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The solution I implemented is as follows (this assumes that all the users
are networked):
(1) Install the template locally. (If you have all users using a workgroup
template stored centrally on a network drive, the file will be 'locked'
when anyone is using it, making it difficult for you to update it [or copy
a new version over it].)
(2) Store a copy of the template on a network drive somewhere where
everyone has (read) access to it.
(3) Write a small VB application to do the following. Install this app in
the users' Windows Startup folder. (i) Can I see the required network
drive? Exit if not. (ii) Compare the file date/time of the local template
with the template on the network. If network copy is newer, copy it over
the local copy.
For our organisation, I wrote a single VB app to install the templates
'package' and to install itself in the Windows Startup folder to check for
updates. Works well. The 'package' we install is actually quite a large
collection of different templates, macros and documentation, so I use the
date/time of an empty "Templates Version.txt" file as an indicator as to
whether to update the files: I open and save this file to update its
date/time whenever any files in the package are updated, and the whole lot
then gets re-installed. We generally only have to do this once a year or
so.
Stuart Conner
Southampton
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