Programmatically change the template when opening an MXD

Summary

Instructions below provide an example of how to apply template changes to a map document as the document opens in ArcMap. Note that this code will not work with ArcGIS 9.x. See the Related Information section at the bottom of this document for an alternative method of programmtically changing templates.

Procedure

1. Start ArcMap.
2. Open the Visual Basic Editor.
   
   
   In ArcMap, select Tools > Macros > Visual Basic Editor.
   
   
3. In the Project Explorer window, expand Project.mxt and select ArcMap Objects > ThisDocument. Right-click and select View Code.
   
   
   

   Note:
   Code in the Project's ThisDocument code module will run when a map document referencing the MXT is opened. 

   
   
4. Copy the following code into the code module.
   
   

   Code:
   Private Function MxDocument_OpenDocument() As Boolean
   
   Dim pDoc As IMxDocument
   Dim pApp As IApplication
   Dim sTemplate As String
   
   ' When the MXD is opened, the HEATHER.MXT
   ' template will be opened.
   Set pDoc = ThisDocument
   Set pApp = Application
   sTemplate = "c:\temp\heather.mxt"
   
   Dim pChangeLayout As IChangeLayout
   Set pChangeLayout = pDoc
   
   SendKeys "{TAB}{TAB}{ENTER}" & sTemplate & "{ENTER}{ENTER}", False
   
   pChangeLayout.ChangeLayout
   
   End Function

   
   
5. Close the Visual Basic Editor.
6. Run the code.
   
   
   A. Click Tools > Macros > Macros to display the Macros dialog box.
   B. Select a macro and click Run.