HELP: style propagation, templates

[Suzanne]

I'm using Word 2002 on Windows XP. I created a new clean template for
our docs (contains about 20 styles).

I'm missing numerous hairs on my head trying to figure out what is
going on.

I've tried several different ways of applying this template to an
existing document. However, none have worked well.

The latest, after reviewing several posts has been to make sure that
the Automatically update check box is cleared for each style in my .dot
file.

I opened the template and saved as a new .doc file.

I opened the "bad formatted" document, pressed CTRL+A, CTRL+SHIFT+N,
CTRL+Q, CTRL+spacebar.

I then copied and pasted the supposed clean document into my new
template (where I expected the outcome to be that the styles would
remain untouched and I could then go in and apply the styles from my
clean template to this document).

Not so. What happens is that it makes up it's own styles and removes
some of my styles (to where I don't know as I've yet been unable to
find them, even looking in Organizer). Automatically update document
styles is NOT selected.

What am I missing?????? Besides hair....... ;-)

Thanks,
Suzanne

 

[Shauna Kelly]

Hi Suzanne

I've tried several different ways of applying this template to an
existing document. However, none have worked well.

To attach a template to a document, open the document, and do Tools >
Templates and Add-ins. Click Attach and select your template.

However, that will not make any changes to your document. It will just make
the template's macros, autotexts, toolbars and keyboard shortcuts available
to the document.

If you want to copy the styles from the template in the document, then, in
the Tools > Templates and Add-ins dialog, click the Automatically Update
Document styles button and click OK. That will copy the template's styles
into the document. Having done that, immediately go back to that dialog and
un-tick the box.

The latest, after reviewing several posts has been to make sure that
the Automatically update check box is cleared for each style in my .dot
file.

This would only have an effect when you had the template itself open. It
will have no effect on any document created from, or attached to, the
template. If this setting is ticked for a style, and you were working on the
template itself, then it would work as follows. Let's say you had a
paragraph in style Body Text. You have defined Body Text to be Arial 10pt.
If you change any paragraph in Body Text to be Times New Roman green, 12pt
bold, then the *style* will be automatically updated. Body Text will now be
TNR green 12pt bold.

I opened the template and saved as a new .doc file.

The way to use a template is to do File > New and select your template.

I opened the "bad formatted" document, pressed CTRL+A, CTRL+SHIFT+N,
CTRL+Q, CTRL+spacebar.

Ctrl-a selects all the text in the document. Ctrl + Shift + n puts all the
text into the Normal style. Ctrl-q removes all direct paragraph formatting
(eg left indent), and returns the paragraph to the paragraph formatting
defined in its style. Ctrl-spacebar removes all direct character formatting
(eg bold) and returns the paragraph to the character formatting defined in
its style.

So you now had text that was entirely in normal style. Is that what you
intended.

I then copied and pasted the supposed clean document into my new
template (where I expected the outcome to be that the styles would
remain untouched and I could then go in and apply the styles from my
clean template to this document).

I'm not sure I understand what you did here. Did you open the template
itself (ie File > Open and find the .dot file)? Or, did you create a new
document from the template (ie File > New and find the .dot file)?

Not so. What happens is that it makes up it's own styles and removes
some of my styles (to where I don't know as I've yet been unable to
find them, even looking in Organizer). Automatically update document
styles is NOT selected.

It sounds like you might not be displaying all the styles in the document.
See
How the Styles and Formatting pane works in Word 2002 and 2003
http://www.ShaunaKelly.com/word/sfpane/StylesAndFormattingPane.html

That page might help explain how to interpret what you see in the Styles and
Formatting task pane.

Hope this helps.

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

 

[Dayo Mitchell]

I've tried several different ways of applying this template to an
existing document. However, none have worked well.

I personally find that the easiest way to apply a template to an existing
document is to create a new doc from the template, then use Insert | File to
get my existing doc into it.

DM