Generate answer list for book of multiple-choice questions?

[Another Dan]

Working on a multichapter book containing questions (several thousand
multiple choice, true/false) with the last chapter listing the answers. TOC
and page numbering are provided by a master document.

Am looking for a way to record the answer with the question for safekeeping
during editing (in hidden text, for example), and then generate the answer
list.

Needs to be something I can simplify somewhat with macros so that the author
(not very computer savvy) can update the text, move uestions around, etc.
without immediately getting into serious trouble. Wouldn't mind having the
answers at the end of each chapter rather than the end of the book, if need
be.

I imagine this should not be very difficult, and for that matter, that one
of you good folks has already done many things along these lines (with one
hand tied behind your back).

I had thought of using endnotes -- inserting them at the beginning of the
question nicely provides the question number. I worry about something
breaking, with so many endnotes in the doc, but the real problem is being
unable to format the section containing the list of answers. Word would not
allow me to use columns, which is a necessity -- picture multiple pages with
nothing on them but a single column of:
1 a
2 e
3 b
4 c (etc.)

My next thought was to make a macro that could be used once for each
question to insert a bookmark containing the answer; afterwards the answer
list could be generated by means of a TOC at the end of the chapter (I'm
assuming the TOC can be suitably formatted -- innocent fool that I am.)
Unfortunately, haven't been able to figure out how to have the bookmark
automatically receive a unique name, nor how to have the TOC return only the
question number and answer.

Anyhow, I would be most grateful for any assistance.

Thanks!

 

[Word Heretic]

G'day "Another Dan" <[email protected]>,

To get a unique name you do something like this

Private Function UniqueBookmarkname(Source as Document) as String
Dim Guess as Long
Dim Stem as string

Guess = 1
Stem = "MyUniqueString"

While Source.Bookmarks.Exists(Stem & Guess)
Guess = Guess +1
Wend
UniqueBookmarkname = Stem & Guess
End Function

Now - your TOC idea. Rather than bookmark, I would store the answers
as hidden text with the instructions or macro to view hidden text when
you want to see the answers to the questions


Steve Hudson - Word Heretic

steve from wordheretic.com (Email replies require payment)
Without prejudice


Another Dan reckoned:

 

[Another Dan]

Steve,

Thank you so much for your reply!

I will give it a try.

The document is going to be printed, which is the reason for compiling the
list of answers. Since posting my question I tried numbering the questions
with a named SEQ and inserted a Quote field right after it to house the
answer (thought I'd next try replacing the Quote with a Fill-in).

As you suggested, the answer can be hidden when it is not needed. A TOC
generated using the SEQ works great! ...except that it returns the whole
question, rather than just the question number and answer.

Having the question number/answer pair in a separate paragraph preceding the
body of the question would (I imagine) resolve my TOC problem -- but it isn't
really acceptable to have the question number appear above the question in
that way. Now I'm wondering if I can arrange a run-in head, as in FrameMaker.
Seems to me I have had to fix Word documents where two paragraphs occupied
the same line, but can't remember how to replicate it... (Wouldn't you know!)
Perhaps you know the answer to this one?

Again, thanks for taking the time with your very helpful reply.

 

[Word Heretic]

G'day "Another Dan" <[email protected]>,

You will need a macro to make your answer table. If you use my
suggestion to hide the answer, and you use list styles to number the
paras, you should be able to copy all the quessies to the end of the
section, then toggle the hidden bit for non-para mark characters.


Steve Hudson - Word Heretic

steve from wordheretic.com (Email replies require payment)
Without prejudice


Another Dan reckoned:

 

[Another Dan]

How very simple and good!
Thanks!

G'day "Another Dan" <[email protected]>,

You will need a macro to make your answer table. If you use my
suggestion to hide the answer, and you use list styles to number the
paras, you should be able to copy all the quessies to the end of the
section, then toggle the hidden bit for non-para mark characters.


Steve Hudson - Word Heretic

steve from wordheretic.com (Email replies require payment)
Without prejudice


Another Dan reckoned: