atw: Re: Help!!! Word, master documents & styles
- From: "Matilda Reich" <matildar@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 13:22:12 +1100
Christine,
You are spot on.... I remember similar probs. Yes there is a feature
(somewhere) where if you do have to import text (polluted with someone
else's styles) you are best off to strip all formating first and import it
as plain text.
I do believe the main culprit is the 'Automatically Update' check box under
Format Style Modify, which is often clicked. It should only be used when you
are creating a template of styles (no text) and you are changing your mind
as you go. Once you have settled on your style features in the template you
should ensure 'Automatically Update' is deselected for each style before you
begin the text. It's a pest that this check box applies to each style and
not to the whole template (should be a global feature). I avoid this check
box altogether.
Another way this mess is done is when people append their style to normal.
You may as well go home then...
Avoid indented styles and table styles, if you can.
I also remember there is a feature in Styles where you can identify that one
style always follows the other (eg. BoxText3 always comes after Heading 3).
This can also create problems with legacy documents but should not do so
with fresh documents.
Unfortunately, even cutting pasting innocent looking text from another
application, even email, can trigger this cascade.
As a DTP, Word definitely has severe limits.
Matilda Reich
----- Original Message -----
From: BIRTLEY-KENT,Christine <Christine.BIRTLEY-KENT@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, February 16, 2004 1:08 PM
Subject: atw: Re: Help!!! Word, master documents & styles
> If you have a good clean template and every bit of text attached to a
> style, the styles in your documents may still change when you import or
> insert them.
>
> Word seems to be keeping some kind of secret history of styles, and
> applies styles according to some mysterious logic. I have found that
> frequently one style will drop out, and be replaced by some obscure
> style - maybe BodyText is replaced by Header. This is quite consistent
> for this particular file, but for another file on an identical template,
> Bullet1 may be replaced by BodyText3. You get the idea. I have no idea
> why this happens. It seems random but repeatable.
>
> Things I have done:
> I have switched off whatever it is that creates those ludicrous
> character styles, and have stopped them, so that is not the problem. (I
> switched off a whole lot of things and can't remember where this command
> was.)
>
> I have completely cleaned up my template. I have removed ALL character
> styles. I have removed every style not used leaving only paragraph
> styles in use. I have removed ALL table styles - these contain
> automatic table formatting - in case they were over-ruling my manually
> set styles. (I have not tried creating a table style to apply to my
> tables.)
>
> I have tried checking the final paragraph mark in the document to see if
> it is in the style that is taking over, but nothing so simple.
>
> I have tried creating new files on the final pristine and wondrous
> template and importing the text, but seems like I am importing the style
> command with the text.
>
> If this is your problem and you solve it, please let me know how. Maybe
> one of the ideas above will help in your case.
>
> Christine
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Stuart Lecky [mailto:slecky@xxxxxxxxxx]=20
> Sent: Monday, February 16, 2004 1:47 PM
> To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: atw: Re: Help!!! Word, master documents & styles
>
>
> At 12:31 PM 16/02/2004 +1100, you wrote:
> >Word often gives many table cells in the document a para style of TOC=20
> >3. I
> >don't think it's a memory prob.)
> Sounds like you haven't specified a specific style for the cells in the=20
> table. You should also be using a dedicated template (ie not
> "normal.dot")=20
> - are you?
>
> If you'd like to go here...
>
> www.hci.com.au/downloads
>
> ...you can download the HCi Style Guide that is "A complete layout and=20
> style guide for technical documentation that makes automatic translation
>
> into other formats possible. Includes templates for Word and Frame."
> It=20
> may be of some help.
> _________________________________________________________
> Stuart Lecky, Project Manager
> __________________________
> HCi Better communications Better Management
> (61-2) 9232 6669 (ph) http://www.hci.com.au
> (61-2) 9232 1002 (fax) GPO Box 4846 Sydney 2001 Australia=20
>
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