In Microsoft Word 2000, if you go to the menu File->Versions, you can
check a box so that, every time you close the document, it
automatically saves a version. Is there any way to make it so, by
default, this box is checked when I open a new document, so that I
don't need to remember to turn version control on every time I create
a new document?

You can turn on version control in new Word documents by default, but
you will need to use a macro to do so.

From the Tools menu, select Macros->Macro to open the macros control
panel. Make sure "Normal.dot (global template)" is selected from the
"Macros In:" pull-down. Click the Create button to create a new macro.
You will need to create two macros with special names so that they run
automatically: AutoNew and AutoExec.

Paste the following code when you create your macros...

For the AutoExec macro:

Sub AutoExec()

    If Documents.Count < 1 Then
        Application.Documents.Add
    End If

    ActiveDocument.Versions.AutoVersion = wdAutoVersionOnClose

End Sub


For the AutoNew macro:

Sub AutoNew()

    ActiveDocument.Versions.AutoVersion = wdAutoVersionOnClose

End Sub

Click the picture of a disk on the toolbar in the macro editor to save
the macros.

The "Automatically Save a Version on Close" checkbox should now be
checked by default when you create a new document.

Have a great day!

-Spot

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Request for Answer Clarification by beatle-ga on 12 May 2003 22:35 PDT

A strange side effect appeared: When I open a Word document, it always
opens up another blank document first. Any idea how to stop this?

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Clarification of Answer by spot_tippybuttons-ga on 13 May 2003 01:25 PDT

Oh, shoot! Easily enough fixed...

Remove these lines in the AutoExec macro:

    If Documents.Count < 1 Then 
          Application.Documents.Add 
     End If 
   

And replace it with:

    On Error Resume Next


That line was there to keep Word from complaining if there was no
document open by creating a new one, but obviously Word seems to be
opening a new document *every* time. Anyway, the "On Error Resume
Next" should keep Word from barking without creating a new document.

Glad it seems to be working for you!

-Spot

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Request for Answer Clarification by beatle-ga on 13 May 2003 09:13 PDT

Fixed that problem. But now the versions box isn't always checked. If
Word is already open and I create a mew doc, the box gets checked.
But, if I click on the Word icon on my desktop, the new doc that gets
created by default when it opens doesn't have the box checked.

Brilliant!