I inherited the job of managing a large handbook in MS Word that
consists of 12 chapters plus six appendices. Most chapters have
multiple authors and reviewers. The handbook is not set up as a master
document. We're using Word 2003.
1. How can I separate the chapters to distribute to individual
reviewers while preserving the original formatting including paragraph
numbering? I've tried just cutting the text into a new document but
that eliminates the headers and footers and usually changes the styles
and paragraph numbering starts over from 1.0. (I.e., if I cut and
paste section 5.0 for example, the first heading in the pasted text
becomes 1.0. The same thing happened when I tried turning it into a
master document. The first heading in each subdocument became 1.0.)
2. I will soon be creating a similar document for another program. The
plan is to use ClearCase to manage it. (I have no choice in this).
Since I will be starting from scratch, what's the best way to set up
the document so I can have separate files for individual chapters and
then be able to assemble the whole thing with continuous paragraph
numbering and page numbering and a single TOC?
Thanks,
gi
Charles Kenyon - 29 Nov 2005 20:41 GMT
For cutting up current document, use Save As and trim unwanted parts.
For new document, start with a common template that has your numbering and
other styles already set up.
See: How to create numbered headings or outline numbering in your Word
document
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/numbering/OutlineNumbering.html. (For
bullets see http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/bullets/controlbullets.html, the
subject is related.)
How to Create a Template, Part II
http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/Customization/CreateATemplatePart2.htm

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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://word.mvps.org/FAQs/ which is awesome!
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>I inherited the job of managing a large handbook in MS Word that
> consists of 12 chapters plus six appendices. Most chapters have
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
> Thanks,
> gi
Charles Kenyon - 30 Nov 2005 18:01 GMT
I hadn't noticed that you tried converting to a master document. Oops!
Do read the article that Jonathan referred you to, now.

Signature
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://word.mvps.org/FAQs/ which is awesome!
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This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
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> For cutting up current document, use Save As and trim unwanted parts.
>
[quoted text clipped - 33 lines]
>> Thanks,
>> gi
Jonathan West - 30 Nov 2005 11:30 GMT
>I inherited the job of managing a large handbook in MS Word that
> consists of 12 chapters plus six appendices. Most chapters have
> multiple authors and reviewers. The handbook is not set up as a master
> document.
Ouch! That's problem #1. Your first job may well be to ensure that there are
no hidden corruptions in the document. Take a look at these articles.
Why Master Documents corrupt
http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/General/WhyMasterDocsCorrupt.htm
> We're using Word 2003.
>
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> becomes 1.0. The same thing happened when I tried turning it into a
> master document. The first heading in each subdocument became 1.0.)
This article gives you a step-by-step process for cleanly separating out a
master document into its compnent parts
How to recover a Master Document
http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/General/RecoverMasterDocs.htm
> 2. I will soon be creating a similar document for another program. The
> plan is to use ClearCase to manage it. (I have no choice in this).
> Since I will be starting from scratch, what's the best way to set up
> the document so I can have separate files for individual chapters and
> then be able to assemble the whole thing with continuous paragraph
> numbering and page numbering and a single TOC?
These articles will help.
Creating a Template - The Basics (Part I)
http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customization/CreateATemplatePart1.htm
Creating a Template (Part II)
http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customization/CreateATemplatePart2.htm
Creating Custom Toolbars for Templates
http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/LPMArticle.asp?ID=262
Methods for restarting list numbering
http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/Numbering/ListRestartMethods.htm
Creating a Table of Contents Spanning Multiple Documents
http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/LPMArticle.asp?ID=148
The key points are as follows
1. You create a stable template with defined styles etc which can be used to
ensure consistency throughout the document
2. You use style-based numbering and choose a particular mechanism which
will be consistently applied for restarting numbering, with the aim of
avoiding the common problem of "spaghetti numbering" in Word.
3. You use toolbars etc (and probably training) for the other authors to
make it easy for them to use the features of your templates. The aim is to
make it easier for them to do it right than to do it wrong.
4. You avoid master documents because of the corruption problems, and
instead use RD fields to manage the consolidated index and ToC

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Jonathan West - Word MVP
www.intelligentdocuments.co.uk
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Jonathan West - 30 Nov 2005 18:33 GMT
>I inherited the job of managing a large handbook in MS Word that
> consists of 12 chapters plus six appendices. Most chapters have
> multiple authors and reviewers. The handbook is not set up as a master
> document. We're using Word 2003.
I missed the "not" when composing my earlier reply. Ignore what I said about
that being Problem #1. Just make sure it doesn't *become* problem #1 by
attempting to use a master document for this!
The rest of my answer still applies.

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Jonathan West - Word MVP
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