Master documents need relative references to subdocument file loc.

[Peter J]

Currently, Word only supports absolute references to subdocument file
locations. THis is a problem when developing a Master Document off line in a
"development" folder which is moved later to a "Released" folder.

The absolute file referencs force the developer to reinsert the subdocuments
into the Master document after the path has changed to the master document.

Relative references to subdocument file locations would allow the Master
document to be moved (provided all subdocuments in the same directory and
subfolders were moved with it)

 

[tjtjjtjt]

Word doesn't do a good job with relative links in any circumstances.

If you ahven't read any of these articles, you may want to peruse them.
Using Master Documents is equivalent conciously trying to corrupt your files.

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

http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/General/RecoverMasterDocs.htm

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

tj

 

[Charles Kenyon]

Sorry, I don't have an answer to the question that may be here somewhere,
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.

 

[Peter J]

Thank you for your input. Your references are helpful and you may have saved
me alot of grief. I still like the idea of Master Documents, but I am
disappointed that Microsoft hasn't addressed the corruptuion issues. I'm
going to check out OpenOffice.

PJ

 

[Peter J]

Thanks for your feedback. I am convinced that I need to find an alternative
to Word master documents... maybe the OpenOffice suite would work. Your
articles was very helpful.
PJ

 

[Charles Kenyon]

My understanding is that the Master Document feature in Word Perfect is
robust. WP comes with many new computers.

Otherwise, there are workarounds within Word and the MD feature can be made
to work in Word, you just have to be _very_ careful with it. I know that
John McGhie does use it, he just doesn't recommend it to others.
--
Charles Kenyon

Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word

Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of
Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide

See also the MVP FAQ: http://www.mvps.org/word which is awesome!
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and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn
from my ignorance and your wisdom.

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

My understanding is that the Master Document feature in Word Perfect is

robust. WP comes with many new computers.

Otherwise, there are workarounds within Word and the MD feature can be made
to work in Word, you just have to be _very_ careful with it. I know that
John McGhie does use it, he just doesn't recommend it to others.

And see also here, for instructions on using it carefully:

Steve Hudson [Word Heretic] on how to make Master Documents work safely:
http://www.techwr-l.com/techwhirl/magazine/technical/wordhomepage.html