Change template style in master document?

[Susann]

Hi,

I've found Steve Hudson's chapter on Master documents in Word on
http://www.techwr-l.com/techwhirl/magazine/technical/wordhomepage.html.
It's really helpful as I'm new to this topic and want to make
everything right (without corruption). I want to write my diploma
thesis using this technique.
So I've read all rules very carefully

In rule 5 Steve is referencing to the "chapter on styles" regarding the
rebuilding of documents (when the template style has changed). Does
anyone know where I can find this chapter? I don't know exactly what is
meant by 'rebuilding a document'...

I've created my own document template "diplomathesis.dot" and used this
to create my master document. Within this master I've created the
subdocuments as I didn't have any existing before. As far as I
understood from Steve's rules, I should now throw the master away and
only edit the subdocuments. But I'm surprised that in these newly
created subdocuments I can't find some styles which were included in my
document template. Is it better to create the subdocuments as new files
from the original template and not within the master document? And then
use these existing files to insert them in a new master?

Thanks in advance
Susann

 

[Cindy M -WordMVP-]

Hi Susann,

Is it better to create the subdocuments as new files
from the original template and not within the master document? And then
use these existing files to insert them in a new master?

In my opinion, yes, this would be the better approach.

Out of curiousity: why would you choose the Master Document approach,
rather than using Insert/File (with a link) to create the "master
document"?

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 17 2005)
http://www.word.mvps.org

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[Charles Kenyon]

Sorry, I don't have an answer because I don't use Master Documents. However,
you may need the reason I don't more than you need an answer. "Master
Document" is 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/General/WhyMasterDocsCorrupt.htm for more
information on what goes wrong, and
http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/General/RecoverMasterDocs.htm 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.

It doesn't sound as if you need master documents. When you say you want to
avoid document corruption of your thesis, you make it sound like avoiding
sunburn. You should look at it as avoiding metastastized skin cancer,
instead. If your thesis becomes corrupted, you will get to start over. The
easiest way to avoid skin cancer is to not go out in the sun. The easiest
way to avoid corruption of an important document is to avoid using the
master document feature.

The chapter on styles that Steve is referring to may be an
as-yet-unpublished chapter he is working on. It may be
http://addbalance.com/usersguide/styles.htm (I hope not, because this was
not written with master documents in mind.) It may be something on the MVP
site or Shauna Kelley's site.
--
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




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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.


--

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


--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
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.