In a document that consists of about 20 chapter files, a number of pieces of
text--such as common procedures and lines of code--each appear in more than
one file. What I'd like to do is:

o Put all the pieces of text that appear in multiple locations in one
repository (such as in their own file, or whatever).
o Automatically insert each piece of text into all the locations where it
belongs, in various files.
o Update a piece of text once, in the central repository, and have the
updated version transmitted automatically to each of its locations throughout
the document.
o Quickly check to see that all instantiations and modifications have been
made.

I realize that I can use autotext to do part of this, but autotext seems to
be limited to inserting and updating instances of a text that reside in one
file only.

Any suggestions on how I can achieve my goals?

Thanks,
Rob

What you should use are IncludeText fields. Check them out in Help, post
back if necessary. You insert the text that may change as an IncludeText
field in multiple documents, then keep the base document updated. You will
need to Update Fields in the documents that use these, to see the changes.
There is supposedly a setting to "update fields on opening" but I've found
it is not always reliable in my version (MacWord 2004).

AutoText has nothing to do with "one file only" but will only help you
insert static text, not help you update changing text.


On 4/18/05 3:35 PM, "robfer" wrote:

In a document that consists of about 20 chapter files, a number of pieces of
text--such as common procedures and lines of code--each appear in more than
one file. What I'd like to do is:

o Put all the pieces of text that appear in multiple locations in one
repository (such as in their own file, or whatever).
o Automatically insert each piece of text into all the locations where it
belongs, in various files.
o Update a piece of text once, in the central repository, and have the
updated version transmitted automatically to each of its locations throughout
the document.
o Quickly check to see that all instantiations and modifications have been
made.

I realize that I can use autotext to do part of this, but autotext seems to
be limited to inserting and updating instances of a text that reside in one
file only.

Any suggestions on how I can achieve my goals?

Thanks,
Rob

--
Daiya Mitchell, MVP Mac/Word
Word FAQ: http://www.word.mvps.org/
MacWord Tips: http://www.word.mvps.org/MacWordNew/
What's an MVP? A volunteer! Read the FAQ: http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/

I think you've helped me get on the right track. But apparently only by
accident have I succeeded once in using an IncludeText field to include text
in one document from a source document. All other attempts have failed.
Here's what I've done:

1. In a source document, I typed some text, selected the entire text, and
then created a bookmark of the text, calling it textA.
2. In another document, on the Insert menu, I clicked Field, clicked
IncludeText, and then clicked OK, which inserted the following field:
{ INCLUDETEXT \* MERGEFORMAT }.
3. Inside the brackets, I deleted everything after the first space after
INCLUDETEXT, typed the path to the bookmark in the source file, and ended up
with:
{ INCLUDETEXT "pathname" textA }.

I've inserted several IncludeText fields in a destination document, but only
one instance of the field has worked, even though the others are
character-for-character and space-for-space identical, gray shading and all.

In only the one working instance does the field switch between field codes
and the resulting text, textA, when I press SHIFT+F9. In the other instances,
the field codes are replaced either by Error! Filename not specified., or
absolutely nothing, a blank.

I'm flummoxed. I don't know why the one instance works and why the others
don't. I don't know why I get different results for the nonworking instances.
I don't know what I've done right or wrong.

What's the right way to do all this? Details would help, because, with all
my printouts of field topics from Word Help, I still don't have all the steps
I need to use the IncludeText field properly in this situation.

Thanks,
Rob

"Daiya Mitchell" wrote:

What you should use are IncludeText fields. Check them out in Help, post
back if necessary. You insert the text that may change as an IncludeText
field in multiple documents, then keep the base document updated. You will
need to Update Fields in the documents that use these, to see the changes.
There is supposedly a setting to "update fields on opening" but I've found
it is not always reliable in my version (MacWord 2004).

AutoText has nothing to do with "one file only" but will only help you
insert static text, not help you update changing text.


On 4/18/05 3:35 PM, "robfer" wrote:

In a document that consists of about 20 chapter files, a number of pieces of
text--such as common procedures and lines of code--each appear in more than
one file. What I'd like to do is:

o Put all the pieces of text that appear in multiple locations in one
repository (such as in their own file, or whatever).
o Automatically insert each piece of text into all the locations where it
belongs, in various files.
o Update a piece of text once, in the central repository, and have the
updated version transmitted automatically to each of its locations throughout
the document.
o Quickly check to see that all instantiations and modifications have been
made.

I realize that I can use autotext to do part of this, but autotext seems to
be limited to inserting and updating instances of a text that reside in one
file only.

Any suggestions on how I can achieve my goals?

Thanks,
Rob

--
Daiya Mitchell, MVP Mac/Word
Word FAQ: http://www.word.mvps.org/
MacWord Tips: http://www.word.mvps.org/MacWordNew/
What's an MVP? A volunteer! Read the FAQ: http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/

I fixed my own problem. The solution is to update a field immediately after
inserting it, by clicking in the field and then pressing F9. After I did this
to each of the fields that wasn't working before, they all worked. That is,
clicking in a field and pressing SHIFT+F9 toggled between the field codes and
the inserted text.

Of course, each time you change the source text or the path to it, you'll
need to update the destination fields again.

What's more, I discovered that the way you create an IncludeText field is
irrelevant, as long as the result is a proper field (with the correct syntax
and path). Whether I started a field by pressing CTRL+F9 (to create a blank
field with brackets) and then typing in the rest, or inserted an IncludeText
field from the Insert menu, or typed or copied the path between the field
brackets { }, the resulting field always worked, as long as I updated it
right after creating it.

Again, thanks. Now I really think this will work.

Rob


"robfer" wrote:

I think you've helped me get on the right track. But apparently only by
accident have I succeeded once in using an IncludeText field to include text
in one document from a source document. All other attempts have failed.
Here's what I've done:

1. In a source document, I typed some text, selected the entire text, and
then created a bookmark of the text, calling it textA.
2. In another document, on the Insert menu, I clicked Field, clicked
IncludeText, and then clicked OK, which inserted the following field:
{ INCLUDETEXT \* MERGEFORMAT }.
3. Inside the brackets, I deleted everything after the first space after
INCLUDETEXT, typed the path to the bookmark in the source file, and ended up
with:
{ INCLUDETEXT "pathname" textA }.

I've inserted several IncludeText fields in a destination document, but only
one instance of the field has worked, even though the others are
character-for-character and space-for-space identical, gray shading and all.

In only the one working instance does the field switch between field codes
and the resulting text, textA, when I press SHIFT+F9. In the other instances,
the field codes are replaced either by Error! Filename not specified., or
absolutely nothing, a blank.

I'm flummoxed. I don't know why the one instance works and why the others
don't. I don't know why I get different results for the nonworking instances.
I don't know what I've done right or wrong.

What's the right way to do all this? Details would help, because, with all
my printouts of field topics from Word Help, I still don't have all the steps
I need to use the IncludeText field properly in this situation.

Thanks,
Rob

"Daiya Mitchell" wrote:

What you should use are IncludeText fields. Check them out in Help, post
back if necessary. You insert the text that may change as an IncludeText
field in multiple documents, then keep the base document updated. You will
need to Update Fields in the documents that use these, to see the changes.
There is supposedly a setting to "update fields on opening" but I've found
it is not always reliable in my version (MacWord 2004).

AutoText has nothing to do with "one file only" but will only help you
insert static text, not help you update changing text.


On 4/18/05 3:35 PM, "robfer" wrote:

In a document that consists of about 20 chapter files, a number of pieces of
text--such as common procedures and lines of code--each appear in more than
one file. What I'd like to do is:

o Put all the pieces of text that appear in multiple locations in one
repository (such as in their own file, or whatever).
o Automatically insert each piece of text into all the locations where it
belongs, in various files.
o Update a piece of text once, in the central repository, and have the
updated version transmitted automatically to each of its locations throughout
the document.
o Quickly check to see that all instantiations and modifications have been
made.

I realize that I can use autotext to do part of this, but autotext seems to
be limited to inserting and updating instances of a text that reside in one
file only.

Any suggestions on how I can achieve my goals?

Thanks,
Rob

--
Daiya Mitchell, MVP Mac/Word
Word FAQ: http://www.word.mvps.org/
MacWord Tips: http://www.word.mvps.org/MacWordNew/
What's an MVP? A volunteer! Read the FAQ: http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/

Glad you fixed it.

You can also use Insert | File and check the box to "link", just by the way.
If you have bookmarks set up, they should appear at the bottom of the
dialog, to be selected for an IncludeText field that doesn't include the
whole file. (at least in MacWord 2004). That puts the path in
automatically.

I think I'm saving your messages as reminder notes for a possible how-to on
includetext fields, if you don't mind.

DM

On 4/19/05 4:05 PM, "robfer" wrote:

I fixed my own problem. The solution is to update a field immediately after
inserting it, by clicking in the field and then pressing F9. After I did this
to each of the fields that wasn't working before, they all worked. That is,
clicking in a field and pressing SHIFT+F9 toggled between the field codes and
the inserted text.

Of course, each time you change the source text or the path to it, you'll
need to update the destination fields again.

What's more, I discovered that the way you create an IncludeText field is
irrelevant, as long as the result is a proper field (with the correct syntax
and path). Whether I started a field by pressing CTRL+F9 (to create a blank
field with brackets) and then typing in the rest, or inserted an IncludeText
field from the Insert menu, or typed or copied the path between the field
brackets { }, the resulting field always worked, as long as I updated it
right after creating it.

Again, thanks. Now I really think this will work.

Rob

Another way to do this is to use Insert | File and choose Insert as Link,
which creates an IncludeText field. If you want to include only specific
bookmarked text in that document, you can enter the bookmark as the Range.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

"robfer" wrote in message
...
I fixed my own problem. The solution is to update a field immediately
after
inserting it, by clicking in the field and then pressing F9. After I did
this
to each of the fields that wasn't working before, they all worked. That
is,
clicking in a field and pressing SHIFT+F9 toggled between the field codes
and
the inserted text.

Of course, each time you change the source text or the path to it, you'll
need to update the destination fields again.

What's more, I discovered that the way you create an IncludeText field is
irrelevant, as long as the result is a proper field (with the correct
syntax
and path). Whether I started a field by pressing CTRL+F9 (to create a
blank
field with brackets) and then typing in the rest, or inserted an
IncludeText
field from the Insert menu, or typed or copied the path between the field
brackets { }, the resulting field always worked, as long as I updated it
right after creating it.

Again, thanks. Now I really think this will work.

Rob


"robfer" wrote:

I think you've helped me get on the right track. But apparently only by
accident have I succeeded once in using an IncludeText field to include
text
in one document from a source document. All other attempts have failed.
Here's what I've done:

1. In a source document, I typed some text, selected the entire text,
and
then created a bookmark of the text, calling it textA.
2. In another document, on the Insert menu, I clicked Field, clicked
IncludeText, and then clicked OK, which inserted the following field:
{ INCLUDETEXT \* MERGEFORMAT }.
3. Inside the brackets, I deleted everything after the first space after
INCLUDETEXT, typed the path to the bookmark in the source file, and
ended up
with:
{ INCLUDETEXT "pathname" textA }.

I've inserted several IncludeText fields in a destination document, but
only
one instance of the field has worked, even though the others are
character-for-character and space-for-space identical, gray shading and
all.

In only the one working instance does the field switch between field
codes
and the resulting text, textA, when I press SHIFT+F9. In the other
instances,
the field codes are replaced either by Error! Filename not specified.,
or
absolutely nothing, a blank.

I'm flummoxed. I don't know why the one instance works and why the
others
don't. I don't know why I get different results for the nonworking
instances.
I don't know what I've done right or wrong.

What's the right way to do all this? Details would help, because, with
all
my printouts of field topics from Word Help, I still don't have all the
steps
I need to use the IncludeText field properly in this situation.

Thanks,
Rob

"Daiya Mitchell" wrote:

What you should use are IncludeText fields. Check them out in Help,
post
back if necessary. You insert the text that may change as an
IncludeText
field in multiple documents, then keep the base document updated. You
will
need to Update Fields in the documents that use these, to see the
changes.
There is supposedly a setting to "update fields on opening" but I've
found
it is not always reliable in my version (MacWord 2004).

AutoText has nothing to do with "one file only" but will only help you
insert static text, not help you update changing text.


On 4/18/05 3:35 PM, "robfer" wrote:

In a document that consists of about 20 chapter files, a number of
pieces of
text--such as common procedures and lines of code--each appear in
more than
one file. What I'd like to do is:

o Put all the pieces of text that appear in multiple locations in
one
repository (such as in their own file, or whatever).
o Automatically insert each piece of text into all the locations
where it
belongs, in various files.
o Update a piece of text once, in the central repository, and have
the
updated version transmitted automatically to each of its locations
throughout
the document.
o Quickly check to see that all instantiations and modifications
have been
made.

I realize that I can use autotext to do part of this, but autotext
seems to
be limited to inserting and updating instances of a text that reside
in one
file only.

Any suggestions on how I can achieve my goals?

Thanks,
Rob

--
Daiya Mitchell, MVP Mac/Word
Word FAQ: http://www.word.mvps.org/
MacWord Tips: http://www.word.mvps.org/MacWordNew/
What's an MVP? A volunteer! Read the FAQ:
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/

Thanks, Daiya and Suzanne, for your great suggestion for inserting
IncludeText fields. This method is much faster than my stumbled-upon method,
and it doesn't require me to update a field immediately after creating it;
IncludeText fields inserted this way work properly from the get-go.

I still have two issues, though, and maybe you can help me out once more.

Issue 1: What's the best way to maintain the link between the included text
in a destination document and the source document? I've noticed that if I
move the source document to a different folder after I insert an IncludeText
field, the field can't find the source document; links aren't dynamically
maintained. Must the source document remain in its original location? If I
move it, must I also manually change the path in each affected field? In
short, how must I manage source and destination files to maintain links?

Issue 2: The paragraphs in each included text must have specific formats.
For example, if the source text consists of an introductory paragraph and
five paragraphs of numbered steps, then the included text in each destination
file must also consist of an introductory paragraph and five numbered
paragraphs, with each paragraph being indented and numbered correctly. I
assume this means that the source text needs to be fully formatted (with all
paragraph marks as well as text selected at the time I create a bookmark for
the source text), and that the same template that's applied to the
destination file needs to be applied to the source file as well. Is this
true? Or is there a simpler, cleaner way of doing this?

Thanks again,
Rob

"Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote:

Another way to do this is to use Insert | File and choose Insert as Link,
which creates an IncludeText field. If you want to include only specific
bookmarked text in that document, you can enter the bookmark as the Range.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

"robfer" wrote in message
...
I fixed my own problem. The solution is to update a field immediately
after
inserting it, by clicking in the field and then pressing F9. After I did
this
to each of the fields that wasn't working before, they all worked. That
is,
clicking in a field and pressing SHIFT+F9 toggled between the field codes
and
the inserted text.

Of course, each time you change the source text or the path to it, you'll
need to update the destination fields again.

What's more, I discovered that the way you create an IncludeText field is
irrelevant, as long as the result is a proper field (with the correct
syntax
and path). Whether I started a field by pressing CTRL+F9 (to create a
blank
field with brackets) and then typing in the rest, or inserted an
IncludeText
field from the Insert menu, or typed or copied the path between the field
brackets { }, the resulting field always worked, as long as I updated it
right after creating it.

Again, thanks. Now I really think this will work.

Rob


"robfer" wrote:

I think you've helped me get on the right track. But apparently only by
accident have I succeeded once in using an IncludeText field to include
text
in one document from a source document. All other attempts have failed.
Here's what I've done:

1. In a source document, I typed some text, selected the entire text,
and
then created a bookmark of the text, calling it textA.
2. In another document, on the Insert menu, I clicked Field, clicked
IncludeText, and then clicked OK, which inserted the following field:
{ INCLUDETEXT \* MERGEFORMAT }.
3. Inside the brackets, I deleted everything after the first space after
INCLUDETEXT, typed the path to the bookmark in the source file, and
ended up
with:
{ INCLUDETEXT "pathname" textA }.

I've inserted several IncludeText fields in a destination document, but
only
one instance of the field has worked, even though the others are
character-for-character and space-for-space identical, gray shading and
all.

In only the one working instance does the field switch between field
codes
and the resulting text, textA, when I press SHIFT+F9. In the other
instances,
the field codes are replaced either by Error! Filename not specified.,
or
absolutely nothing, a blank.

I'm flummoxed. I don't know why the one instance works and why the
others
don't. I don't know why I get different results for the nonworking
instances.
I don't know what I've done right or wrong.

What's the right way to do all this? Details would help, because, with
all
my printouts of field topics from Word Help, I still don't have all the
steps
I need to use the IncludeText field properly in this situation.

Thanks,
Rob

"Daiya Mitchell" wrote:

What you should use are IncludeText fields. Check them out in Help,
post
back if necessary. You insert the text that may change as an
IncludeText
field in multiple documents, then keep the base document updated. You
will
need to Update Fields in the documents that use these, to see the
changes.
There is supposedly a setting to "update fields on opening" but I've
found
it is not always reliable in my version (MacWord 2004).

AutoText has nothing to do with "one file only" but will only help you
insert static text, not help you update changing text.


On 4/18/05 3:35 PM, "robfer" wrote:

In a document that consists of about 20 chapter files, a number of
pieces of
text--such as common procedures and lines of code--each appear in
more than
one file. What I'd like to do is:

o Put all the pieces of text that appear in multiple locations in
one
repository (such as in their own file, or whatever).
o Automatically insert each piece of text into all the locations
where it
belongs, in various files.
o Update a piece of text once, in the central repository, and have
the
updated version transmitted automatically to each of its locations
throughout
the document.
o Quickly check to see that all instantiations and modifications
have been
made.

I realize that I can use autotext to do part of this, but autotext
seems to
be limited to inserting and updating instances of a text that reside
in one
file only.

Any suggestions on how I can achieve my goals?

Thanks,
Rob

--
Daiya Mitchell, MVP Mac/Word
Word FAQ: http://www.word.mvps.org/
MacWord Tips: http://www.word.mvps.org/MacWordNew/
What's an MVP? A volunteer! Read the FAQ:
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/

Thanks, Daiya, for your great suggestion for inserting
IncludeText fields. This method is much faster than my stumbled-upon method,
and it doesn't require me to update a field immediately after creating it;
IncludeText fields inserted this way work properly from the get-go.

I still have two issues, though, and maybe you can help me out once more.

Issue 1: What's the best way to maintain the link between the included text
in a destination document and the source document? I've noticed that if I
move the source document to a different folder after I insert an IncludeText
field, the field can't find the source document; links aren't dynamically
maintained. Must the source document remain in its original location? If I
move it, must I also manually change the path in each affected field? In
short, how must I manage source and destination files to maintain links?

Issue 2: The paragraphs in each included text must have specific formats.
For example, if the source text consists of an introductory paragraph and
five paragraphs of numbered steps, then the included text in each destination
file must also consist of an introductory paragraph and five numbered
paragraphs, with each paragraph being indented and numbered correctly. I
assume this means that the source text needs to be fully formatted (with all
paragraph marks as well as text selected at the time I create a bookmark for
the source text), and that the same template that's applied to the
destination file needs to be applied to the source file as well. Is this
true? Or is there a simpler, cleaner way of doing this?

Thanks again,
Rob


"Daiya Mitchell" wrote:

Glad you fixed it.

You can also use Insert | File and check the box to "link", just by the way.
If you have bookmarks set up, they should appear at the bottom of the
dialog, to be selected for an IncludeText field that doesn't include the
whole file. (at least in MacWord 2004). That puts the path in
automatically.

I think I'm saving your messages as reminder notes for a possible how-to on
includetext fields, if you don't mind.

DM

On 4/19/05 4:05 PM, "robfer" wrote:

I fixed my own problem. The solution is to update a field immediately after
inserting it, by clicking in the field and then pressing F9. After I did this
to each of the fields that wasn't working before, they all worked. That is,
clicking in a field and pressing SHIFT+F9 toggled between the field codes and
the inserted text.

Of course, each time you change the source text or the path to it, you'll
need to update the destination fields again.

What's more, I discovered that the way you create an IncludeText field is
irrelevant, as long as the result is a proper field (with the correct syntax
and path). Whether I started a field by pressing CTRL+F9 (to create a blank
field with brackets) and then typing in the rest, or inserted an IncludeText
field from the Insert menu, or typed or copied the path between the field
brackets { }, the resulting field always worked, as long as I updated it
right after creating it.

Again, thanks. Now I really think this will work.

Rob

Hi,

I've been using INCLUDETEXT successfully for some time, but a problem has
developed that maybe one of you guys can help me with.

The included document have internal links - i.e., I've included a document
Chapter2.doc using { INCLUDETEXT "Chapter2.doc" }

Chapter2.doc has cross-reference links WITHIN the document - e.g., a link on
page 3 of Chapter 2 to a bookmark on page 5 of Chapter 2.

Until now, when I inserted the file, the links automatically pointed to the
correct page on the Parent document - e.g., if Chapter2 started on page 10,
then the internal link automatically updates to show page 15.

As of last week, all links changed and now point to the end of the included
document. (e.g. if the inserted Chapter2 runs from page 10-20, all cross
references point to page 20)

I've tried updating fields (CTRL+F9), I've tried adding a /! switch (which
makes links point to the page on the sub-document, not the parent document),
I've tried screaming at the computer - but so far nothing has worked.

HELP!!

Michael


"robfer" wrote:

Thanks, Daiya and Suzanne, for your great suggestion for inserting
IncludeText fields. This method is much faster than my stumbled-upon method,
and it doesn't require me to update a field immediately after creating it;
IncludeText fields inserted this way work properly from the get-go.

I still have two issues, though, and maybe you can help me out once more.

Issue 1: What's the best way to maintain the link between the included text
in a destination document and the source document? I've noticed that if I
move the source document to a different folder after I insert an IncludeText
field, the field can't find the source document; links aren't dynamically
maintained. Must the source document remain in its original location? If I
move it, must I also manually change the path in each affected field? In
short, how must I manage source and destination files to maintain links?

Issue 2: The paragraphs in each included text must have specific formats.
For example, if the source text consists of an introductory paragraph and
five paragraphs of numbered steps, then the included text in each destination
file must also consist of an introductory paragraph and five numbered
paragraphs, with each paragraph being indented and numbered correctly. I
assume this means that the source text needs to be fully formatted (with all
paragraph marks as well as text selected at the time I create a bookmark for
the source text), and that the same template that's applied to the
destination file needs to be applied to the source file as well. Is this
true? Or is there a simpler, cleaner way of doing this?

Thanks again,
Rob

"Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote:

Another way to do this is to use Insert | File and choose Insert as Link,
which creates an IncludeText field. If you want to include only specific
bookmarked text in that document, you can enter the bookmark as the Range.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

[S. Bevins]

I am not sure if anyone is still watching this post, but I believe my issue
is related so I will try.

I am using Word 2007 and am inserting text from files as links.

Michael, I also had an issue with cross references. Mine give the
Error!Reference Not Found error. I have avoided this issue by using bookmarks
and links instead of cross references.

The issue I have not overcome yet is numbering. When I insert a linked file,
the numbered lists in the inserted file do not retain their numbering. Ex:
There is a source files with 3 lists numbered 1 to 10. When it is inserted a
linked files the lists are numbered from 1 to 30 (1 to 10, 11 to 20, and 21
to 30) instead of 1 to 10, 1 to 10, and 1 to 10.

I can fix this by going to the start of each list and restarting the
numbering, but every time I update the linked file, the list goes back to the
continuous numbering. Is there a solution to this?

Also, Rob, I am not sure that I understand your 2nd issue totally, but I
have found that if I have styles with the same name in my source &
destination documents, when I change the style format in the destination
document, the linked text reflects the format of the destination document.
(While the format in the source document remains the same.)