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Word Template

Microsoft Word is a great word processor, but it has a couple of shortcomings when it comes to plain text. My Word Template implements a couple of features designed to overcome those shortcomings. Specifically, it adds a menu button which toggles between plain text and formatted text. It also supports the key sequence Ctrl-Shift-V for pasting plain text.

 Word Template

User Guide

Installing the Word Template

Normal.dot is intended to be used as the default template. To use it as the default template, put it in the following folder (where username is your Windows user name) and restart Word:

C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates

Using the Plain Text Toggle Button

After Normal.dot is installed, Word will have a new menu bar.

Menu Bar 

Most of the buttons on this menu bar are standard buttons which I've added to the menu for convenience. The Plain Text Toggle Button Plain Text Toggle Button is new, however. When you click the Plain Text Toggle Button, Word will toggle between plain text and formatted text.

Formatted Text Toggle Plain Text

Using Ctrl-Shift-V

The Word Template also programs the Ctrl-Shift-V to paste plain text. That key sequence is the equivalent to the menu command Edit / Past Special / Unformatted Text.

Paste Special

Technical Notes
  • The Word Template is written in VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) using the Microsoft Word object model.
  • The Word Template has been tested on all versions of Microsoft Word from 2000 through 2007.