0

I have the following problem. I try to save one Macro under the normal.dotm in Word. I open word > go to developer > go under macros > create > copy paste the macro as a Normal Module and click save. Upon clicking save I get the error message "This file is read only". Then it gives me the option to create an alternative normal.dotm, but if I want to overwrite my initial normal.dotm it says that it is already in use and that I cant do that.

Edit: The only ideas I have right now is that normal.dotm opens as read only for whatever reason. If so how do I detect that and how do I change that?

Any idea what is going on and what I could do to resolve this?

Improve this question
6
  • Change the Normal template Normal.dotm
    – R3uK
    Commented Mar 22, 2017 at 12:13
  • (didn't notice there was a link, just a second)
    – Noir
    Commented Mar 22, 2017 at 13:05
  • It's a link to Office documentation, click it! ;)
    – R3uK
    Commented Mar 22, 2017 at 13:06
  • I read the contents under the link, but I still don't see what (exactly) I have to do. Do you mean to just make any change to it or to modify it not to be read only (at this point I have already looked at normal.dotm (right click --> properties) and I see that the box "read only" is not ticked as such I cant imagine it is that. Unless I am missing something and one needs to change some property within the document not to be read only). At this point what I will test is to delete my normal.dotm and see if the word recreates a non read only version.
    – Noir
    Commented Mar 22, 2017 at 13:12
  • Do you open the Normal.dotm directly or not? Because if you open another document or just word, Normal will be locked for sure.
    – R3uK
    Commented Mar 22, 2017 at 13:24

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
0

The whole point is to open directly the file Normal.dotm, because it's the only way it isn't locked.

For Word 2010, 2013 and 2016 (from this link) :

  1. Go to C:\Users\<YOUR USER NAME>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates

  2. Open the Normal template (Normal.dotm)

  3. Make any changes that you want to the fonts, margins, spacing, and other settings. You can use the same commands and features that you use to change a document — but remember that any changes that you make to Normal.dotm will be applied to documents that you create in the future.

  4. When you have finished, click the File tab, and then click Save

Improve this answer
4
  • So what change do I have to make in order to make it not read only (sorry if I misunderstood your answerer as to what I have to do).
    – Noir
    Commented Mar 22, 2017 at 13:55
  • @Noir : Did you close all Words before opening directly the Normal.dotm?
    – R3uK
    Commented Mar 22, 2017 at 13:58
  • Even if I did so it did not work, as I was informed that another application is using it (although there should not have been any). As such I had to start the computer in safe mode.
    – Noir
    Commented Mar 22, 2017 at 14:09
  • @Noir : You could have check in the list of running apps (with Ctrl+Alt+Del) if there was a WINWORD.EXE left, or use Unlocker. Did you manage to make it work?
    – R3uK
    Commented Mar 22, 2017 at 14:18

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .