Word 2008 - Trying to format a play

[jsorel]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger)
Processor: Power PC

As the subject suggests, I'm trying to format a play. I have the predetermined styles, but it's taking a long time to implement because a play has so many different styles (character heading, dialogue, stage directions, character stage directions, etc.) So, I was wondering if there was a way to automate the process (i.e. select a text and choose a style). I used to use macros in Word 2004, but alas....

thank you!

 

[Clive Huggan]

My suggestion would be to revert to Word 2004 while waiting for the next
version of Word:Mac, which will have macros restored.

Regardless, I would apply your style by keyboard shortcut after adding a
suffix after each of the distinctive styles you have designed.

For example, if you re-name the style you have presently titled "character
heading" as "character heading,ch" (note the lack of a space after
"heading"), you only need to type Command-Shift-s followed by "ch", followed
by the Return key. Similarly, "stage directions" would become "stage
directions,sd" and would be invoked by the suffix "sd".

More details are given on page 96-97 of some notes on the way I use Word for
the Mac, titled "Bend Word to Your Will", which are available as a free
download from the Word MVPs' website
(http://word.mvps.org/Mac/Bend/BendWordToYourWill.html).

[Note: "Bend Word to your will" is designed to be used electronically and
most subjects are self-contained dictionary-style entries. If you decide to
read more widely than the item I've referred to, it's important to read the
front end of the document -- especially pages 3 and 5 -- so you can select
some Word settings that will allow you to use the document effectively. In
Word 2008, some of this information may not apply, or may be accessible
through a different interface. If that causes problems, post back and
someone will help you further.]

If you were using Word 2004, you could of course create a palette-like
toolbar containing buttons to invoke your styles, but that is not available
in Word 2008.

By the way, you don't need to select text to apply a style. In fact it's
better not to, or you will experience the confusing "char, char" phenomenon.
Just drop the insertion point anywhere in the paragraph whose style you want
to change.

Cheers,

Clive Huggan
Canberra, Australia
(My time zone is 5-11 hours different from the Americas and Europe, so my
follow-on responses to those regions can be delayed)
====================================================

 

[Michel Bintener]

Hi Clive,

If you were using Word 2004, you could of course create a palette-like
toolbar containing buttons to invoke your styles, but that is not available
in Word 2008.

This can still be done in Word 2008. As fate would have it, I had just
finished creating such a toolbar before I read your post. ;-)

 

[CyberTaz]

Hi Clive,


This can still be done in Word 2008. As fate would have it, I had just
finished creating such a toolbar before I read your post. ;-)

I'm also not sure why a macro would be necessary for applying a Style in the
first place -- a keystroke can be assigned directly to the Style. In fact,
nothing about the creation/use/invocation of styles is any different in 2008
that the options available in 2004. It's just VBA that isn't available
but... it also isn't needed.

Perhaps there's more to the question that hasn't yet been expressed???

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[Clive Huggan]

Hi Clive,


This can still be done in Word 2008. As fate would have it, I had just
finished creating such a toolbar before I read your post. ;-)

Ah, thank you, Michel! I'm so ignorant of Word 2008, not having used it,
that I did not even know that. Useful to know. ;-)

(I shall now be even more assiduous in avoiding comment about Word 2008.)

Clive
=====

 

[MC]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger)
Processor: Power PC

As the subject suggests, I'm trying to format a play. I have the
predetermined styles, but it's taking a long time to implement because a play
has so many different styles (character heading, dialogue, stage directions,
character stage directions, etc.) So, I was wondering if there was a way to
automate the process (i.e. select a text and choose a style). I used to use
macros in Word 2004, but alas....

thank you!

You could (if you haven't already) assign the Styles to Keystrokes,
which would speed things up a bit.

I write screenplays and find Movie Magic Screenwriter a *far* more
convenient way to go. I recently got an assignment for a TV script and
the production insists on a Word template that is frankly a big pain the
ass. And Screenwriter has a stage play format... I'm not sure if Final
Draft does, but you can download full-featured demos of both.

My solution to the TV script: Write in Screenwriter, save as RTF, change
the Style names to fit the template, paste into the template - voilà:
Instantly formatted.

 

[jsorel]

Thank you all for your help. I didn't know you could assign keystrokes to styles, so I'll try that route. I'll also check out Screenwriter, which sounds like a good investment.

Thanks again.