Doc created using shared template changes when opened on diff comp

[Guest]

Two procedure writers use the same procedure template to create procedure
documents. On occasion, some of the paragraph spacing before the paragraph is
changed a few points by a writer to allow manual page breaks to be placed in
convenient locations (allowing procedural steps to remain with associated
notes and warnings, etc). Manual page breaks are used thoughout the document
to keep strict control on page format. Some of the documents created by one
of the writers look fine on the originating computer; however, if they are
opened on the other writer's computer, the paragraph spacing reverts to the
template setting and auto page breaks can double the pages in the document.
The "Automatically update template styles" option is not turned on and the
Normal template is the same for both users. Any ideas why this is happening?

 

[Summer]

If Word 2003 on Menu Tools Templates and Addins - uncheck box "Automatically
Update Styles". Close document and reopen.

If that is not the problem check the individual styles - Modify "Name of
Style" and uncheck "Automatically update" - you should do this on the
document template not the documents created to solve the problem once and
for all and then reattach the amended template to the documents already
created.

Hope this helps.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for your quick reply summer. I have done some more research and I
think I asked the wrong question. If the same document is opened on two
different computers, the spacing that appears between the paragraphs is
different. When the style is checked, the assigned spacing is the same on
either computer. However, when displayed or printed, the spacing is different
enough to throw off the pagination. But more confusing is it only happens in
one direction. In other words, documents created on computer 1 will open to
look the same on computer 2. But documents on created on computer 2 may open
on computer 1 with the spacing between paragraphs a few points different. The
style pt setting is the same on either computer, but the displayed and
printed results are different.

 

[Summer]

Do you use different graphics cards and drivers and monitors?

 

[Guest]

Different graphics cards, but I don't think that would cause the difference
in spacing when a page is printed. If the same page of a document is printed
from each computer, then held ontop of each other and held up to the light,
the font and font spacing are exactly the same. But the spacing between the
paragraphs is different. That is the way it displays on the screen, also.

 

[Guest]

What could the Word program operating on computer 1 possibly embed or set
that is not compatible with or read correctly by computer 2? Both are using
the same template, both are using the same printer. This is driving me
insane. It affects about 2500 procedures and has been a problem and work
around since we started using Word. For example, if a procedure is written on
computer 1 and has 70 pages, when it is opened on computer 2 repaginates to
92 pages because of the increase in the amount of spacing between paragraphs.
However, if a 70 page procedure is created on computer 2 and opened on
computer 1, the spacing and pagination are fine.

 

[Guest]

Summer, I have another clue. If I print a page of a document from either
computer, the blank space between paragraphs is larger on the page printed
from computer 1. That is the way it displays, also. Documents opened on
computer 1 have more space between the paragraphs; I'm estimating about 2-3
points.

 

[Guest]

OK, another clue. I brought another individual's computer into the
troubleshooting arena. Out of three computers, there is one particular
computer that seems to define the spacing between paragraphs differently than
the others. It prints and displays more spacing between paragraphs than the
other two. However, it is the exact same model, same graphic card and same
monitor as the third computer brought into the troubleshooting. Is there a
windows setting or Word setting that can effect the way a computer displays
and prints the spacing when the template is assigning 12 pt. spacing before
the paragraphs?

 

[Guest]

Yet another clue from troubleshooting: pages printed from other applications
(i.e.: outlook, excel, etc) all come out exactly the same from all three
computers. It is only with Word that documents from one computer have more
space between the paragraphs than when displayed or printed on the other
computers.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Spacing between paragraphs can be affected by the HTML paragraph spacing
option in Tools | Options | Compatibility, but since these options are set
per document and the settings travel with the document, I don't see how that
could be the issue.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

 

[Guest]

I think you may be on to something. I have been experimenting while waiting
for a reply and one of the things I found is that by hitting the "Default.."
button on the Tools | Options | Compatibility, the spacing changed on the
computer and the document fit the page; however, it didn't match the one
created on the other computer.

 

[Guest]

I have found another difference. All three computers have Courier, Courier
New and CourierPS installed in the Windows | Font folder. For human factors
reasons, all procedures are required to be printed in Courier. Even though
Courier is installed on the all three computers, it does not show up as an
option in the font list of the computer that is acting different. I don't
think this has anything to do with the spacing between paragraphs, but I
guess it could. What do you think?

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

CourierPS would probably print only on PostScript printers (and might not
render properly on a computer that didn't have a PS printer selected).
Courier may well be a printer-resident font rather than TrueType. Also,
printer settings such as "Download soft fonts" or "Use printer fonts" can
make a difference. If Courier New is acceptable as "Courier," I would advise
using that as the document font, since you can pretty well depend on it to
be available on any Windows computer.

My guess from the outset would be that a difference in the printer/printer
driver selected might be the issue (see
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Formatting/TextReflow.htm), but it's odd that this
would affect interparagraph spacing only. In any case, font substitution
could certainly be a factor.

Since this seems likely to be a printer issue, I'm crossposting this to the
microsoft.public.word.printingfonts NG.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

 

[Tom Ferguson]

CourierPS is by Monotype (Howard Kettler) and is the Windows PostScript
version of the font whose TrueType version they call Courier New. There
is also an Open Type version called CourierPS MT Std. Depending on which
printer driver is installed for what printer and what setting options are
made in the driver setup, it is possible that a printer-resident font is
actually used for printing instead of the the "soft" font.

Some applications, e.g. MS Word, check the printer driver while doing
document layout, so, as Suzanne mentions, all of this does have an
influence on the appearance of the printed document. There should be no
difference in line lengths since it is a Courier and all such have the
same glyph metrics and spacing. Also, I would be surprised if line
spacing is different if all settings in Word for this are the same.
Similarly with inter-paragraph spacing. I am less sure about that but but
would be surprised if a change between Couriers made any difference.

I would check printer driver settings with an eye out for any differences
as between computers.

Tom
MSMVP
Windows shell/User