PUB: How to Bypass the Publisher Start Up Dialog Box (103286)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Publisher for Windows 2.0
  • Microsoft Publisher for Windows 2.0a
  • Microsoft Publisher for Windows 3.0
This article was previously published under Q103286

SUMMARY

There are several Command Line parameters you can use to avoid the Start Up dialog box when you start Publisher. The Start Up dialog box gives you a choice of using a PageWizard design assistant, using a template, starting from scratch, opening an existing publication, or getting instructions about how to use the Start Up dialog box.

MORE INFORMATION

For Microsoft Publisher 97:

  1. In Publisher click Tools, Options
  2. Remove the check mark from "Use Startup Dialog Box"

For Microsoft Publisher 3.0 or Publisher 97, follow these steps:

  1. Create a shortcut for Publisher (version 2.0 or 3.0).
  2. With the right mouse button, click the shortcut and choose Properties.
  3. Click the Shortcut tab.
  4. Append either "/b" or "/t <filename>" (without the quotation marks, and where filename is the name of the template) on the end of the Target line. Be sure to place the switch to the right of the ending quotation mark on the target line, for example:

    "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Publisher\MSPUB.EXE" /b

    -or-

    "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Publisher\MSPUB.EXE" /t \Program Files\Microsoft Publisher\Template\MyTemplate.PUB

    Note: The /w PageWizard switch available in Publisher 2.0 does not apply to version 3.0 because the wizards are DLLs.

To change the Command Line parameter for Publisher 2.0 and Windows 3.x:

  1. Click the Publisher icon once.
  2. From the File menu in Program Manager, choose Properties.
  3. Type the parameter in the Command Line box.

    To bypass the Start Up dialog box and open a blank publication, use the following command line:

    mspub.exe /b

    To have Publisher open a specified template every time it is opened, use

    mspub.exe /t <filename>

    where <filename> is the name of your template.

    To have Publisher open and start a specific PageWizard design assistant, use

    mspub.exe /w <filename>

    where <filename> is the name of one of the PageWizard design assistant files in the MSPUB\PAGEWIZ directory.
For Windows NT 3.51, follow the above outlined procedures except that "/w" does not apply to Publisher version 3.0 and will not work.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:8/16/2005
Keywords:kbhowto kbusage KB103286
©2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.