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Save
the current document in two locations add-in
for Word 2007 & 2010 |
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Originally conceived as part of the
Save Numbered Versions add in,
it was suggested by my friend and frequent collaborator Greg Maxey, that
it would be better to retain its individual identity. I have therefore
acceded to his suggestion and produced the add-in as a separate entity
which does not require the presence of the Save Numbered Versions
add-in, but will nevertheless work happily alongside it. The current
version also offers the option to create numbered backups.
As with all
Word template based add-ins the template should be extracted from the
zip file to the Word Startup folder - defined in Word
Options > Advanced > File Locations > StartUp with Word
closed. When Word is started the template will load with Word. |
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This add-in is a significant expansion of the macros suggested at
Automatically
backup Word documents, to produce a one-click solution to saving
a true backup of your current document, to a second location of your
choice. This could, for example, include a flash drive.
Saving directly to removable media often results in
corrupted documents. It is always preferable to save to the hard drive
and copy to removable media. This achieves that function transparently
to the user.
The first time the main Save to Two Locations button is
clicked for a given document, if the document has not previously been
saved the user is warned that it needs to be saved. Otherwise the configuration dialog is displayed.
This allows the user to select a location to save the backup copy of the
document, and if required to add prefix or suffix text to the filename
to be applied to the copy. The default setting as shown in the first
illustration below is to have no such text. Note that the 'Continue'
button is not available until a location has been added. |
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Click the Browse button to select a folder or type the
required path in the dialog box. The dialog is able to determine from
the filename the type of drive the path applies to and will make
reporting decisions based upon that type. The application is able to
save to fixed and network drives and also removable media. The function
can determine whether the selected drive or the folder path is
available, and will quit and report an error if it is missing.
Checking the Prefix or Suffix radio button will provide
another dialog box to select or enter text to add to the filename of the
copy. There are two predefined texts, but you can enter your own text if
preferred as shown in the third of the following sequence of
illustrations. |
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The dialog also allows for the creation of numbered
backups. If the 'Add number' check box is selected, the backups will be
sequentially numbered. If this option is not selected then the backup is
replaced by the subsequent backup. By using this function it is possible
to create a sequence of all the saved versions of the document. The
number in the dialog is the next sequential number. |
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Click 'Continue' to conventionally save the document. The document will be saved,
however if there is a problem with the path associated with the backup
location e.g. the removable drive is not present or the folder has been
deleted, the copy will not be created and you will see a
warning message explaining the nature of the problem as shown below.
The function to select the folder is error trapped to
prevent the selection of floppy drives, which are usually designated A:
or B: If a drive with one of these letters is selected the entry is
cleared and a warning message is displayed.
The function does allow Desktop to be selected as a copy
location.
The Browse for folder dialog shown is from Windows XP.
The dialog is similar for Windows 7, however note that the Windows 7
dialog offers 'Libraries' as a potential storage location. Libraries and
custom Libraries are actually virtual locations and may not be selected
as backup locations. |
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If you have made a mistake, or you wish to change the
path or the prefix/suffix text, run the configuration dialog again by
clicking the 'Config.' button on the ribbon. The current settings for
the document will be presented in the dialog. Note that the user defined
text is included and if the path did not end in a slash character (see
previous dialog illustration) it now will display such a slash character |
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The other button provides an information page with a link
to this page |
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Click 'Important User
Information' for a disclaimer. |
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Notes: |
Any of the variables stored in the document may be edited using the
Bookmarks and Variables etc.
editor which you can also download from this site.
If you wish to always save the copy of documents based
on a particular template to the same location, open the template in Word
and click the 'Config' button (see first illustration). Then save and
close the template normally (not using the add-in). All new documents
based on that template will then have the document variables and their
values from the template already in place, so the initial prompt will
not be made. This will work for any document template including the
normal template.
To remove the variables from the template to revert to
prompting for each document, open the template again and use the
Bookmarks and Variables etc.
editor to select and delete them, Then save and close the template.
Documents are sometimes opened on different PCs. This
is not an issue as long as the different PCs have the same file
locations configured in the document variables. Where the document is
opened on a PC with a different operating system, the user is warned
that there is potential for conflict. |
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Now download the add-in |
