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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 Nov 1, 2023

WordPerfect Tips
Main tips page | Browse more tips
Updating, upgrading, or reinstalling WordPerfect

Note

WordPerfect menu choices refer to the <WordPerfect> menu. (Right-click on WordPerfect's top menu bar for a choice of menus.)

If you use a <Microsoft Word> menu, the choices might be absent from your menu (but not from the program), or they might be found under another menu selection.

If the menu choices or toolbars discussed on this site seem to be missing from your program, see here.


Other parts in this series

[Part 1] Overview: Some things to keep in mind about WordPerfect documents and program files

[Part 2] Updating your current copy of WordPerfect - i.e., bringing your program up to date with a Corel Service Pack or "patch"

[Part 3] Upgrading to a newer version of WordPerfect

[Part 4] Uninstalling and/or reinstalling your current WordPerfect program (and how to completely remove it)

...

[Part 6] Multiple versions of WordPerfect on the same computer

[Part 7] Transferring macros from one system to another, or from an earlier version of WordPerfect to a newer version



[Return to main Tips Page]




Part 5:  Migrating customizations
"An explanation in words makes any activity
seem more complex than it is in practice."

- Roy 'lemoto' Lewis, WordPerfect Universe

■  Page Contents

Before you start

Files you should back up before removing your currently installed WordPerfect program (if you want or need to do that) in preparation for an upgrade to a new version or a reinstallation of the current one

Section I 
Transferring (migrating) specific customizations when using the same WordPerfect version on a different computer

Section II 
Transferring (migrating) specific customizations when upgrading to a newer WordPerfect version on the same computer or a different computer

Section III 
CHECK LIST that can be used whenever needed: Transferring (migrating) specific items to a different WordPerfect version -or- reinstallation of the same WordPerfect version on the same computer or a different computer

Section IV 
Some related WordPerfect Universe FAQs (and some information about that site)


◄ See also links in the left column to other parts of this series


■  Before you start
Please read — or at least scan over — the following material from here to the bottom of this page. It is intended to be a comprehensive reference rather than a step-by-step tutorial.

It also contains some redundancies, primarily because several of this page's topics are linked from both other Toolbox pages and other sites, and a little redundancy can often help orient inbound visitors if they happen to land in the middle of the page.


That said ... you probably won't need to use all of the material here. But the more you have customized your current WordPerfect version the more likely you will find some tips here that are useful to you.


■  Files you should back up before removing your currently installed WordPerfect program (if you want or need to do that) in preparation for an upgrade to a new version or a reinstallation of the current one
Even if you believe you have not modified or customized your existing program it's still a good idea to locate and back up your currently active default template before you upgrade/uninstall/reinstall the program so you can more easily migrate any user customizations that might be stored in it.

The default template is the file that contains many of your current program customizations and default document preferences. A backup makes it easier and quicker to restore things later, such as keyboard shortcuts, customized toolbars, a preferred default font, etc.

However, on some systems there can be more than one default template installed with the same name. Sometimes users or IT personnel set up — and specify in the program's Settings — a different folder for this important template than the one used during a typical program installation; and then they (or the program) create a new default template in that folder. That template then becomes the "currently active" one.

Hence, whether the currently active template file is in its standard location or in a different location (for how to find it see the Templates page on this site), it should be backed up, both periodically and especially before upgrading, moving, or uninstalling/resinstalling WordPerfect.

Note: The default template is a user file, in the same sense that any new document you create and save is a user file. Therefore the program will not delete or overwrite it if you uninstall/reinstall the program, but other things can even if only rarely damage it.

Copying it to an external (portable) USB drive is a favorite technique to make a backup.


It's also important to note that while the currently active default template stores many of your program customizations and document preferences it does not store all of them.

For example, the same folder that contains your currently active default template also contains a special template that holds your current QuickWords list. (In fact, the program will create a new empty copy of the QuickWords template in that folder if it cannot find an existing one!)

Thus it can be very helpful to know where these templates — and other customization locations — are found on your computer.

You can use the check list in Section III below to determine whether you need to back up and/or immediately migrate other items.

On the other hand ...

You might not need to migrate every customization you have made, such as a custom style you've applied to a document and which you still have available on disk (e.g., custom styles can be retrieved from another document or template).

Also, sometimes it's just easier and quicker to re-customize the item when the need arises.

But you should be somewhat familiar with these things before making major changes to the program. Again, see Section III below.

As is always the case, it's your choice.

Now might be a good time to back up your personal documents (.wpd), custom templates (.wpt), and custom macro files (.wcm), too.

Tip: Even though it's very rare for a system problem to occur during an installation of WordPerfect Office, for a little extra "insurance" you might want to first back up your system ("boot") drive onto an external drive with a drive imaging utility.

There's one built into Windows 7,8,10,11 called "System Image Backup" that can create an image of everything on the drive. It can be used to restore (i.e., overwrite or "roll back") the drive and return it to the exact point when the image was made. Or you might use something a little more user-friendly such as Acronis TrueImage or Macrium Reflect (free and paid versions).

Further, periodic use of an imaging utility can save many hours — perhaps even days — of work when something goes wrong (or seems to go wrong) with your system. (Corrupted WordPerfect documents or program files are a somewhat different matter; see here for how to repair them.)

Related tip: If at a later date you need to use the drive image to restore your boot drive, you might want to back up your recent user files (documents, macros, etc.) first so that you can restore them after you restore the boot drive using the image. The drive image is like having a time machine to the past, so you'll probably want to update the restored drive with anything newer that you created since you made that image.


It might be helpful to first read the previous sections (Part 1, 2, 3, and 4). Then refer to the following information.


■  Section I 
Transferring (migrating) specific customizations when using the same WordPerfect version on a different computer


You can use the information in the illustrated FAQ below ("Transferring keyboards, toolbars, menus, etc. from old version," adapted from WordPerfect Universe), which discusses migrating certain customizations from an older version of WordPerfect to a newer version.

However, that FAQ also applies to some other situations, such as transferring these items from a specific version of WordPerfect (e.g., WPX8) to a new installation where the same version (e.g., WPX8) is installed.

In both cases you should also make decisions about any other customized items described under "Transferring (migrating) specific items" below.

[A little off-topic information: The FAQ also applies to transferring these items from a renamed version of the currently active default template to a factory fresh version of that same template file. (Renaming the currently active default template file is a common troubleshooting method, as explained here.)]

Notes (and also for future reference):

¤ If the new WordPerfect installation is truly new — it is not yet customized — you can probably just copy the currently active default template from the first installation to the new installation as long as both these templates have exactly the same name and come from the same version of WordPerfect. There's no need to copy individual items stored in the template, as the FAQ below explains. You are simply cloning the existing template file into the same version of WordPerfect.

However, if the installation is not truly new, or if your older default template comes from a different version or it has a different name from the factory default, you can follow the instructions in that FAQ (below).

[Resource: For more on locating your default template, etc., see The default template - how to find it, modify it, or fix it. This important file is the one on which all new, blank documents are based.]

¤ Even though you are installing the same WordPerfect version on a different computer, be aware that not all customizations are stored in the default template. Therefore, review the Check List below for other items you might wish to migrate to the new installation.

¤ Be aware, too, that Corel only supports the current version and the immediately previous version of WordPerfect. This can become important when Microsoft upgrades the Windows operating system — and you upgrade to it or buy a new computer with it installed — since earlier versions of WordPerfect might sometime have issues with the newer operating system.

This happened with Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8. Corel usually certifies that the previous WordPerfect version will also work on the new operating system, but does not certify earlier ones.

Furthermore, even if issues with an earlier version surface, there is no guarantee they will be fixed with a Service Pack ("patch"). It's often a matter of limited company resources, something that is very common these days.

With newer operating systems, you might be saving some time and frustration by purchasing the most up-to-date version of WordPerfect. See "Upgrading..." for some tips.

¤ If you are upgrading from a Windows XP or earlier version of Windows to a newer version of Windows (Vista, 7, 8, etc.) see the side note in Part 1: "What happened to the Documents and Settings folder?"


■  Section II
Transferring (migrating) specific customizations when upgrading to a newer WordPerfect version on the same computer or a different computer

You can easily transfer (i.e., copy) customized keyboards, toolbars, etc., to a newer version as explained in the

[A] Transferring keyboards, toolbars, menus... FAQ below
         or the
[B] 
Saving and Recovering Customizations FAQ below
         and/or the
more comprehensive
[C] Check List for transferring (migrating) specific items below.

Cautions and suggestions

•  Not all customizations are stored in the default template! (See the check list in the next section for more information.)

•  Can you simply re-use a default template from another version of WordPerfect? You could ... but ... be aware that simply renaming an older version's default template with the factory-shipped name of a newer version's default template, or vice versa, for use in the different version is a bad idea.

Why? Default templates are created by Corel to be version-specific and as a result they have version-specific names.

Hence, it is better (read: less problematic) to use the transfer methods in the section below to copy many of your customized items from one default template into a different default template. (Most other WordPerfect templates — including any you have created — are not so constrained. For more on this topic see here.)

•  If for some reason you have already renamed a default template from an older version of WordPerfect to use in a newer version, you can simply rename it again (i.e., in the newer version template folder). When you re-launch the newer program it will automatically generate a factory fresh copy of the default template for that new version. Then you can use one of the methods above (A, B, or C) in this section to transfer the customized keyboards, toolbars, etc., into the new version.

Notes and tips

¤ You can have more than one version of WordPerfect Office on the same computer. See "Multiple versions...".

¤ Starting with WordPerfect X6 the (greatly simplified) installation routine lets you choose from several options to automatically migrate -

(1) the most recently used documents list (on the File menu);
(2) newly created (i.e., custom) templates *;
(3) newly created (i.e., custom) macros *;
(4) the WordPerfect address book;
(5) your QuickWords template file; and
(6) your user word lists (i.e., the QuickCorrect lists).

You can still use the manual methods in Section III below by un-checking these options duting installation. However, in that case you probably will want to manually migrate items #2-#6 and possibly other items such as customized toolbars, keyboard definitions, custom styles, etc., which are discussed in Section III. [Automatic migration is helpful to many users but it is not always the most comprehensive method.]

----------
* - The program's automatic migration feature might only migrate custom template (.wpt) and macro (.wcm) files if they are stored in the same folder location(s) as factory-shipped templates and macros. If you stored them in other locations they probably will be ignored during the new installation.

■  Section III
CHECK LIST that can be used whenever needed: Transferring (migrating) specific items to a different WordPerfect version -or- reinstallation of the same WordPerfect version on the same computer or a different computer


Note

This section has some of the same information found in sections I and II above, but it should be more comprehensive — especially since it deals with some items that are NOT stored in the default template.

If you have an existing installation of WordPerfect, it's a good idea to back up your document files and certain program files from that installation before proceeding. [See above.]

Backed up program files should (preferably) be stored on an external drive. These source files can later be copied back to the locations noted on this page and other linked pages, in preparation for migrating customizations stored in some of them to the target installation.

Customized formatting — i.e., your preferred "default" formatting for new blank documents

Important points

•  The default font, font size, and some other factory-shipped (and, optionally, user-specified) default document formatting are set and stored in the currently active default template.

This special template and its current location (for certain reasons there might be more than one "default template" location) is specified in your program's Tools, Settings, Files, Template [tab] in two fields:

Current default template and location

These dialog fields tell WordPerfect where to find the currently actove default template each time the program loads.

[Note that if it was deleted from the specified folder the program will automatically create s new (factory) version of the file at that location. For more details about this special file — as well as other templates — see the Templates page which discusses finding, modifying, fixing, and using them.]

•  However ... whether you can simply use that same default template file on another system ... or whether you should instead copy various customizations inside it directly into a new installation's default template ... depends on whether the source and target WordPerfect programs are the exact same version or whether you are upgrading to a newer WordPerfect version. (Yes, it can make a difference!) See Sections I and II above.

•  Further, some global document formatting — i.e., formatting codes that can be stored in the program for use in other documents, such as some custom styles — can be, or could have been, added by you (or other users or administrators) into the default template so that new (blank) documents will automatically "inherit" them.

•  On the other hand ... some custom formatting can be document-specific and some can be stored in other system locations (i.e., in separate program files, the Windows registry, etc.).

•  Hence ... you should look over the following items to see if they apply to your situation.

Customized keyboards (a.k.a. "keyboard definitions")

"Shortcut keys" ("keyboard shortcuts") are stored inside the special default template file as part of various internal keyboard definitions — some of which you may have modified or even created anew.

Hence, before attempting to transfer or recover these definitions from the source computer, the currently active default template on that computer should be backed up first.

You can then use that backup file to extract your custom shortcuts and migrate them.

Tip: As noted in Section I above if you are migrating from the exact same version of WordPerfect you were using to a new installation of that same WordPerfect version, you should be able to just copy that source's default template to the new installation, replacing its default template file.

See here for how to find that template on your system.

See also the Transferring keyboards... FAQ below for help transferring those items to a new installation or recover them from a backup of the template file.

Related tips:

•  For future reference on how to set up (assign") keyboard shortcuts to program features or macros, see here.

•  Important: If you have previously assigned custom macros to keyboard shortcuts see the Custom macros section below.

Customized menus

Like keyboard definitions (above), these items are stored inside the default template file.

Generally, if you are upgrading (moving to) to a newer version of WordPerfect, it is considered unwise to simply replace the newer (top) menu with one from an earlier version of WordPerfect.

It is better to manually re-create the old menu customizations on the newer menu using the older version as an on-screen reference. That way, you won't lose newer features or functions that might be included on the newer menu. (See also "Customize your menu - How to add, edit, rearrange, or remove menu items" here.)

You can do this two ways:

Method A: If you still have the older WordPerfect version installed, open it as your reference along with the newer version and switch between versions as you update your new version's top menu. Also see the tips page on adding new choices to a menu.

Method B: If you only have a back up copy of the older version's default template you can -

(1) copy and rename the newer program version's <WordPerfect Menu> with Tools, Settings, Customize (this will make a backup of it); then

(2) copy the older <WordPerfect Menu> into the newer version of WordPerfect to replace the existing (default) menu (you can use the same basic method used to copy custom toolbars — called "Objects" — as described below); then

(3) temporarily enable both the backup version and the new menu version (Tools, Settings, Customize) and use the backup as an on-screen reference to manually re-create any of your preferred customizations on the newer menu.

Also see the tips page on adding new choices to a menu ("Customize your menu - How to add, edit, rearrange, or remove menu items" here.).

Customized standard toolbars and user-created custom toolbars

As with standard toolbars, user-modified toolbars or user-created toolbars are usually stored in the default template (but sometimes they are stored inside a custom template). Hence, the source template(s) should always be backed up first.

Tip: As noted in Section I above, if you are migrating from the exact same version of WordPerfect you were using to a new installation of that same WordPerfect version, you should be able to just copy that source's default template to the new installation, simply replacing its default template file.

For regular, standard toolbars that you have customized (i.e., modified) see the Transferring keyboards, toolbars, menus, etc. from old version FAQ below about how to copy (migrate) these items from inside the source template.

On the other hand, if you have created a special customized toolbar in a previous WordPerfect version and you want to copy it, or buttons on it, into the new WordPerfect version, see this tip on the page How to create a new custom toolbar.

Notes

¤ Whether custom toolbars appear (or not) in your WordPerfect program, as well as where and how they appear, is determined by settings stored in the Windows Registry, not in the template itself.

These settings generally will have to be restored manually after migrating the toolbars. You can do this quickly and easily by enabling (ticking) them in Tools, Settings, Customize, Toolbars tab (and also the Options button, if you need to establish a specific toolbar appearance or screen location).

¤ If some buttons on the previous toolbar play custom macros, you might have to edit the moved/copied button with the Toolbar Editor to specify the new path to the related macro on the new system.

This is needed if the buttons on the previous toolbar contained a specific path to the custom macros they were set up to play.

However, if the custom macros are copied into either of the two folders specified in Tools, Settings, Files, Merge/Macro (i.e., the Default and Supplemental macro folders), then you should be able to use just their file names on the new version's toolbar buttons, without a full path (i.e., without the drive and folder name). The program will still find them if they are located in either of those special folders. See " How to create a toolbar button..." for details.

QuickWord lists

QuickWords (see here for a comprehensive reference on QuickWords) are expandable abbreviations that are stored in their own special template, which is located in the same folder as the currently active default template.

First, your current QuickWords template should be backed up (i.e., saved to a separate, accessible location) before migrating it — and obviously before you uninstall the old WordPerfect program (if you decide to do that: see here about the possibility of keeping it around a while, which is a desirable option for many users).

Next, see How to migrate your QuickWords to a different installation of WordPerfect. It outlines three methods, including a step-by-step guide as well as a method that can migrate individual QuickWords from one version to another. The step-by-step method differs slightly depending on whether the target installation is a different version from the original WordPerfect program or it's the same version. See the above link for details.

Alternatives

¤  Starting with Wordperfect X6 you can have the installation routine migrate this item (i.e., all your existing QuickWords) for you. But if you haven't done it that way, the above "old school" migration methods are good (and easy) options.

¤  See the "Saving and Recovering Customizations" FAQ below.

  QuickCorrect lists, Word Lists, and QuickCorrect settings

QuickCorrect lists

QuickCorrect (the first tab under Tools, QuickCorrect) has two related functions:

[A] automatically correct common typing mistakes, and

[B] quickly insert a string of text characters or a symbol based on shorthand text (i.e., "expand an abbreviation").

[For more on these two features see the QuickCorrect page, especially the section here.]

These two functions depend on Word Lists (see below).

To explain further:

QuickCorrect lists are stored in their own special program file(s) with filename extensions of .UWL ("User Word List") — and the location of the default list varies with the WordPerfect version and Windows operating system as described in the Corel support database linked below.

If you have created lots of QuickCorrect entries, you should locate and back up these files before migrating them to a different installation or a new version of WordPerfect. You can then use the backed up QuickCorrect files on the other installation.

Tip:

Starting with Wordperfect X6(released in 2012) you can have the newer program's installation routine migrate the .UWL file for you (assuming it still exists on your computer).

Or you can manually migrate these files later (assuming you still have access to them; see next paragraphs).

To manually migrate them:

A Corel support database article (Migrating QuickCorrect List to current version of WordPerfect) states this about the standard User Word List file:

... "One will need to copy the [standard] UWL file from the previous folder to the new. At the same [time], if the [standard] QuickCorrect file is for a different version of WordPerfect, one will need to change the number of the file name. [Emphasis added]

[For example] If going from WordPerfect 12 to WordPerfect X5, the file will need to be renamed from "WT12US.UWL" to "WT15US.UWL"."

As explained in the Word lists section below, there can be several user word lists — one standard list (usually set as the default) and up to 10 personal word lists. (Typically, most casual users use only the standard list but you may find additional personal word lists useful.)

Each one is a separate disk file, so they are accessible by the program when you are working on your other documents.

[There's also a Document Word List (described here) that is saved in the current document when doing a Spell Check on that document.]

  Word list files

In the WordPerfect Universe FAQ below ("What files do I need to back up...") you will will find this:

"User Word List and QuickCorrect Entries: The [standard factory shipped] user word list (the list of words you have added while running a spell-check), along with the list of your QuickCorrect entries, is kept in a file called WT#XX.UWL (where # is the version number and XX is the country or language code, e.g., WT17US.UWL)."

The first two letters of the standard User Word List are "WT," not "WP". The number indicates the numerical version of the WordPerfect program. The above example illustrates the U.S. version of WordPerfect X7 (i.e., version 17).

Notes

¤  For standard locations on a computer, see Corel's support database article, Migrating QuickCorrect List to current version of WordPerfect ("How to migrate the QuickCorrect™ list from previous WordPerfect® versions to your current version of WordPerfect.") [Alternative: see the Saving and Recovering Customizations FAQ below.]

¤  Note that some users create separate personal user word lists for specific types of documents. These files (there can be up to 10 of them) might be named differently than the standard user word list (they will still have a .UWL extension). Moreover they might also be located in one or more folders other than the default folder. [For more, see the main QuckCorrect page here.]

¤  These standard User Word List files may be stored in an "unexpected" location such as in -

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Corel\WordPerfect Office <WP-version-number>\WritingTools

- for Windows 7 and later, as shown on the above Migrating QuickCorrect... link (which also shows the locations in earlier versions of Windows).


Tip: If there is more than one standard word list file with the same name in different locations, the file's date should help tell you which one you should back up.

¤  Starting with Wordperfect X6 you can have the program's installation routine migrate these items for you. Or you can: (a) rename the new version's file (to back it up); then (b) copy the older version's file to the new version's folder; then (c) rename the copied file to include the new program's number (e.g., WP17US.UWL for the U.S. version of WordPerfect Office X7).

¤  If you have added words to the Main Word List (using WordPerfect's Spell Utility), you should also back up that file, which is called WT#XX.MOR (where # is the version number and XX is the language code, such as WT11EN.MOR). The disk location of the .MOR file is shown in the Spell Checker's Options, Main Word Lists button.

  QuickCorrect settings

These are the checkbox/radio button options you can set under the tabs on the Tools, QuickCorrect dialog (i.e., not the QC correction entries).

They are stored in the Windows Registry. However...

There is a user-customizable WordPerfect macro on this site (QC.wcm) that toggles the state of the various QuickCorrect, QuickWord, Format-As-You-Go, SpeedLinks, and SmartQuote settings. (See WordPerfect's Tools, QuickCorrect for your current settings.)

Of course, you don't need a macro to set these options, but it makes it easier to restore them to your preferences.

  For more information about WordPerfect word lists — Main word lists, User word lists, and Document word lists] — see "QuickCorrect is a dual-function "proofing" tool" or the WordPerfect Universe FAQ, "How Do I Edit Dictionaries (Word Lists)?".

Custom styles (including Outline styles and Graphic styles)

Custom styles — whether they are regular text styles, outline styles, or graphic styles — are stored in either specific user-created documents (the program default location), or they might have been deliberately saved to the default template (or a custom template) for future use.

You can migrate them in several ways:

•  The best method is to first export — i.e., save to a special file — the styles from the other WordPerfect program and then import (retrieve) them from that file into the current WordPerfect program. The special file cal also be used to add them into existing documents.

•  If you still have the documents to which these styles were applied, you can retrieve the styles directly from the document(s).

•  See the page on custom styles for several traditional and non-traditional methods you can use to migrate them — such as copying them template-to-template, using a small macro to retrieve them, "clipping" them from an existing document, or creating them in any WordPerfect document or template with a macro (also useful for deploying styles in an organization).

Custom templates

"Custom templates" does not mean migrating a modified factory-shipped default template (discussed below).

Here, it means ether -
•  a non-default template you created from scratch, or
•  a recent factory-shipped WordPerfect Project that you modified.

We call them custom templates to distinguish them from the program's special default template.

Notes:

¤  If you wish to migrate the customizations stored in the original program's default template, use the reference material below (a WordPerfect Universe FAQ) as your guide.

¤  If you wish to use an older automated WordPerfect Project — i.e., a template made up of two related files with filename extensions of .wpt and .ast, included with (about) WPX3 and earlier — in a newer program version, you might be able to do so as discussed here.

Method:

To migrate a custom template into a new WordPerfect installation -

•  In the new program installation, locate the appropriate category folder (on your hard drive) for the custom template:

- Choose a Project in the desired category on the new system with File, New from Project, <select the name of the template>.

- Click the Options button, choose Project Properties, and jot down the full Windows path you find there [you can always create new categories first with the Options button].

•  Exit from WordPerfect and use Windows Explorer or My Computer (or just Computer in recent versions of Windows) to navigate to the folder.

•  Copy your custom template file there.

•  When you next load WordPerfect, you should refresh the Projects list with File, New from Projects, Options button, "Refresh Projects".

Alternative for non-Project custom templates:

You can place a custom template file (.wpt) anywhere on your disk and simply double click its file name in Windows Explorer to open a new document based on that template — but obviously you will need to find that template in the new WordPerfect installation before you can use it. (There are some easy ways to do this with the help of toolbar buttons or macros: see here.)

Tip:

Starting with Wordperfect X6 you can have the installation routine migrate these items for you. (Presumably, they should be in the same locations are factory templates, and shown in the File, New from Projects list on the earlier version.)

Custom macros

Since macros are user files, they will not be overwritten or deleted by the program during an upgrade or uninstallation and reinstallation. But it is a good idea to back them up first.

If you have created or customized macros, see the article in this series entitled "Transferring macros from one system to another, or from an earlier version of WordPerfect to a newer version" here.

Starting with Wordperfect X6 you can have the installation routine migrate these custom items for you. However, if you intend to retain the earlier version of WordPerfect on your system alongside the new version, you might still want to keep them separate from the new macros for the reasons given on the aforementioned page here.

Note that macros are typically stored in one of the two factory-specified folders: the Default and Supplemental macro folders. These are shown in the Tools, Settings, Files, Merge/Macro (tab) dialog.

Side notes:

You could name other specific macro folders in either or both of those two factory-specified fields. Be aware the factory-shipped macros — some of which are called by the program — expect to be in one or the other of those special folders. So be sure to move those macros to that new location and then reload WordPerfect to refresh the settings.

However, this makes managing such macros more difficult, particularly when upgrading the program with lots of custom macros.

Further, you could place your custom macros in any other (non-factory specified) Windows folder as long as the full path to them is used with any related toolbar button, keyboard shortcut, or menu choice so the program can find those macros.

[The Toolbar Editor lets you directly specify the full path for a toolbar button. For keyboard shortcuts or menu items, just remove their assignments and assign the macros again. Note that the full path is not necessary if your macro is located in one of the two factory specified folders since the program looks there first.]

Again, this makes managing such macros more difficult, particularly when upgrading the program with lots of custom macros.

For these reasons you might prefer my own simpler location method for all custom macros and factory-shipped macros in "Transferring macros from one system to another, or from an earlier version of WordPerfect to a newer version" (in the Tips section) here.

Address book

NOTE: The address book has changed over several WordPerfect versions. In recent versions, your entries should be in a sub-folder in the "My Documents" folder (or in recent versions of Windows, the "Documents" folder) named CCWin\Address Book.

•  Migrating to the same version or a newer version that uses the same set of address book files (see quote below):

Since migrating these entries from older versions of WordPerfect can be a bit tricky at times, here is the more generic method posted (in 2014) by a Corel employee on the OfficeCommunity web site (here) that relates to newer versions of WordPerfect.

"The Address Book files can be found in your Windows user's "My Documents" folder, in the "CCWin\Address Book" sub-folder.

Please note, address books are a set of files, not a single file.  The extensions you should look for are *.adb, *.fx, *.fx2, *.ix, *.ix2

When copying the files to the new computer, simply create a "CCWin\Address Book" sub-folder in your new user's "My Documents" folder (or rather "Documents" on newer versions of Windows) and copy all the files into it."

Of course, if that "CCWin\Address Book" sub-folder already exists on the target machine, you should first rename that folder (or relocate its files) to back it up, just in case.

•  Alternative method when migrating to a newer version:

You can export your address books from your previous version, then import the data into the newer version. This this needs to be done while the older version is still accessible.

•  If these fail to work for you, you could try posting a request for help on OfficeCommunity.com.

Some other specific custom items

Important:

Several (but not all) of these items are stored in the Windows Registry, as noted below. Many other settings not listed here are also stored in the Registry.

Because many items in the Registry can vary with each user's system (or each user profile on the same system), it probably is best to re-create these items in the other/new version of WordPerfect. [If you decide to edit the Registry to export and then import registry keys from one (source) version of WordPerfect to another (target) version (at least, export both the source and the target version's key to serve as a backup), the typical locations are given in the relevant sections below.]

Therefore, it might help if you examine these (and other) items in the WordPerfect program before upgrading or re-installing the program, and jot down their names, dimensions, dialog field entries, etc.

One way to do it is to systematically navigate through all menus and sub-menus to view the current information (making and saving screen grabs can help).

Then use this data when you re-create the items in the new version of WordPerfect.

•  Page set-ups (a.k.a. "page definitions" — settings that specify the type and size of the paper, orientation, etc.)

The customized items listed in Format, Page, Page Setup (or File, Page Setup) are stored in the Windows Registry — possibly in several locations.

Advanced users might want to refer to this post on WordPerfect Universe about exporting/importing page definitions to the Registry.

For example, using WordPerfect X6 in Windows 7 and Windows 10, the current settings will be in something like this key -

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Corel\PrintEngine\16\<printer/driver name>

See the linked WordPerfect Universe post referenced above for an example and further discussion. For this particular operation a user suggested re-creating the custom page definition(s) rather than editing the Registry. As already noted you can jot down their names, dimensions, dialog field entries, etc., in WordPerfect
before upgrading or re-installing the program.

•  Page numbering formats

When you create a new page numbering format with Format, Page, Numbering, Custom Format (button), the program will store it in a new Windows Registry key.

For example, using WordPerfect X6 in Windows 7 and Windows 10 it will be something like -

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Corel\WordPerfect\16\Page Numbering\<key name here>

Note: This key will not appear in the Registry until you have created a custom page numbering format in WordPerfect. The <key name> will be something like UserPageNum4 (<- the suffix number will vary).

Tip: Custom page numbering can be easily deleted while in WordPerfect using Format, Page, Numbering; then select the desired custom page numbering format and press the Delete key. The Registry will be updated when you close WordPerfect.

•  Labels ("label definitions" that specify the commercial label sheets or customized label layouts)

The customized items in Format, Labels are stored in a *.LAB file on your computer.

In this example, using WordPerfect X9's EN language edition it will be something like -

C:\Program Files (x86)\Corel\WordPerfect Office X9\Languages\EN\Labels

You might be able to transfer the .LAB file to a new system or new version with the method discussed in this WordPerfect Universe thread.

•  Sort keys (custom sorting rules created with Tools, Sort)

Like page set-ups and page numbering, customized sort keys created in the Tools, Sort dialog are stored in the Windows Registry.

For example, using WordPerfect X6 in Windows 7 and Windows 10 it will be something like -

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Corel\WordPerfect\16\Sort Entries

Advanced users familiar with exporting and importing Registry keys could use that method, as suggested on WordPerfect Universe here (always back up the registry first):

"Sorts can be exported from the registry and then imported on another machine or for a different WP version: locate the proper registry key, export just that key, import it on the new machine as long as the same WP version is on both machines and you haven't already created custom sorts in the new machine. If you're trying to move sorts from one version of WP to another or to combine sorts from two systems, open the exported registry file(s) in Notepad where you can make any necessary edits (change the registry path for a new WP version, copy sorts from one registry file to paste to another if combining, etc.), then when you have a registry file with all of the proper information, import it."

•  Number of Undo/Redo items (Edit, Undo/Redo History, Options) and whether the items should be stored in the document when it is saved (which is not a good idea if the document is to be shared! [More here])

This information (number of items and choice to save them) is stored in the Windows Registry.

For example, using WordPerfect X9 in Windows 10 it will be something like -

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Corel\WordPerfect\19\Undo/Redo

•  Envelope information (on the Format, Envelop dialog) such as the font, return address data, whether to include the return address, the default envelope size, etc.

This information is stored in the Windows Registry.

For example, using WordPerfect X9 in Windows 10 it will be something like -

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Corel\WordPerfect\19\Envelope

■  Section IV
Some related WordPerfect Universe FAQs (and some information about that site)


•  Transferring keyboards, toolbars, menus etc. from old version is a WordPerfect Universe FAQ that gives -

"...step by step instructions [also copied for convenience below] for transferring ["migrating"] custom keyboard[s], toolbars, menus, etc., from a previous version to a new installation when you either still have the old version installed (even on an old computer) or you have a backup copy of your important files [read: a backup of the default template]."

Note that these instructions can be used to migrate these main customizations from the same version's currently active default template to a new, factory fresh copy of that template.

For example, if you have had problems with the current template (perhaps it became corrupted), a recommended fix is to simply rename that special template and then reload WordPerfect. The program will then immediately create a factory fresh copy of the default template. After testing the new version you can copy the customizations that were stored inside the old, renamed version into the new version. This is described in "Fixing the default template by restoring it".

Tip: For future reference you might want to bookmark the checklist above, which also describes other items you can migrate.

Here are the basic steps in that WordPerfect Universe FAQ (with some annotations and reformatting of steps):

[1] Locate the currently active default template file from the older WordPerfect version that contains the items you want to migrate.

The disk location of that template is shown in the older version's Tools, Settings, Files, Template (tab) (see image below) and is the source file containing the "object" — e.g., your custom toolbar or keyboard — that you want to migrate into the target WordPerfect program.

Template location dialog

It is worth repeating that this must be (or was) the currently active default template for that source version, since there can be other factory installed (but inactive) versions of this important file installed on some systems.

[2] Using Windows Explorer, File Explorer or similar file manager, navigate to that Default template file (or its current storage location) and copy it to a temporary folder or to Windows desktop on the target computer. This will make the next steps easier.

(Can't find that file using Windows? See here.)

[3] Rename the copy of the source file (the one you made in step [2]) — but be sure to retain the filename's extension of .wpt.

For example:

If the older default template is named wp17US.wpt, you can rename it to wp17US-OLD.wpt.

Be sure to retain the file name's extension of .wpt so that WordPerfect will recognize it in step [7] below.

Since it was renamed it will not overwrite the existing default template (which might contain new features or customizations you wish to retain).

[4] Copy that renamed file into the target WordPerfect program's Default template folder.

Tip: You can find its location with the same method you used in step [1] above to find the source template file — but instead use the target program's File Settings dialog to get the name of the currently active default template folder and file name used by the target program.

You should now have both the old and the new default template files in the same default template folder on the target system.

[5] Open the target WordPerfect program and click on Tools, Settings, Customize.

The Customize Settings dialog opens.

Customize Settings dialog

[6] Select the applicable tab at the top of the Customize Settings dialog.

In this example we'll use Toolbars to migrate a custom toolbar.

Notes:

¤  For keyboards:  If you want to migrate custom (or customized) keyboards use the Keyboards tab on the Customize Settings dialog. The steps will be similar to steps [7] and [8] outlined below. (The dialog shown in step [7] will be named Copy Keyboard(s).)

¤  For menus and property bars:

¤  It is better to manually re-create any customizations that exist on an older version's main menu on a newer version's main menu rather than copy the entire old menu from the old/other template. See "Customized menus" above for more information.

¤  Customized property bars are context-sensitive and are best re-created in the newer WordPerfect version (see here). The Property Bars tab on the Customize Settings dialog above only allows editing or resetting property bars, not copying them (as is done in step [7] below). [Tip: You can always copy buttons onto a property bar from a visible toolbar of another property bar: see here for more.]

[7] Click the Copy button on the Customize Settings dialog above.

The Copy Toolbars dialog opens.

Copy Toolbars dialog

•  First, choose the "Template to copy from" with the top drop list button. This should be the renamed source file (in step [3] above) minus the .wpt extension.

•  Next, select (click on) the "Toolbar to copy" from the source in the center field on that dialog (as in the image above).

•  Next, choose the "Template to copy to" — i.e., the target program's default template — from the drop list, if it's not already chosen. This should be the same version as the target program.

For example, if your newer version of WordPerfect is WordPerfect X9 and it's the U.S. language edition, it will be named wp19US.

•  Finally, click the Copy button on the Copy Toolbars dialog.

If an item by that name already exists you can rename it on the Copy/Rename Object dialog that appears.

[8] Done. You should now be back in the Customize Settings dialog (image in step [5] above) where you should see the new toolbar item in the list. (You may need to scroll to see it.)

If the new toolbar is not already chosen in that dialog you can enable (tick) the check box next to it.

You can always Delete it from that dialog later, if desired, which will delete it from the target program.

[9] Optional - consolidate the toolbars.

•  You can move or copy an existing button from one toolbar to another toolbar (assuming both bars are visible; if not, use Tools, Settings, Customize, Toolbars (tab) to enable their display on the main WordPerfect screen).

▸  To move a button on the main WordPerfect screen, hold down the <Alt> key while you drag the button to the desired location on the other toolbar.

▸  To copy a button, hold down the <Ctrl> and <Alt> keys while you drag it.

▸  To delete a button, hold down the <Alt> key while you drag the button off of the toolbar.

Tip: You can even copy a button onto a property bar; see here.

•  When finished consolidating, you can remove the source toolbar from view on the main WordPerfect screen either by un-ticking the box next to its name in the Customize Settings dialog, or by deleting it from the target program with the Delete button on that same dialog. ["Delete" will appear on the "Reset" button when a copied (imported) or cuatom toolbar is selected (i.e., its checkbox is ticked) in that dialog. Note that factory-shipped toolbars for that program version can't be deleted from that dialog.]

•  Saving and Recovering Customisations - A general reference WordPerfect Universe FAQ on where certain customizations are stored, such as the QuickWord and QuickCorrect lists. It also deals with saving and restoring custom styles. However, for simply copying customized toolbars or keyboards from an older version of WordPerfect to a newer version, or from another computer using the same version, see "Transferring keyboards, toolbars, menus etc. from old version" above.

•  What files do I need to back up to uninstall/reinstall/upgrade? - An older WordPerfect Universe FAQ, but which might have some useful information for your situation.

•  About WordPerfect Universe (WPU):

Joining WordPerfect Universe is free (you can browse all Forums except Chat before you join). The WPU site, like the WPToolbox site, is supported by — and depends on — individual donations.

All members are just users like you — i.e., none are employed by the site or by Corel. Many are well known gurus since they have been using, customizing, and fixing problems with the program since its earliest days. Many of them visit WPU almost daily to help others — and maybe pick up a tip or two for themselves along the way. (We often learn from each other.)


Note that it can take a day or so for your membership to become active, since a Moderator must ensure applications are not made by 'bots.

Meanwhile, I suggest reading the initial ("stick") posts in the About WordPerfect Universe Forum (in the Water Cooler section of the forums), especially "Forum tips — Please read before posting" (duplicated at the top of other forums as "How to use the forums...").


Be especially aware that WPU is an actively moderated site, so discourteous "debate," intemperate rhetoric, personal attacks, flaming, or trolling for no other reason than (perhaps) to see your name in print will probably get you suspended or kicked from the site — not to mention be ignored by the very experts who might have a tip or solution to your problem. (I doubt that's what you would want.)

You would be hard pressed to find a more congenial, welcoming, and quickly helpful bunch of people than on WPU — and members want to keep it that way.

Once you become a member you should update your Profile with your program's build number (see Part 2: this is not your WordPerfect serial number) so that it is always visible under your name when you post questions or ask for help. You might be asked for this information since it is often critical to solving a problem or getting accurate tips, so it is helpful to post it before being asked.

Here's how: On the Forums page, click the Setting menu at the top of the page, then click Edit Profile on the left sidebar.

Under "WordPerfect Office version" enter your full build number (e.g., 18.0.0.200, as shown in the programs Help, About Wordperfect).

Many thousands of users probably have the exact same build number, so this is not secret information that can specifically identify you.


Note that your contact information (e.g., your email address) is not public.

Hence it is not a good idea to include it in the text of any post you make in a Forum since posts ARE visible to the public (and therefore to spam bots).

WPU has been on line for more than a couple of decades, so some Optional Information on your Edit Profile page might best be skipped over these days. Your general location (e.g., your city) should not be a problem but giving out your Instant Messaging information is not something I recommend. (Just my opinion.)



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