Important information about macros and templates in WordPerfect 9 and later versions

Know your "build" number: Look in WordPerfect's Help menu, and click "About WordPerfect". You will see a four-digit number like 11.0.0.300. The first part of the number is the major version number; the last part is the minor version number, or specific build. [To find out about which updates are available, see the WordPerfect Universe FAQ.] For troubleshooting purposes it is often helpful to know your edition of WordPerfect: Standard, Professional, Student & Teacher, Home, Small Business, Family Pack, Trial, OEM, etc. Different editions might omit some third-party features. See the file, Volinfo.txt, in the root directory of your installation CD. Then see here.

WordPerfect 11 (only) Playing macros in WordPerfect 11.0.0.233 (the original release) and 11.0.0.300 (Service Pack 1) or higher "build" of WP11

Specific version ("build") numbers can be found in WordPerfect under Help>About WordPerfect... This is not an issue is WordPerfect 12 and later versions. It only affects the initial release of WP11

PROBLEM

In the original release (or "build") of WordPerfect 11 (i.e., build 11.0.0.233), Corel introduced a bug (see Note 1 below) that causes some macros created/edited/played in that version -- no matter who created them -- to fail to terminate properly when later played in WordPerfect 11.0.0.300 (or higher build of WP11), and vice versa.

The macros appear to play but do not return to the main document screen and appear to "hang," or else they go into an endless loop.

This is a major problem, and it will also exist in the 30+ macros shipped with WordPerfect 11.0.0.233, since they were first compiled in that release (see Note 2 below), as well as in some Project templates that use template macros (see Note 1 below).

SOLUTIONS

One solution is to open each macro (after applying at least Service Pack 1) as you would any document, add a space character, delete the space, and then Save & Compile the macro.

Here's a tip from Charles Rossiter:

"The good news is that you can do this en masse as follows: Open a macro in WPWin11.0.0.300 (or later build) and add a space. [Click on] Compile and Save to ensure that PerfectScript 110 is active. Then in a Windows Explorer window, right-click on all the macros, and select Compile."

Alternative to the above tip:

Here's a macro in a ZIP file to do this for you for all macros in a specified folder (such as the shipping macros fiolder): Recompiler.zip, 19,665 bytes, 01/25/04. It opens each .WCM file, one at a time, and adds/deletes the space, then saves the file. Be sure to back up your macros before playing it.

A better solution is to refrain from playing any macros in version 11.0.0.233 (the original release) until you can patch the program with at least Service Pack 1 (SP1). See also the Notes below.

SERVICE PACKS

There have been several Service Packs issued by Corel since the initial release of WordPerfect 11. See this post on WordPerfect Universe, which describes the various releases of WP11 and also explains how to download and apply the appropriate patches for each release. For example, Service Pack 3, issued in March 2005 (for the Standard Edition only), will bring your version up to 11.0.0.410.

IMPORTANT:

You need to have Service Pack 1 installed to apply later patches. You cannot apply Service Pack 2 or 3 to the initial release (11.0.0.233) of WordPerfect Office 11; you must apply Service Pack 1 to the initial release first.

Service Packs and Patch Notes can be downloaded directly from the WordPerfect Office FTP site here. Be sure to read the relevant Patch Notes before installing SP1 or other patches.

The download patch file has an .MSP filename extension; once downloaded to your hard drive (not a CD-ROM drive), insert your original WP11 CD#1, and double click the patch's filename to update WP11. If the install does not start when you doubleclick a downloaded Service Pack with a .MSP filename extension, it may be because that extension (.MSP) may have been associated with another Windows program (Microsoft Paint?)

Try this: Click on the Windows Start button, then Run. Then type something like this, including the quote marks as indicated, as well as the path and name of the patch file:

  c:\windows\system32\msiexec.exe /p "[path\name of update MSP file]"

Example (using SP1):

  c:\windows\system32\msiexec.exe /p "C:\Temp\WPO11SP1.msp"

An alternative to downloading the patches, which are quite large, is to call Corel at 1-800-772-6735 (North America; for other countries see this FAQ) and see if they will send a replacement CD for your release (Standard, Family Pack, Productivity Pack, Dell OEM, etc.) to bring it up to the latest version. Usually they can do this for a small shipping charge. Have your serial number handy. See here fore more on ordering CD replacements.

Note 1: Heather Blaine (Corel) has reported that "A small set of macro tokens got mis-aligned in the original release. Recompile your macro in version 11, SP1, and all will be good again." This means that after updating the original release of WP11 you will have to recompile WP11/SP1/SP2's template macros, too. Many shipping templates ("Projects") come with embedded macros that perform certain tasks. Alternatively (and easier for you), see the Corel FAQ group for a download file (325Kb) containing recompiled shipping templates/macros and two new term paper templates -- the American Psychological Association (APA) and the Chicago Manual of Style (Turabian). (Courtesy of Charles Rossiter, Corel C_Tech, posted 08/12/2003). This download of recompiled templates can also be obtained (in several smaller ZIP files) at WordPerfect Universe (see this thread). Note 2: Apparently this bug affects WordPerfect shipping macros. You should recompile them (see the tips under the SOLUTIONS section above). See Tools, Settings, Files, Merge/Macro for the locations of the default and supplemental macros folders. Shipping macros will include Abbrev.wcm, Concord.wcm, and several dozen others.

WordPerfect 10 and later versions Should you enable the "Use WordPerfect 9 text selection" option?

PROBLEM

A new feature introduced by Corel in WordPerfect 10 (see Tools, Settings, Environment, "Use WordPerfect 9 text selection") can cause problems with macros, and can even make some macros unreliable. Read about this issue and the workaround code you can add to your macros.

WordPerfect 9 and later versions Corel's macro warning messages about "obsolete" commands

INFORMATION

Starting with WordPerfect 9 (Service Pack 4), Corel implemented warning messages about "obsolete" macro commands. Most often, these can be ignored, as explained here.

About macros on this site:

• Most macros have instructions, comments, or tips about their operation. You'll find them on the macro's download page, and/or in a separate document inside the download (ZIP) file. They are also found at the top of the macro's code (macros can be opened like any other WordPerfect document to view their contents).
• Some macros will not work (or work properly) in very early releases of WordPerfect. Is your version of WordPerfect up to date? See What "version" of WordPerfect do I have; what updates are available for my version? in the FAQ Forum at WordPerfect Universe.
• You can assign a macro to a keystroke combination or to a toolbar button for easier access. The latter produces a standard gray audiocassette icon on the toolbar, but this can be changed.
• More about documentation and instructions for these macros, making modifications, downloading and support
• See the disclaimer and distribution policy.