Document Map question

[Jeff]

I am learning to use Document Map in Word 2002. It's working fine except for
one annoying feature. It correctly shows the Headings I use but it also
shows items formatted as "Normal" text. If I change these items to "Body
text" they disappear from the Document Map (which is what I want).

Maybe I am using Normal text style incorrectly. I tend to use it
interchangeably with body text assuming they are really the same. I guess
that must be wrong. Anyway, how do I prevent the Document Map from showing
items formatted as "Normal"?

Thanks.

 

[Shauna Kelly]

Hi Jeff

The fundamental issue here is that Document Map guesses and displays what it
thinks is probably, more-or-less, kind of, a map of the document. If Word
finds a paragraph that smells like a heading, Document Map will change the
outline level of the paragraph and therefore display it in the Document Map.
A short paragraph, in bold, in a larger font than normal will almost always
end up being displayed in Document Map, because Word guesses that it might
be a heading.

As a precaution (though not a solution) do Tools > Autocorrect Options. On
the Autoformat as you Type dialog, un-tick "Define styles based on your
formatting".

For more information see

What is the difference between the Normal and Body Text styles?
http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/Formatting/NormalVsBodyStyles.htm

and

How the Document Map works in Microsoft Word
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/documentmap/index.html

Hope this helps.

Shauna Kelly. Microsoft MVP.
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word

 

[Jeff]

Thank you very much.

 

[Jeff]

Hi Jeff

The fundamental issue here is that Document Map guesses and displays
what it thinks is probably, more-or-less, kind of, a map of the
document. If Word finds a paragraph that smells like a heading,
Document Map will change the outline level of the paragraph and
therefore display it in the Document Map. A short paragraph, in bold,
in a larger font than normal will almost always end up being
displayed in Document Map, because Word guesses that it might be a
heading.

As a precaution (though not a solution) do Tools > Autocorrect
Options. On the Autoformat as you Type dialog, un-tick "Define styles
based on your formatting".

For more information see

What is the difference between the Normal and Body Text styles?
http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/Formatting/NormalVsBodyStyles.htm

and

How the Document Map works in Microsoft Word
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/documentmap/index.html

Hope this helps.

Shauna Kelly. Microsoft MVP.
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word

Very helpful, but I have some followup questions.

1. I've finally found how to get Document Map style to show on the list so
that I can modify it, but how do I get the Document Map to number the
headings as shown in http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/documentmap/index.html
? When I try to modify the Document Map style to show numbers, it applies
the style and numbering to the the actual text instead of just the Document
Map list.

Thanks foir the info on Normal/Body text. Now I understand the
difference. Confusion could have been averted if Word had called
"Normal" by some other clearer name such as "Base underlying style" or
similar. I've changed what was styled as "Normal" to "Body text" style in
the document I am now working on, but is there a way to do this rapidly in
other documents where Normal style is mixed in with Headings, captions,
footnotes, etc?

Thank you.

 

[Shauna Kelly]

Hi Jeff

Document Map will show headings as they appear in the text. So if you have
numbered the headings in the text, they will appear numbered in Document
Map. And if not, then not.

For information about how to set up heading numbering, see
How to create numbered headings or outline numbering in your Microsoft Word
document
http://www.ShaunaKelly.com/word/numbering/OutlineNumbering.html

You can find and replace styles. To do that, do Edit > Replace. Click in the
"Find what" box, and leave it blank. Click More. Choose Format > Style and
choose your style (and if you have time, spend a moment wondering why that
dialog box is so small!). Now, back in the Find and Replace dialog, click in
the "Replace with" box, leave it blank, choose Format > Style etc.

You can also assign a keyboard shortcut to a style to make it easy to apply
quickly. I use Alt-bt for Body Text. To do that, Tools > Customize. Click
Keyboard and follow your nose.

Out of the box, most styles are based on Normal style. Bearing that in mind,
the following may also be interesting for you:
How styles in Microsoft Word cascade
http://www.ShaunaKelly.com/word/styles/HowStylesCascade.html

Hope this helps.

Shauna Kelly. Microsoft MVP.
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

The fundamental issue here is that Document Map guesses and displays what it

thinks is probably, more-or-less, kind of, a map of the document. If Word
finds a paragraph that smells like a heading, Document Map will change the
outline level of the paragraph and therefore display it in the Document Map.
A short paragraph, in bold, in a larger font than normal will almost always
end up being displayed in Document Map, because Word guesses that it might
be a heading.

As a precaution (though not a solution) do Tools > Autocorrect Options. On
the Autoformat as you Type dialog, un-tick "Define styles based on your
formatting".

Actually, there are some solutions listed here, to fix this after the fact:

http://daiya.mvps.org/docmap.htm

 

[Jeff]

Hi Jeff

Document Map will show headings as they appear in the text. So if you
have numbered the headings in the text, they will appear numbered in
Document Map. And if not, then not.

Ah, I was hoping (based on the illustrations) one could number the list in
the Document Map while leaving the actual text alone, but I guess not. Would
have been nice.

 

[Jeff]

Actually, there are some solutions listed here, to fix this after the
fact:

http://daiya.mvps.org/docmap.htm

Thanks.

 

[Robert M. Franz (RMF)]

Hi Jeff

Ah, I was hoping (based on the illustrations) one could number the list in
the Document Map while leaving the actual text alone, but I guess not. Would
have been nice.

What for? I mean, the DM is not printed or anything ...

Greetinx
Robert

 

[Jeff]

In

Hi Jeff


What for? I mean, the DM is not printed or anything ...

Cause it would look nice to me. Don't need another reason <grin>

 

[Robert M. Franz (RMF)]

Hi Jeff

Cause it would look nice to me. Don't need another reason <grin>

OK, fair enough.

I'm not sure you'd find the DM very sustainable that way. Imagine if you
open up that document after a couple of months: Would you remember what
heading 3.4.1 is ...? ;-)

Greetinx
Robert