordPerfect 5.x for Windows (*.doc)               Normal.dot
   WordPerfect 5.1 or 5.2 Secondary File (*.doc)     Normal.dot
   WordPerfect 5.0 Secondary File (*.doc)            Normal.dot
   Works 3.0 for Windows (*.wps)                     Normal.dot
   Works 4.0 for Windows (*.wps)                     Normal.dot
   HTML Document (*.html; *.htm; *.htx)              Same

Note 2: This "Word 6.0/95 (*.doc)" converter is the one that shipped with Microsoft Word 97 SR-1. This converter saves your document in the native (binary) Word 6.0/95 format, which is different than the format Word 97 uses.

For additional information, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q143480
   TITLE     : WD97: Updated Word 6.0/95 Export Converter Available

   ARTICLE-ID: Q172527
   TITLE     : WD97: How to Obtain Word 97 for Windows, Service Release 1

   ARTICLE-ID: Q157092
   TITLE     : WD97: Supplemental Text Converters Available for Word 97