[David Powell]

I will first explain my objective, then my problem and current workaround. I
am open to alternative solutions also.

I want a book of readings which largely preserve the individual formatting
of the readings, with the exception of the addition of headers and footers
which identify the page number and the name of the reading. I am using a
STYLEREF field to identify the reading in the footer. The readings
themselves are sometimes "page images" - scanned pages. I want to identify
the reading invisibly with a style that the STYLEREF can use as the running
head (or "running foot", if you like).

I created a character style called "InvisibleTopicLabel" which had the
Hidden effect set. However, I couldn't get this to appear in the STYLEREF
reference, even after removing "\* MERGEFORMAT", and even after explicitly
applying "\* CHARFORMAT" and a special style for the STYLEREF. In fact, in
trying to define that special style, I found that while I could explicitly
assert a "No ..." for other effects (like "underline"), I could not do so for
"Hidden". Is this a known restriction, or am I missing something?

My workaround was to define "InvisibleTopicLabel" as white text. Obviously,
this requires that the text doesn't occlude part of the original page image -
a concern, because I hope to automate this process (not require operator
placement of the label). Also, it's hard to see when you *want* to see it.
I solved this by applying a green background, which Word by default won't
print.

I've avoided creating a master document, because of advice at
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/General/Wh...ocsCorrupt.htm. But I imagine
if I could safely go this way, I could use document properties, bookmarks,
etc., to pick up the sub-book topic (is this so?). Anyway, I intend to heed
the advice of the MVPs on this unless persuaded otherwise. But also open to
other strategies.

Thanks.