Width of change bars in Word 2007

[Andrea Baruffolo]

Hello All,

I would like to make change bars (vertical lines that mark changed text)
thicker.

From this post I learn that this was not possible with Word 2002
http://www.microsoft.com/communitie...78dd0d000342&lang=en&cr=US&sloc=en-us&m=1&p=1

Does anybody know whether this is now possible with Word 2007 (e.g. by
writing a macro)?

TIA, Andrea

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

Still no option to control change line thickness in Word 2007.

If you were to do it using a macro, you would basically have to make the
macro take over the job of formatting that aspect of tracked changes, I
would think. It seems pretty formidable to me.

 

[Andrea Baruffolo]

Hi Herb,

thanks for your reply, though I tend to disagree.
I was thinking of writing a macro that iterates through one document's
collection of revisions and sets the style for the change bar.
I did a simple experiment and found that I can do that for paragraphs, so I
can't see a strong technical argument against doing the same for revisions.
Maybe I'm blind, but it seems to me that the only reason why I can't modify
the change bars width is because that property is not exposed in Word object
model.
Is there any way to let MS know there is at least one Word user interested
in having this feature in Office 2008? ;-)

cheers, Andrea

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

I didn't say it was impossible... just that it seems formidable to me given
that--for the way I edit documents with my colleagues--tracked edits are not
static. They change constantly and continuously. I would either have to keep
"refreshing" the edits each time something is changed--which is
constantly--or I would have to modify each of the tracking commands to
incorporate changes to the style, as well as install keyboard and mouse
monitors since tracked changes are introduced by typing, deleting,
formatting, etc.

You might not see implementing this as formidable... but I do. ;-)

Possible solutions would be that the property be exposed in Word's object
model, as you say, or that tracked changes be tied to particular styles
(which could then be modified), or that tracking display options be
broadened to include additional controllable attributes, such as line
thickness. Note that when you apply a side border to a paragraph, it shows
up in a different location from tracked change bars, suggesting that they're
using a different mechanism other than the built-in border feature.

--
Herb Tyson MS MVP
Author of the Word 2007 Bible
Blog: http://word2007bible.herbtyson.com
Web: http://www.herbtyson.com

 

[Andrea Baruffolo]

Hi Herb,

my need is the following: I have to submit revisions of existing documents
to reviewers, in which changes are marked with change bars only.
I can accomplish this with the macro posted here:
http://wordtips.vitalnews.com/Pages/T000474_Setting_Change_Bars_Manually.html,
but the bars are inconspicuous. For example, a change bar for a table cell
with a border can be difficult to identify for the reader.
It would be perfectly acceptable for me to run a macro, e.g. just before
submitting the document to reviewers, that iterates through the collection of
revisions and changes the bar width.
BTW, it looks like I'm not the only one with such a need (see, e.g., this
post:
http://www.microsoft.com/communitie...a9bfd8-6820-4805-b496-e7d8a40550da&sloc=en-us).
I understand this can't be done but I think that, if MS would add such a
feature to Word, it would be really welcome.

cheers, Andrea

 

[Bob Buckland ?:-\)]

Hi Andrea,

In the article you mentioned there is an alternative approach, using a bar tab, but if I recall the width of those can not be
adjusted either, although having a macro that perhaps replaces either the revision marks or the bar tab with an inserted 'bar like'
character or a filled in shape might be possible.

The ability to accept changes but leave change bars as a built in ability has been requested (more than once <g>), but not yet
implemented. I'm guessing thht with Word 2007 the upgrades to the Reviewing Pane and the balloons along with using the collaboration
features was where the focus was <g> and may continue to be placed.

It couldn't hurt to provide feedback with the type of details you provided on why this feature would be beneficial through the link
at
https://feedback.office.microsoft.com/?productkey=office2007&mkt=en-us

=============
Hi Herb,

my need is the following: I have to submit revisions of existing documents
to reviewers, in which changes are marked with change bars only.
I can accomplish this with the macro posted here:
http://wordtips.vitalnews.com/Pages/T000474_Setting_Change_Bars_Manually.html,
but the bars are inconspicuous. For example, a change bar for a table cell
with a border can be difficult to identify for the reader.
It would be perfectly acceptable for me to run a macro, e.g. just before
submitting the document to reviewers, that iterates through the collection of
revisions and changes the bar width.
BTW, it looks like I'm not the only one with such a need (see, e.g., this
post:
http://www.microsoft.com/communitie...a9bfd8-6820-4805-b496-e7d8a40550da&sloc=en-us).
I understand this can't be done but I think that, if MS would add such a
feature to Word, it would be really welcome.

cheers, Andrea >>
--

Bob Buckland ?
MS Office System Products MVP

*Courtesy is not expensive and can pay big dividends*

 

[Andrea Baruffolo]

Hi Bob,

:
In the article you mentioned there is an alternative approach, using a bar tab

yes, I did notice that, but that approach has the drawback that bars then
appear for the whole paragraph, not just the changed lines.
BTW, I tried to insert a 'bar tab' following the example in the article, but
Word 2007 complains that -0.12 in is 'not a valid tab stop'. Maybe that was
possible in previous versions but not in W2007?

It couldn't hurt to provide feedback with the type of details you provided on why this feature would be beneficial through the link
at
https://feedback.office.microsoft.com/?productkey=office2007&mkt=en-us

I've been quite busy lately, but finally I did find the time to submit
feedback to MS as you suggested.

cheers, ab