Autotext question

[Chris]

I need to insert multiple instances of the same autotext
into a document. If I need to change that autotext, is
there a way to change every instance automatically?

 

[Mark Tangard]

Hi Chris,

You mean change the result? Probably yes, depending on just
what it is you want changed. If you mean change the actual
*entry* (the stored AutoText) each time it's used, that's
probably possible too, but I can't imagine it's necessary.
Tell us what you're trying to accomplish; there's probably
an easier way.

 

[Mark Tangard]

Oh OK. Yes, that's not only doable, it's doable with a
*field*. An AutoText field, that is. Instead of inserting
the AutoText itself, insert it via a field like this:

{ AUTOTEXT YourAutoTextNameHere }

Then if you change the AutoText, just select the whole doc
and hit F9 and all the fields will update, meaning all the
text they contain will change as you wish. Obviously if
you already have a doc filled with real AutoText output,
you'll have to doctor it up first, but once you have the
fields in place instead of the text, you can do this sort
of mass edit on it forever.

 

[Larry]

The Ref field would work for this. You use one paragraph or block of
text as the basis for the other paragraphs which are fields, and then
when you want to change them, you change the main paragraph and update
the fields.

Type a short paragraph. Select the paragraph and assign a bookmark to
it called test. Situate the cursor where you want an identical
paragraph to appear. Now open the Fields dialog box (Insert, Fields).
In the left pane choose Links and References. In the right pane choose
Ref. Click on options. In the dialog box that opens, choose the tab
for bookmarks and choose the bookmark called test. Click Ok. A
paragraph identical to the bookmarked paragraph will be inserted. But
it's not regular text, it's a field that can be updated.

Now you want to change the two paragraphs. In the bookmarked paragraph,
type some more words. Now select the whole document and press F9 which
updates the selected fields.

If you don't want the fields appearing in gray all the time, that can be
controlled in Tools, Options, View.

Larry

 

[Chris]

Thank you!!, I'll try these suggestions.

Chris

-----Original Message-----
Mark

Here's an example of what I am doing.

I am using autotext for a repetative paragraph in a
technical document that is about 500 pages long. I have
about twenty instances of this paragraph throughout the
document. I now need to add some sentances to this
paragraph. So will Word let me change the autotext and
then update all twenty instances of the paragraph in my
document?

Kind of like using Function9 to update field codes in
documents.

Hope this is a bit more clear on what I'm trying to do.

Thanks for your help!

Chris


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