Formatting of Subdocument via "INCLUDE" into a Master Document

[Ron Lee]

A scenario arises where I am using an existing word document as a master
document. I am attempting to "include" files which I believe are called
subdocuments in Microsoft vernacular. This is so I can update the master
document with the latest version of the subdocuments by a control key
sequence. However, the formatting doesn't seem to auto adjust "heading"
styles, I.E. "1.2.4 Heading 3" for the content in a subdocument when you
"include" it into the master.

This is contrary to the behavior in a master document if I use the "insert
document" button on the toolbar when I am in outline view. The drawback to
this scenario is that I cannot save the master document and exit even though
the subdocument has been saved separately. If anyone has a suggestion for
this particular condition, please answer. Also, the latter inlines a
subdocument with no apparent way to update the master easily if you have
many subdocuments. This paragraph exists only to illustrate what I would
like to happen when you "include" a file, I.E. there exists a link via field
code, into a master document.

Version of MS Word is 2002 with SP 3.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Thomas Campitelli]

Howdy Ron,

How wedded are you to using the Master Document feature? I would highly
recommend using other means to achieve your ends. Check out these links
for why master documents are best avoided:

http://www.addbalance.com/word/masterdocuments.htm

http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/General/WhyMasterDocsCorrupt.htm

Just a little quote to spark your interest (from
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/General/RecoverMasterDocs.htm):

Master documents have been fatally buggy since Word 6, and remain so
through Word 2000. If you use them you lose them. They must never be
used for valuable text.

There is no way to successfully and safely use master documents. They
always corrupt eventually.


Thomas Campitelli

 

[Ron]

Thomas,

Thanks for the input. I was not aware of the downsides to Master Docs.

If there is a better way to have many people work on parts of a document
that can be pulled together and maintained simply (update the document
with any changes residing in component files) then I would be all for it.

Ron

 

[Thomas Campitelli]

Howdy Ron,

Check out this site:

http://www.tech-tav.com/macro.htm

They have a set of macros that replace the Master Document feature. I
believe they allow you to stitch several different Word docs together
and generate a table of contents, etc... I have not used it myself, but
I read some good things about them. The macros are free.

Thomas Campitelli

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

I believe I've heard good things about the techtav macros as well. See also
here, where Word Heretic has an extensive article on how to use MDs safely:

http://www.techwr-l.com/techwhirl/magazine/technical/wordhomepage.html

And this article:

Creating a Table of Contents Spanning Multiple Documents
http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/LPMArticle.asp?ID=148

 

[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.