A MS Office question or perhaps suggestion.

[johnaries]

I just got a new laptop at work, and they replaced Windows 7 with XP (which really doesn't break my heart), but I also got upgraded to Office 2007. Now, I really like some of the changes they made to the tool-bar. It took some "getting used to" but it really is easier and quicker in so many ways.

BUT, everytime I want to create a new Word, Excel, Powerpoint document or a new Access database, I;e got to go through these new "template" "clippy-like" "can I help you?" pages that slow me down. I KNOW how to use these programs, can I just open a blank doc? Often I open an old doc just to start a new, because it seems faster that way.

Does someone know a way to bypass that "can I help you" screen, or at least some feedback forum that MS actually listens to so I can complain? Or am I just making a mountain out of a molehill?

Thanks in advance!

[LiberalFighter]

1. Control N

[johnaries]

6. When? After I launch the app?

Oh, and Thanks! :hi:

[LiberalFighter]

13. Yes. After you open the app and anytime you want to create a New document.

Usually, it is when you have a document already created or open.

[Born_A_Truman]

2. I shut it off on mine ...

Sorry, don't remember how I did it though ...

[Greyhound]

3. Compatibility is still a big issue with 2007.

http://download.openoffice.org/other.html?info=EXLINK

As usual M$ refuses to comply with any standards.

[johnaries]

7. Oh, yes, I've run into several compatablity issues.

For one, I use an older WebHelp app to create online reference amterial. It used to love Word, but now I have to save all Word docs as HTML before i can import. Also, Access still won't import Excel 2007 docs, I have to save them as 2003. WTF? The new Access won't even import the new Excel that is part of the same package? What's up with that? :shrug:

[HCE SuiGeneris]

8. I save as .doc or .xls, as opposed to the .docx and .xlsx extensions in '07

This helps with compatibility for older systems/programs.

[johnaries]

10. For some reason, my webhelp program doesn't even recognize

the .doc format, even though it's "supposed" to be 2003 compatible. But my life seems to be all workarounds - at least the .HTM option works, and since the final product will be .htm anyway, it's all good. ;)

[ProudDad]

16. "As usual M$ refuses to comply with any standards."

ESPECIALLY their own!

I hated 2007, went back to 2000 and installed a convertor that automatically works with 2007 docs:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word-help/open-a-word-2007-document-in-an-earlier-version-of-word-HA010044473.aspx


Microsoft is institutionally incapable of NOT fucking up each new release of software. It's in their DNA...

[Renew Deal]

20. You just need to download the "player"

And if you're not an a Windows PC, too bad. Join the majority. :D

[The Straight Story]

4. Get open office :) And PS just in case you have this power point problem in the future:

You open up a presentation and things are jumbled - add a better printer driver. Weird I know, but PPT uses the printer driver (at least in 2007) for rendering (I just solved that problem for a teacher last week, worked like a charm after she installed a printer driver).

It is a fairly well known issue with 2007 and a google search on ppt 2007 printer driver should bring up some decent hits.

[johnaries]

9. Open Office isn't really a good option where I work.

I use it at home, but it's actually easier to use the wonky MS Office where I work, all things considered.

I use a network printer at work, and haven't run into the problem you mentioned. I'll keep an eye out, though! That is pretty wierd, though, and not very smart on MS's part. Thanks!

[barbtries]

5. control n

i saw that above just as i clicked reply, so i second it.

[matt819]

11. But does control n permanently disable that feature?

I could have sworn the MS set that idiotic feature to default off from 2007 onward. You're right. The ribbon takes some getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, it really does make things easier. Probably still more cumbersome than it could be, but I don't mind it.

As for open office, I downloaded that after I had a computer crash earlier this year and no longer had the MS Office 2007 download file. It's perfectly fine, but it's amazing how much it slowed me down. I'm in word and excel all the time, and I just got so used to where everything was that I simply didn't want to relearn everything. It is costly, no question, but I'm still more fluent and fluid in Office than I think I could ever be in Open Office.

Also, why would your workplace go back to Vista from Windows 7?

[ProudDad]

17. They went to XP, not Vista

Vista is SHIT -- nobody in their right mind would voluntarily go to Vista from ANYTHING

Windows 7 is ok but it has numerous compatibility problems with older software - like it doesn't run right. I only have it on my high end video processing ONLY machine...

I couldn't even get my copy of Wavelab 4.0 (a high end digital audio program) to install on Windows 7 -- case in point...

If one has a lot of older software they must continue to run, it's better to stay at XP...

[immoderate]

12. The Quick access Tool Bar is on the Title Bar near the Office Button.

There is a drop-down menu on the right end. You can add standard buttons from there, including a "quick" New.

Farther down on that menu, you will find, "More Commands..." Check that out too.

--imm

[dionysus]

14. mine has "create a blank document" as an option. but i find it annoying too.

[ManiacJoe]

15. Sounds like your molehill.

From the menu, "new" brings up the "new document" dialog. It defaults to "create new blank". Hit the "create" button or just press "enter".

Or, as already pointed out, ctrl-n can be used to bypass the dialog box.

[scarletwoman]

18. All our work computers were switched to Office 2007 several months ago.

I immediately created a shortcut on the bottom toolbar(?) (not sure if that's the correct name for it) where I can click on which program I want to open -- i.e. Excel, Word, Publisher, Power Point.

When I click on whichever one I want, it automatically opens as a blank.

I'm sorry that I can't remember exactly what I did to set this up, only that it was no big deal. I think it was just a matter of sliding the icon for each program down to that lower "toolbar" thingy.

I'm on my home computer which doesn't have Office 2007, so I can't recreate the steps from here.

sw

[immoderate]

19. I think you modified the Task Bar.

That's part of Windows 7 (probably.) The Quick Access Toolbar in Office is at the top. It has a drop down menu for adding command buttons.

--imm

[scarletwoman]

21. Thank you, task bar is correct.

I just couldn't for the life of me think of what it's called when I wrote my post. I'm a totally self-taught computer user -- I know how to do lots of stuff, I just don't know how to name the elements in the process. :P

[immoderate]

22. And that's not unusual.

I do instruction in computer applications. It's not unusual for people to not know how to name features in an app, (especially if they learn it from their kids.)

And while features don't change much between versions, Microsoft changes the names for things between versions. :hi:

--imm