Create one Document from different blocks of saved text

[AdeTuc]

Hi Guys...

I would like to create a document from selected smaller documents.

For example a rework person reads a document that tells them what part to
exchange on a circuit board, this is called a ECO, its just some text that
tells the operator what to do, each ECO has a special number.

Now each circuit board has 10-20 differnet ECO numbers (ECO 52761 for
example), and we have over 100 different circuit boards and alot of these
share the same ECO number.

What I would like to do is have a template and instead of writing all the
text ,describing what needs to be done, just enter a ECO number and it will
go and retreive the text from a folder that contains all the ECO's in
seperate word documents.

Example:

Board Part Number: 100500200

ECO50222
Replace this IC with another IC

ECO50242
Link this wire with that pin

ECO50421
Cut this track here


Thanks for the help

Adrian

 

[ChesterCoronel]

Hi Adrian,

I'm not familiar with progamming Microsoft Word Macros / VBA however I have
one suggestion to make in order to solve your problem. Have you seen the
Outline View? The good thing about the Outline View is that you can actually
insert subdocuments onto your main document.

To insert a subdocument:

In Word 2003, go to the outline view. There you'll see the outlining
toolbar. In the outlining toolbar click the insert subdocument icon (fourth
from the right on a resolution of 1024x768) and select the document you wish
to add to the document.

In Word 2007, go to the outline view. The outlining tab will appear on the
ribbon. Click show Document then click insert from there you will be able to
select the document which you would want to insert.

Tell me if this one helps!

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Have you considered using AutoText entries named for the part numbers? See
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customization/AutoText.htm

 

[Bear]

Suzanne and Chester:

Isn't adding subdocuments in Outline view equivalent to creating a Master
Document?

AdeTuc might want to be warned that this feature (if it is in fact the
Master Document feature) is not stable, and that he should work only with a
copy of his subdocuments.

Bear

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

I have no idea, having scrupulously avoided Master Documents. In any case, I
suggested using AutoText to insert data; that's not the same as "adding
subdocuments," no matter what view you're in.

 

[ChesterCoronel]

Bear:

Thanks for clarification; You mean that when working with subdocuments he
might make unnecessary changes to the subdocuments right? Actually you can
unlink the subdocument; This one copies the contents of the linked document
to the master document.

 

[Bear]

Yes, that's what I meant. In the end, whatever process he uses, so long as he
just uses outline view or master documents to insert copies into his target
document, he'll be safe.

Bear

 

[Poprivet]

Suzanne and Chester:

Isn't adding subdocuments in Outline view equivalent to creating a
Master Document?

AdeTuc might want to be warned that this feature (if it is in fact the
Master Document feature) is not stable, and that he should work only
with a copy of his subdocuments.

Bear

No, it's not the same. Master Document mode has a huge number of additional
work that it can do, sometimes not very successfully. Outline is indeed a
good way to do things with subdocuments.

Master Documents CAN be used, with caution, but IMO it's not worth the risk
it poses. I DO use Master Documents, but ONLY so I can print several files
as one, and have the page numbering/TOC etc., be correct as though it were
only one file. I only work with copies of my files though; never the
originals. It's usually safe used that way.

HTH
Pop`