Word 2007 - document template (.dot) on network share is being saved locally

Word 2007 - document template (.dot) on network share is being saved locally - why ?

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bigdaddy@mailinator.com - 09 Jul 2007 22:30 GMT

Hi,
I have a complex .DOT template used to create Word documents with a
large amount of database interaction. The template resides on a
network share and is referenced via fully qualified UNC name.

Long story short, we found that under Word 2003 we had to have
the .dot file set to "read only", or else it would be saved local to
whichever user saved it (C:\document and settings\user\local settings
\temporary internet files\content.mso). This would then cause a
"MISSING REFERENCE" for the next user to touch the document, which
would prevent them from saving the document - producing either the
"out of disk" or "missing file" error messages. Again, the solution
was to simply set the .dot file to read only, and this resolved the
problem every time.

However, under Word 2007 that fix doesn't work. I've got the .dot
file set to read only, but regardless, every time I edit a document
and save, it saves the reference to the locally saved .dot file, which
prevents any other user from accessing it.

Is there any workaround for this? How does Word determine a .DOT file
needs to be saved locally?

Thanks in advance

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bigdaddy@mailinator.com - 09 Jul 2007 22:45 GMT

Here's a little more detail

1. Create document using template (this is done via a VBA in excel,
using a template on a network share: \\server\design
\gdd_template.dot )

2. The macros work fine. User can save and close the document.

3. When another user opens the document it will have a MISSING
REFERENCE, because the gdd_template.dot file was saved local to the
first user, for example

c:\documents and settings\username1\local settings\temporary internet
files\content.mso\dc22a190.dot

Obviously, the 2nd user isn't going to have the above file on their C:
drive, so the error they encounter is something nonsensical : "The
save failed due to out of memory or disk space". This isn't true,
it's a very misleading message (this is a well documented word
problem). If I hit Alt-F11 and click "Tools" -> "References" , sure
enough there is a missing reference: MISSING: DC22A190.dot

Removing the missing reference and re-saving fixes the problem.
However, I can't expect the users to do that every time they save a
document. Back in the word 2003 days, simply ensuring the
gdd_template.dot file was read only prevented any of this from
happening.

The .dot file is in a trusted location on the network.

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