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#1
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Formatting of Subdocument via "INCLUDE" into a Master Document
A scenario arises where I am using an existing word document as a master
document. I am attempting to "include" files which I believe are called subdocuments in Microsoft vernacular. This is so I can update the master document with the latest version of the subdocuments by a control key sequence. However, the formatting doesn't seem to auto adjust "heading" styles, I.E. "1.2.4 Heading 3" for the content in a subdocument when you "include" it into the master. This is contrary to the behavior in a master document if I use the "insert document" button on the toolbar when I am in outline view. The drawback to this scenario is that I cannot save the master document and exit even though the subdocument has been saved separately. If anyone has a suggestion for this particular condition, please answer. Also, the latter inlines a subdocument with no apparent way to update the master easily if you have many subdocuments. This paragraph exists only to illustrate what I would like to happen when you "include" a file, I.E. there exists a link via field code, into a master document. Version of MS Word is 2002 with SP 3. Any help would be appreciated. |
#2
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Howdy Ron,
How wedded are you to using the Master Document feature? I would highly recommend using other means to achieve your ends. Check out these links for why master documents are best avoided: http://www.addbalance.com/word/masterdocuments.htm http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/General/Wh...ocsCorrupt.htm Just a little quote to spark your interest (from http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/General/RecoverMasterDocs.htm): Master documents have been fatally buggy since Word 6, and remain so through Word 2000. If you use them you lose them. They must never be used for valuable text. There is no way to successfully and safely use master documents. They always corrupt eventually. Thomas Campitelli A scenario arises where I am using an existing word document as a master document. I am attempting to "include" files which I believe are called subdocuments in Microsoft vernacular. This is so I can update the master document with the latest version of the subdocuments by a control key sequence. However, the formatting doesn't seem to auto adjust "heading" styles, I.E. "1.2.4 Heading 3" for the content in a subdocument when you "include" it into the master. This is contrary to the behavior in a master document if I use the "insert document" button on the toolbar when I am in outline view. The drawback to this scenario is that I cannot save the master document and exit even though the subdocument has been saved separately. If anyone has a suggestion for this particular condition, please answer. Also, the latter inlines a subdocument with no apparent way to update the master easily if you have many subdocuments. This paragraph exists only to illustrate what I would like to happen when you "include" a file, I.E. there exists a link via field code, into a master document. Version of MS Word is 2002 with SP 3. Any help would be appreciated. |
#3
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Thomas,
Thanks for the input. I was not aware of the downsides to Master Docs. If there is a better way to have many people work on parts of a document that can be pulled together and maintained simply (update the document with any changes residing in component files) then I would be all for it. Ron "Thomas Campitelli" wrote in message ... Howdy Ron, How wedded are you to using the Master Document feature? I would highly recommend using other means to achieve your ends. Check out these links for why master documents are best avoided: http://www.addbalance.com/word/masterdocuments.htm http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/General/Wh...ocsCorrupt.htm Just a little quote to spark your interest (from http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/General/RecoverMasterDocs.htm): Master documents have been fatally buggy since Word 6, and remain so through Word 2000. If you use them you lose them. They must never be used for valuable text. There is no way to successfully and safely use master documents. They always corrupt eventually. Thomas Campitelli A scenario arises where I am using an existing word document as a master document. I am attempting to "include" files which I believe are called subdocuments in Microsoft vernacular. This is so I can update the master document with the latest version of the subdocuments by a control key sequence. However, the formatting doesn't seem to auto adjust "heading" styles, I.E. "1.2.4 Heading 3" for the content in a subdocument when you "include" it into the master. This is contrary to the behavior in a master document if I use the "insert document" button on the toolbar when I am in outline view. The drawback to this scenario is that I cannot save the master document and exit even though the subdocument has been saved separately. If anyone has a suggestion for this particular condition, please answer. Also, the latter inlines a subdocument with no apparent way to update the master easily if you have many subdocuments. This paragraph exists only to illustrate what I would like to happen when you "include" a file, I.E. there exists a link via field code, into a master document. Version of MS Word is 2002 with SP 3. Any help would be appreciated. |
#4
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Howdy Ron,
Check out this site: http://www.tech-tav.com/macro.htm They have a set of macros that replace the Master Document feature. I believe they allow you to stitch several different Word docs together and generate a table of contents, etc... I have not used it myself, but I read some good things about them. The macros are free. Thomas Campitelli Thomas, Thanks for the input. I was not aware of the downsides to Master Docs. If there is a better way to have many people work on parts of a document that can be pulled together and maintained simply (update the document with any changes residing in component files) then I would be all for it. Ron "Thomas Campitelli" wrote in message ... Howdy Ron, How wedded are you to using the Master Document feature? I would highly recommend using other means to achieve your ends. Check out these links for why master documents are best avoided: http://www.addbalance.com/word/masterdocuments.htm http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/General/Wh...ocsCorrupt.htm Just a little quote to spark your interest (from http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/General/RecoverMasterDocs.htm): Master documents have been fatally buggy since Word 6, and remain so through Word 2000. If you use them you lose them. They must never be used for valuable text. There is no way to successfully and safely use master documents. They always corrupt eventually. Thomas Campitelli A scenario arises where I am using an existing word document as a master document. I am attempting to "include" files which I believe are called subdocuments in Microsoft vernacular. This is so I can update the master document with the latest version of the subdocuments by a control key sequence. However, the formatting doesn't seem to auto adjust "heading" styles, I.E. "1.2.4 Heading 3" for the content in a subdocument when you "include" it into the master. This is contrary to the behavior in a master document if I use the "insert document" button on the toolbar when I am in outline view. The drawback to this scenario is that I cannot save the master document and exit even though the subdocument has been saved separately. If anyone has a suggestion for this particular condition, please answer. Also, the latter inlines a subdocument with no apparent way to update the master easily if you have many subdocuments. This paragraph exists only to illustrate what I would like to happen when you "include" a file, I.E. there exists a link via field code, into a master document. Version of MS Word is 2002 with SP 3. Any help would be appreciated. |
#5
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I believe I've heard good things about the techtav macros as well. See also
here, where Word Heretic has an extensive article on how to use MDs safely: http://www.techwr-l.com/techwhirl/ma...dhomepage.html And this article: Creating a Table of Contents Spanning Multiple Documents http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/P...cle.asp?ID=148 On 2/16/05 8:01 PM, "Thomas Campitelli" wrote: Howdy Ron, Check out this site: http://www.tech-tav.com/macro.htm They have a set of macros that replace the Master Document feature. I believe they allow you to stitch several different Word docs together and generate a table of contents, etc... I have not used it myself, but I read some good things about them. The macros are free. Thomas Campitelli |
#6
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Sorry, I don't have an answer because I don't use Master Documents. However,
you may need the reason I don't more than you need an answer. "Master Document" is a term of art in Word referring to a "feature" that not only doesn't work but also destroys documents. The consensus (with the limited exception of Steve Hudson) among those offering advice on these newsgroups is that using the Master Document feature is a good way to destroy your document. It can destroy parts of your document that you are not even working on! I think John McGhie said it succinctly when he said that there are two kinds of Master Documents: Those that are corrupt and those that will be corrupt soon. See http://www.addbalance.com/word/masterdocuments.htm for information on the Master Document feature and workarounds. See http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/Genera...ocsCorrupt.htm for more information on what goes wrong, and http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/Genera...MasterDocs.htm for ideas on how to salvage what you can. See http://www.techwr-l.com/techwhirl/ma...masterdocs.doc for Steve Hudson's instructions if you are willing to follow them very carefully. -- Charles Kenyon Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide See also the MVP FAQ: http://www.mvps.org/word which is awesome! --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn from my ignorance and your wisdom. "Ron Lee" wrote in message ... A scenario arises where I am using an existing word document as a master document. I am attempting to "include" files which I believe are called subdocuments in Microsoft vernacular. This is so I can update the master document with the latest version of the subdocuments by a control key sequence. However, the formatting doesn't seem to auto adjust "heading" styles, I.E. "1.2.4 Heading 3" for the content in a subdocument when you "include" it into the master. This is contrary to the behavior in a master document if I use the "insert document" button on the toolbar when I am in outline view. The drawback to this scenario is that I cannot save the master document and exit even though the subdocument has been saved separately. If anyone has a suggestion for this particular condition, please answer. Also, the latter inlines a subdocument with no apparent way to update the master easily if you have many subdocuments. This paragraph exists only to illustrate what I would like to happen when you "include" a file, I.E. there exists a link via field code, into a master document. Version of MS Word is 2002 with SP 3. Any help would be appreciated. |
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