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Barry MacDonnell's
Toolbox for WordPerfect

Macros, tips, and templates for Corel® WordPerfect® for Windows®
© Copyright 1996-2023 by Barry MacDonnell. All Rights Reserved.

Page updated June 30, 2008

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Load a letterhead - or any other document based on a custom template - with a mouseclick or keystroke

NOTE: If you want to load an existing document (such as a list of telephone numbers or some other reference document) from your disk -- which is different from loading a new document based on a custom template -- you can simply drag the file from Windows Explorer or My Computer to the WordPerfect toolbar. A new toolbar button will appear. You can change the default icon on the button using the methods explained below.

After you have created one or more custom letterhead (or other) templates, you may want to create simple macros to load documents based on these templates. This saves several keystrokes (clicking the File menu, locating the category, locating the project, loading it, etc.).

If you only have one or two commonly used templates, you can use buttons on the Toolbar to play the macros. (Click! There's your letter.) If you have several templates (letters, envelopes, invoice forms) it may be better to add several menu items to a drop menu on the top menu bar to play the various macros. Both methods are discussed below.

Create a "loader" macro(s) first -

1. Open a blank document with File, New.

2. Click Tools, Macro, Record. Give the macro a name (e.g., MyBizLetterhead.wcm), then click Record. The Macro Property Bar appears below your toolbar.

3. Click File, New from Project (in WordPerfect 9+; for WP8 use File, New).

4. Select the template project you want to use, then click the Create New button. The letter will load (if a Template Information dialog appears, click Cancel).

5. Stop the macro recording by clicking the far left button on the Macro Property Bar (its Tool Tip says "Stop macro play or record").

6. Close the empty letter document on screen with File, Close (don't save it).

7. Test the macro with Tools, Macro, Play. The macro should load your letter.

8. Repeat the previous steps to create a differently named macro for each custom letterhead template that you have installed on your system.

Then assign the macro to a menu, toolbar, or keystroke combination - see here.

(Also see "How to change those default "audiocassette icons...")

Matching your letterhead with custom envelopes -

The Envelope feature in WordPerfect 6-X3 for Windows, unlike the one in the old WP6 for DOS, does not allow you to directly add graphics or multiple fonts in the return address area of the Envelope feature's dialog. But this can be easily done: See here.