Using any Building Block triggers warning message about changes to Building Blocks.dotx Page Numbers, Cover Page, Header, Footer, Text Box

Anonymous
2019-10-30T21:05:40+00:00

I have a template that uses a custom TOC, custom headers/footers, custom cover pages, custom AutoText that's used for Building Block Gallery content controls, etc. All these elements are saved as building blocks in the template file itself, not in Building Blocks. However, after I, and also other users, interact with any of these elements either in the template itself or in a Word document generated from it, we now receive the following warning message when we close Word:

This issue seems to be linked especially to selection of a different option in Building Block Gallery content controls. Even just looking at, but not changing, a control's properties from the Developer tab is enough to cause this warning to appear.

We've used the same template for several years now and never received this warning message until recently. I've double-checked all the custom building blocks in the Building Blocks Organizer dialog box, and they're all definitely saved in the template file itself. Has something changed in the way that Word handles building blocks, AutoText, and/or Building Block Gallery content controls? How do I need to update my template to prevent this warning message from appearing?

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* EDIT BY MODERATOR (CHARLES KENYON) TO ADD INFORMATION ABOUT SCOPE OF PROBLEM 26 DEC 2019

This is a lengthy thread. To summarize:

**This warning will appear, without any changes to the Building Blocks.dotx file, whenever the user accesses a building block contained in that file or uses the Quick Parts menu.**An analysis by MVP Greg Maxey shows that these actions load the file and when it is loaded, even though not changed, its saved status is changed to unsaved. That is what triggers the warning.

This applies to Windows versions 1908-1912 of Word 2016-2019/365. It does not happen with Word 2010/2013.

* EDIT BY MODERATOR (CHARLES KENYON)  1/15/2020

It appears this is being fixed. Release 2001 (Insider Monthly) does not have the problem.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Anonymous
2019-11-06T12:59:54+00:00

Hi,

Sorry for the inconvenience caused by this issue, I have reproduced the issue in my tests following the steps from Charles, and I found the problem occurs only in Version 1910. So as a current workaround, I suggest you revert back to version 1909 or older, and here's the reference:

How to revert to an earlier version of Office 2016 Click-to-Run

In the meantime, you could click File->Feedback to let PG notice this strange behavior.

I would do more tests on the insider channel, and thank you for your understanding and patience.

Have a nice day.

Best Regards,

Oliver

*EDITED: This behavior appears in version 1911 and 1912 Insider Channel.

*EDITED by another moderator (Charles Kenyon) to add information. 26 Dec 2019

I have gotten impatient, like the person waiting for an elevator who keeps pushing the button.

I've added a suggestion to UserVoice and sent in my own feedback.

For anyone who wants to vote for the UserVoice suggestion, here is a link.

A workaround macro was suggested by Greg Maxey on December 26, 2019. It should be helpful. On my browser that shows up on page 5 of this thread.

End of CK Edit.

Edited by Charles Kenyon again (1/16/2020). Good news! Version 2001 (Insider Monhtly) appears to have fixed this. Still fixed in 2002.

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Anonymous
2019-12-26T17:03:12+00:00

Charles,

  It isn't inserting the DocProperty CC that triggers this warning.  What happens is when you click the "QuickParts" control on the Insert tab or any other BuildingBlock gallery (including BuidlingBlock Gallery content controls), the "Building Blocks.dotx" and "Built-In Building Blocks.dotx templates are loaded. You can see this a a brief pause (sometimes a circling cursor) as they load.

For proof, open Word from scratch and run this code.  You shouldn't see either Building Blocks or Built-In Building Blocks loaded.  Then simply click the "QuickParts" menu control without doing anything else.  Then run the code again.  You will see both are now loaded and the saved state of "Building Blocks.dotx" is set as false.  That is clearly the bug. 

Sub ScratchMacro()

'A basic Word macro coded by Greg Maxey

Dim oTmp As Template

  For Each oTmp In Templates

    Debug.Print oTmp.Name & " --- " & oTmp.Saved

  Next

lbl_Exit:

  Exit Sub

End Sub

Like I said, I typically use Word 2010 but now that I know about this issue, I've handled it by adding an AutoClose macro to my Normal.dotm. I figure if I make a change to Building Blocks.dotx then I would want it saved so rather than be asked if I want to save it whether I changed it or not, I just make sure it is saved when closing Word and not worry about it :-)

Sub AutoClose()

Dim oTmp As Template

  For Each oTmp In Templates

    If oTmp.Name = "Building Blocks.dotx" Then

      oTmp.Save

      Exit For

    End If

  Next

lbl_Exit:

  Exit Sub

End Sub

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  3. Charles Kenyon 171.2K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2019-11-24T19:13:58+00:00

    Your note got me to run another test to see what happens if a BB is accessed without accessing the Building Blocks.dotx template at all.

    When using AutoComplete to insert an AutoText entry stored in a different template, the warning was not triggered, so you are correct about accessing the Building Blocks.dotx file changes the saved property.

    Accessing the Quick Parts menu produces the warning without accessing either AutoText or the Building Blocks Organizer.

    OFF TOPIC: By the way, this AT is not stored in the normal template but a different global. It has been my experience beginning with Word 2013 that AutoComplete works for building blocks stored in any loaded template / or the attached template.

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