Autotext Transfer across a network

[Pete Kilbourne]

We have several autotext entries on Computer 1 that we need
to have on Computer 2. The computers (G3-400 Powerbook,
System 9.1 and iMac 400, System 9.2.2, both Word 98)are on
a local network. We publish large documents and
maintaining format is preferred.

We created a template containing the autotext on the
Powerbook. Then we drug a copy of the template from the
Templae folder to the iMac Template folder. Sure enough,
the template is there, but not the autotext entries. How
can we transfer the entries?

Can someone pleae tell us "the rest of the story"?

Thanks for the hel

 

[matt neuburg]

We have several autotext entries on Computer 1 that we need
to have on Computer 2. The computers (G3-400 Powerbook,
System 9.1 and iMac 400, System 9.2.2, both Word 98)are on
a local network. We publish large documents and
maintaining format is preferred.

We created a template containing the autotext on the
Powerbook. Then we drug a copy of the template from the
Templae folder to the iMac Template folder. Sure enough,
the template is there, but not the autotext entries. How
can we transfer the entries?

Are you certain that the template contains the autotext entries? Have
you used the Organizer to check this? m.

 

[Beth Rosengard]

Are you certain that the template contains the autotext entries? Have
you used the Organizer to check this? m.

Matt's right. Autotext entries are stored in the Normal template so your
custom template won't contain them. If you make a copy of the Normal
template on Computer 1 and transfer it to Computer 2, replacing the Normal
that's already there, you should be okay. If you have customizations in
Computer 2's Normal template, rename it to something else before you bring
over Computer 1's Normal. That way you can use Organizer to transfer the
customizations from the former to the latter. (You're better off storing
customizations - such as macros, toolbars, keyboard shortcuts - in custom
templates anyway, not Normal.)

For more on the Normal template and custom templates, see these links:

<http://word.mvps.org/MacWordNew/MacWordNormal.htm>
<http://word.mvps.org/MacWordNew/GlobalTemplate.htm>
<http://word.mvps.org/MacWordNew/BackUpPrefs.htm>

--
Beth Rosengard
Mac MVP

Mac Word FAQ: <http://word.mvps.org/MacWordNew/index.htm>
Entourage Help Page: <http://www.entourage.mvps.org>

 

[Elliott Roper]

Are you certain that the template contains the autotext entries? Have
you used the Organizer to check this? m.

I have just done something similar. Some autotext stays resolutely in
Normal. Organizer can't see it. It seemed to be those with character
formatting, such as my (1/2) -> an EQ field for fractions, where there
were different character sizes and a bit of lowering involved.

Since I wanted a clean normal, my technique was to copy everything I
could into a new global template via the organizer, trash the old
normal and type the remaining autotexts into the new one by hand.

This variation of that problem could be done similarly, except that
copying a standard good normal (as empty as possible) would appear to
be part of the answer.

 

[John McGhie]

{Sigh} This is not as intuitive as it might be...

There are two kinds of resource: AutoText and AutoCorrect.

AutoText and FORMATTED AutoCorrect must be stored in a template. It does
not have to be the Normal template.

If you create a document from a template, or attach a template to a
document, then create your AutoText, the AutoText *should* be stored in the
current "customisation context" and the customisation context *should* be
the attached template.

In Word 2004 it is, but I do not have the other versions here to test with.

The Customisation Context is "the template that is the target for things
such as AutoText and Recorded Macros". I have a horrid feeling that in Word
97/98, the customisation context remains set to the Normal Template and does
not change unless you change it.

When you create an AutoText with Insert>AutoText>New... There is no
opportunity to change the customisation context. If you use
Insert>AutoText>AutoText, the dialog box contains a field named "Look in" at
the bottom. This should be set to the name of the Attached Template for the
document. If it is not (and in Word 97/98 it usually isn't...) you should
have the ability to change it.

Failing that, if you use the Organiser, you can click the AutoText tab and
see the AutoText in your document and your Normal Template. The Document is
usually in the left column and the Normal Template in the Right column. If
you click the Close button below the Document column, it should close the
Organiser's window into the Document and change to an Open button. If you
click Open, you should be able to navigate to and Open the Attached Template
(yes, you now have the attached template open Twice, and no, Word doesn't
care...)

You can then move the AutoTexts you wish across from one to the other.

When you have done that, click Close on both columns in the Organiser, close
the Organiser, then hold down your Shift key and choose Save All to save the
template you just changed. Then it's a good idea to Quit Word and say "No"
if prompted to save the template. If you do anything else then save the
Attached Template, you can end up writing the unchanged version back to the
disk rather than the one containing your new AutoTexts.

It's not a bad idea to close the document that has the Attached Template
before you start playing with the organiser to avoid this problem, which is
caused by Word having the Attached Template open twice, once for the
document and once for the Organiser.

Hope this helps.

I have just done something similar. Some autotext stays resolutely in
Normal. Organizer can't see it. It seemed to be those with character
formatting, such as my (1/2) -> an EQ field for fractions, where there
were different character sizes and a bit of lowering involved.

Since I wanted a clean normal, my technique was to copy everything I
could into a new global template via the organizer, trash the old
normal and type the remaining autotexts into the new one by hand.

This variation of that problem could be done similarly, except that
copying a standard good normal (as empty as possible) would appear to
be part of the answer.

--

Please reply to the newsgroup to maintain the thread. Please do not email
me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie <[email protected]>
Consultant Technical Writer
Sydney, Australia +61 4 1209 1410

 

[matt neuburg]

If you create a document from a template, or attach a template to a
document, then create your AutoText, the AutoText *should* be stored in the
current "customisation context" and the customisation context *should* be
the attached template.

In Word 2004 it is

No, it's not. At least, it's not in the automatic way that you suggest.
This is why I posted earlier that the OP should check to make sure the
AutoText he created was in the template, not in Normal. That very day, I
had created an AutoText in a document based on a template, and the
change did NOT go into the template; it went into Normal.

So, maybe it *sometimes* goes automatically into the template, and you
saw this happen; but I have not seen it happen, so clearly it
*sometimes* does not.

m.

 

[JE McGimpsey]

So, maybe it *sometimes* goes automatically into the template, and you
saw this happen; but I have not seen it happen, so clearly it
*sometimes* does not.

Based on my very light testing (Word04)...

Setup:

Create a fresh template test.dot. Close Word. Start Word. Open a
document based on test.dot. Write and select some text in the document.
Select the text.

1) Choose Insert/Autotext/New. Name it test1. Open Organizer. test1 is
in Normal, not test.dot. This is correct (see below).

2) Choose Insert/AutoText/Autotext... In the dialog, set the Look In
dropdown to test.dot. Close the dialog.

3) With the text selected, choose Insert/AutoText/New. Name it test2.
Open Organizer. test2 is in test.dot.

4) Open a new document based on Normal. Enter some text. Select it.
Choose Insert/Autotext/New. Name it test3. Open Organizer. test3 is
*not* in Normal. Click close file button on one side. Click Open file
and navigate to test.dot. test3 is in test.dot. Note that under
Insert/Autotext/ test3 is listed under "Normal".

This is a bug.

From Help:

 

[matt neuburg]

Create a fresh template test.dot. Close Word. Start Word. Open a
document based on test.dot. Write and select some text in the document.
Select the text.

1) Choose Insert/Autotext/New. Name it test1. Open Organizer. test1 is
in Normal, not test.dot. This is correct (see below).

Agreed. But in your previous note, you said:

If you create a document from a template, or attach a template to a
document, then create your AutoText, the AutoText *should* be stored in
the current "customisation context" and the customisation context *should*
be the attached template. In Word 2004 it is.

That is the opposite; that's what I was disagreeing with.

Note By default, Word makes the AutoText entry available to all
documents by storing it in the Normal template. If you want to limit
AutoText entries to particular documents, select a different template
in the Look in box when you create the AutoText entry.

And the list of autotexts shown hierarchically in the menus, under
Insert > Autotext, then changes. I didn't know about this!

The problem, however, is that if you do that, you obviously lose access
to your Normal autotexts. So there is no way to keep access to your
Normal autotexts, yet create a new autotext and store it in the document
template in a single move. In fact apparently there's just no way to
know for sure *where* an autotext will be created. m.

 

[Beth Rosengard]

Agreed. But in your previous note, you said:

It wasn't J.E. McGimpsey's previous note, Matt; it was John McGhie's. Trust
me, they don't look anything alike .

Beth

 

[matt neuburg]

It wasn't J.E. McGimpsey's previous note, Matt; it was John McGhie's. Trust
me, they don't look anything alike .

Apologies all round.

But my point is still that both statements can't be true (at least not
at face value). I'm used to believing John McGhie (his stuff about
bullets-and-numbering has achieved a sort of scriptural status in my
world), but his direct claim that a new autotext will just automatically
go into a document's template in Word 2004 is simply not borne out by my
experience. What I'm seeing is much closer to what J E McGimpsey
suggests: it goes into Normal, and you have to stand on your head and
sacrifice a goat to get it to go into the document template (and even
then it might not). m.

 

[JE McGimpsey]

Agreed. But in your previous note, you said:

Um...I think you mean McG Sr. - that was the first post I've made in the
thread.

The problem, however, is that if you do that, you obviously lose access
to your Normal autotexts. So there is no way to keep access to your
Normal autotexts, yet create a new autotext and store it in the document
template in a single move.

That's true - you have to go back in and select all active templates.

In fact apparently there's just no way to
know for sure *where* an autotext will be created. m.

I don't think that's true, unless you're talking about an indicator in
the Insert/AutoText/New dialog. But you certainly can know where the
autotext is going: If you haven't changed anything in the AutoText
dialog, it goes into Normal. If you have changed the location dropdown,
that's where it goes.

 

[JE McGimpsey]

Trust me, they don't look anything alike

He's the good-looking one...