[Mark Tangard[_2_]]

Agh, sorry, just realized the question on length wasn't from Pam, but from
grammatim.

So gang, given that the text-wrapping pattern Suzanne mentioned isn't an issue
for this doc (see earlier post), which method do you think would give us the
most, um, emotionally secure file?

MT


Mark Tangard wrote:

Hi Pam. Yes, I'm generally of the same mind; but this is a case of only
very light editing -- mostly just changing a few numbers in the tables
and a few words in the text; so our goal in choosing between the two
methods is to maximize the file's stability through many saves (probably
dozens daily over the course of a few years), given it'll be a very
large file and may have several hundred "sections" which in itself can
make a file temperamental.

To answer your earlier question, yes, it's likely to be very very long,
perhaps thousands of pages. All tables will be the same size and
structure, none will be long enough to break across pages, and all will
be formatted to ensure they don't.


PamC via OfficeKB.com wrote:

I avoid using floating/wrapping objects until after editing and reviews
because even light copyediting can change the object's position, and
substantive reviews nearly always do. Also, if the tables need to break
across pages, in-line would be better.

PamC

Mark Tangard wrote:

A user of mine will shortly build a very very long Word document with
2-column text and many, many tables, all of them full-page-width and
about one-half page high.

I see 2 main ways to do this:

(1) Float each table, so that it displaces the text like a picture, OR:

(2) Place a section break before and after each table, make they
section they enclose a one-column layout, and have the table sit
there "inline" rather than floating.

After the file is assembled it'll be edited often, but not
drastically, so ease of editing & reformatting isn't an issue. And
I'll probably write a macro for her to do the inserting, so the
number or complexity of steps won't be much an obstacle. We're mainly
concerned with the stability of what may be a very large file.

Given that concern, which method would you choose? Is #2 more likely
to have problems because it'll have a large number of section breaks
(which we all know are evil incarnate)?

Also, up til now, due to bad experiences with the "positioning"
feature in Word tables long ago, I've always used frames to float
tables. Is that any wiser?

Any opinions appreciated. Word 2003, WinXP.

MT