Opening Word 2010 in the background 2

[colinmitton]

We have an issue with a couple of applications which do not open Word 2010 correctly (long story!). But if my users open word, close the active blank document (just leaving word sitting there doing nothing). When they use the apps to generate a document / letter it works fine.

However, if they accidentally close that instance of word it stops working and they have to do the whole open word, close the document routine to get working again!

So my question is, can Word open with no document active in the background like a service?

I've tried a google search and maybe my terminology is off but I can not find much... your thoughts please.

 

[fumei]

However, if they accidentally close that instance of word it stops working and they have to do the whole open word, close the document routine to get working again!"

I am not following this. If they close it, then it is closed. Of course it has to be opened again (it is closed).

Also, if they close it (accidentally or not), WHAT "stops working"??


unknown

 

[xlhelp]

If you go to Properties for Word and change the Target to:
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE??\WINWORD.EXE" /n

it should open without a Blank document. I put question marks since not sure about the Office version. You will need to look that up.



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[fumei]

That does open Word with no document, but I am not sure that is what the OP wants.

"So my question is, can Word open with no document active in the background like a service?"

/n does not open Word in the background like a service.



unknown

 

[colinmitton]

Thanks for the replies. I'm running office 2010 the applications in question are document production systems (ironically). Sadly they do not open word 2010 when you click on the button to generate the document. But if word is already running without a 'document' in it, the applications can generate the requested document. When I spoke with the developers they said it was to do with the way word can be 'called' from the apps for some reason its changed in 2010 and they are having to sort out patching it. But that's going to take a month or two.

My work around of having the instance running is okay until they close word by mistake . Hence the question if I could have it running in the background like a service that they can not turn off by mistake.

You'd have thought that the companies would check it correctly as they both said it wad fine working with 2010 but the guess it was going to be the sane as 2007! But they were wrong. I should never had trusted them....

 

[fumei]

I should never had trusted them.... "

Nope.

I see (I think). Their app is making a call to Word assuming there is an open instance. That seems rather shoddy programming. It is not difficult to test to see if there is a running instance.

I was not aware there is a difference between calling an instance between 2007 and 2010. Frankly, I doubt it. there may, however, be a different naming. Still, it is certainly their responsibility to test for an instance, regardless of how it is called.

"Hence the question if I could have it running in the background like a service that they can not turn off by mistake."

And unfortunately for you, the answer is no. I know of no way to make Word a callable instance that can NOT be turned off by the user. (Like a service...normally, although of course they can be turned off as well if the user has permission, and they hopefully do not!)


unknown

 

[colinmitton]

Thanks fumei, if not a service could I get it in the system tray? Or at least off the task bar (we run Windows 7). Just somewhere they can not close it easerly.

I'll also put word with /n on to there start up so the first one is in me

My poor users are panicked enough moving from 2003 to 2010 with out this hassle.

 

[fumei]

My poor users are panicked enough moving from 2003 to 2010 with out this hassle. "

Can't blame them really. I am no fan of 2007/2010. I think they ruined a perfectly good word processor.

I do not know how to get Word to start as you seem to want it to, but really, it takes an action to close it. Your users must DO something to close it. I have a hard time seeing an accidental closing. Perhaps an unintentional closing, yes.

Other than making an annoying "Are you sure?" message on Word closing, there is no much you can do.


unknown

 

[colinmitton]

Thanks for your thoughts, as well as word opening with /n at start up I've added a shortcut to do the same.

As for the Accidental / Unintentional closing of word. A lot of my users are used to clicking on the 'x' beneth the big red 'X' that was in Word 2003, that is not longer there in Word 2010. Hence the full closure of Word.

Still there getting used to it now. Thanks once more.

 

[xlhelp]

What you are looking for can be done. Here is a Link. Too much reading for me, still, I am not sure I would want to do that.

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[fumei]

1. that is VB.Net, not VBA

2. yes, you could use WithEvents and trap Close. This however, opens up a whole other can of worms as - if I understand correctly - the issue is across multiple users.


unknown

 

[strongm]

>1. that is VB.Net, not VBA

Ah, but this is the Office forum, not the VBA forum - and .NET is a legitimate platform for automating Office 2007 and 2010 ...

 

[fumei]

Oh...you are right. Ooops. I thought I was in VBA. me bad.


unknown

 

[cmeagan656]

A lot of my users are used to clicking on the 'x' beneth the big red 'X' that was in Word 2003,...

If you do not select the option to "Show all windows in the taskbar" (Office button ->Word Options ->Advanced tab - the option is under the "Display" section) then you will have the X to close the window show below the X to close Word.

If memory serves me correctly this was the same in Word 2003 but the difference was that Word 2003 defaulted to not having the option selected but Word 2007 defaults to having it selected.

Hope this helps.

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