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#1
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Master feature
I'm looking for some input/feedback regarding the use of
the Master Documents Feature in Word 2003. I have a customer that wants to use and learn the Master Document features with subdocuments, outlining, etc. They apparently have some large documents that wish to use. I train in Word and I'm very comfortable with most of the typical features and uses of Word. However, I haven't done much with Master Documents except infrequently teach the basics of Master Documents. I'm concerned that Master Documents may not allow the customer to do what they want and also some of the previous versions of Word did not seem to handle Master Document so well. Here are my questions: 1) Does Word 2003 handle this feature well compared to the past versions and possible issues it used to have? 2) Is this a solid feature to use? 3) Do people not use it these days because the general PC's are so powerful that it is not necessary to use separate files utilized in a Master Document? 4) What limitations or things should one watch out for related to Master Documents? 5) Is there a good reference or web site I can check out? I know that I have asked a lot of questions but I'm not sure if my customer should get involved in this feature when perhaps it is not necessary. Also, I may have to provide support and I'm not sure what kind of trouble I might be looking at fixing. Thanks for any suggestions/feedback ! Jugglertwo |
#2
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The function is still unreliable. Avoid if at all possible. Word will
happily handle large documents. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org Jugglertwo wrote: I'm looking for some input/feedback regarding the use of the Master Documents Feature in Word 2003. I have a customer that wants to use and learn the Master Document features with subdocuments, outlining, etc. They apparently have some large documents that wish to use. I train in Word and I'm very comfortable with most of the typical features and uses of Word. However, I haven't done much with Master Documents except infrequently teach the basics of Master Documents. I'm concerned that Master Documents may not allow the customer to do what they want and also some of the previous versions of Word did not seem to handle Master Document so well. Here are my questions: 1) Does Word 2003 handle this feature well compared to the past versions and possible issues it used to have? 2) Is this a solid feature to use? 3) Do people not use it these days because the general PC's are so powerful that it is not necessary to use separate files utilized in a Master Document? 4) What limitations or things should one watch out for related to Master Documents? 5) Is there a good reference or web site I can check out? I know that I have asked a lot of questions but I'm not sure if my customer should get involved in this feature when perhaps it is not necessary. Also, I may have to provide support and I'm not sure what kind of trouble I might be looking at fixing. Thanks for any suggestions/feedback ! Jugglertwo |
#3
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"Master Document" remains 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. "Jugglertwo" wrote in message ... I'm looking for some input/feedback regarding the use of the Master Documents Feature in Word 2003. I have a customer that wants to use and learn the Master Document features with subdocuments, outlining, etc. They apparently have some large documents that wish to use. I train in Word and I'm very comfortable with most of the typical features and uses of Word. However, I haven't done much with Master Documents except infrequently teach the basics of Master Documents. I'm concerned that Master Documents may not allow the customer to do what they want and also some of the previous versions of Word did not seem to handle Master Document so well. Here are my questions: 1) Does Word 2003 handle this feature well compared to the past versions and possible issues it used to have? 2) Is this a solid feature to use? 3) Do people not use it these days because the general PC's are so powerful that it is not necessary to use separate files utilized in a Master Document? 4) What limitations or things should one watch out for related to Master Documents? 5) Is there a good reference or web site I can check out? I know that I have asked a lot of questions but I'm not sure if my customer should get involved in this feature when perhaps it is not necessary. Also, I may have to provide support and I'm not sure what kind of trouble I might be looking at fixing. Thanks for any suggestions/feedback ! Jugglertwo |
#4
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Graham:
Thanks for the useful feedback. -----Original Message----- The function is still unreliable. Avoid if at all possible. Word will happily handle large documents. -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org Jugglertwo wrote: I'm looking for some input/feedback regarding the use of the Master Documents Feature in Word 2003. I have a customer that wants to use and learn the Master Document features with subdocuments, outlining, etc. They apparently have some large documents that wish to use. I train in Word and I'm very comfortable with most of the typical features and uses of Word. However, I haven't done much with Master Documents except infrequently teach the basics of Master Documents. I'm concerned that Master Documents may not allow the customer to do what they want and also some of the previous versions of Word did not seem to handle Master Document so well. Here are my questions: 1) Does Word 2003 handle this feature well compared to the past versions and possible issues it used to have? 2) Is this a solid feature to use? 3) Do people not use it these days because the general PC's are so powerful that it is not necessary to use separate files utilized in a Master Document? 4) What limitations or things should one watch out for related to Master Documents? 5) Is there a good reference or web site I can check out? I know that I have asked a lot of questions but I'm not sure if my customer should get involved in this feature when perhaps it is not necessary. Also, I may have to provide support and I'm not sure what kind of trouble I might be looking at fixing. Thanks for any suggestions/feedback ! Jugglertwo . |
#5
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Charles:
Thanks for taking the time to answer! It is appreciated ! -----Original Message----- "Master Document" remains 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...terDocsCorrupt ..htm for more information on what goes wrong, and http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/Genera...rMasterDocs.ht m for ideas on how to salvage what you can. See http://www.techwr- l.com/techwhirl/magazine/technical/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. "Jugglertwo" wrote in message ... I'm looking for some input/feedback regarding the use of the Master Documents Feature in Word 2003. I have a customer that wants to use and learn the Master Document features with subdocuments, outlining, etc. They apparently have some large documents that wish to use. I train in Word and I'm very comfortable with most of the typical features and uses of Word. However, I haven't done much with Master Documents except infrequently teach the basics of Master Documents. I'm concerned that Master Documents may not allow the customer to do what they want and also some of the previous versions of Word did not seem to handle Master Document so well. Here are my questions: 1) Does Word 2003 handle this feature well compared to the past versions and possible issues it used to have? 2) Is this a solid feature to use? 3) Do people not use it these days because the general PC's are so powerful that it is not necessary to use separate files utilized in a Master Document? 4) What limitations or things should one watch out for related to Master Documents? 5) Is there a good reference or web site I can check out? I know that I have asked a lot of questions but I'm not sure if my customer should get involved in this feature when perhaps it is not necessary. Also, I may have to provide support and I'm not sure what kind of trouble I might be looking at fixing. Thanks for any suggestions/feedback ! Jugglertwo . |
#6
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Just felt the need to chime in a bit here...since I've been
complaining about Master docs since version 6 and wrote this article back in 1996... Compiling Sub Docs http://www.mousetrax.com/mastdoc.html I've been telling people to NOT use Master docs since 1995, too. That said, know that Master Docs in 2003 *is* getting more stable and I have cautiously used it several times and knock, knock, knock it does seem more stable. Granted, I still warn people that, if you try it...keep your docs separate, save/backup often...be SMART about it by not trying to push it too hard. Make sure you regularly clear out your temp files and make sure you have a powerful system when you use it that can handle the stress of handling tons of files, graphics, etc. And be smart about using stable styles...modify them properly so you don't end up with char, char styles all over. Avoid direct formatting. And keep everything in the individual docs version adding within the master template for the master doc. I am getting braver and braver about using it in 2003 and did hear from MS about some improvements in this version. I'm currently editing a pretty large doc...over 28 chapters, over 1500 footnotes, and piles of images. It's going okay so far knock, knock, knock...again! If you hear a loud scream, it'll be me. I don't know that you'd want to trust a newbie with it...HA, although THEY may have better luck due to not being so afraid of it!g Just my two cents... Good luck... Dian D. Chapman, Technical Consultant Microsoft MVP, MOS Certified Editor/TechTrax Ezine Free MS Tutorials: http://www.mousetrax.com/techtrax Free Word eBook: http://www.mousetrax.com/books.html Optimize your business docs: http://www.mousetrax.com/consulting Learn VBA the easy way: http://www.mousetrax.com/techcourses.html On Tue, 22 Feb 2005 09:24:27 -0800, "Jugglertwo" wrote: I'm looking for some input/feedback regarding the use of the Master Documents Feature in Word 2003. I have a customer that wants to use and learn the Master Document features with subdocuments, outlining, etc. They apparently have some large documents that wish to use. I train in Word and I'm very comfortable with most of the typical features and uses of Word. However, I haven't done much with Master Documents except infrequently teach the basics of Master Documents. I'm concerned that Master Documents may not allow the customer to do what they want and also some of the previous versions of Word did not seem to handle Master Document so well. Here are my questions: 1) Does Word 2003 handle this feature well compared to the past versions and possible issues it used to have? 2) Is this a solid feature to use? 3) Do people not use it these days because the general PC's are so powerful that it is not necessary to use separate files utilized in a Master Document? 4) What limitations or things should one watch out for related to Master Documents? 5) Is there a good reference or web site I can check out? I know that I have asked a lot of questions but I'm not sure if my customer should get involved in this feature when perhaps it is not necessary. Also, I may have to provide support and I'm not sure what kind of trouble I might be looking at fixing. Thanks for any suggestions/feedback ! Jugglertwo |
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