A master document as a subdocument?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dazed&Confused
  • Start date Start date
Dazed&Confused said:
Can a master document be a subdocument in another master document?
Click to expand...

The mind boggles... Even if you manage to use a master document as intended
without mishap
(http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/General/WhyMasterDocsCorrupt.htm), trying to
compound the folly will certainly get you into trouble.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.
 
Hi =?Utf-8?B?RGF6ZWQmQ29uZnVzZWQ=?=,

I agree with Jay's assessment :-), but can you explain WHY you'd
want to do this?

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 17
2005)
http://www.word.mvps.org

This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow
question or reply in the newsgroup and not by e-mail :-)
Click to expand...

If the master document feature worked reliably, I could understand wanting to
build up a document layer by layer. Unfortunately, the proposition fails on the
false premise.

I have no idea whether it's technically feasible -- that is, whether the
sub-to-master linkages at one level would be maintained to the next higher
level. I suspect that behavior was never part of Microsoft's design. The only
way to find out would be to try it; but be prepared to find that either Word
refuses to accept a master as a sub, or that the whole thing crashes. Keep
multiple backups of everything!
 
Cinday & Jay,

Thank you for your responses. I have been trying this with a "test" document
in its own folder and nothing more that outline subdocs. It seems to work. I
appreciate that it is probably not recommended.

What I am trying to do is to pull together a HUGE document from a number of
other authors. It is a technical specification that may wind up being
1000-2000 pages when complete. It will have embedded objects such as Visio
docs, Excel worksheets and other illustrative pictures.

What I would like to do is manage the Master document while having all the
others manage their own subdocuments. I understand that hese will all need to
be in the same directory - is that correct?

Up til now I have beena pretty basic user of MS Wod. This project has me
delving into the more advanced features of Word and Office.

I will lookup the "Insert ext" fielyou mentioned.

Thanks again!
 
Cinday & Jay,

Thank you for your responses. I have been trying this with a "test" document
in its own folder and nothing more that outline subdocs. It seems to work. I
appreciate that it is probably not recommended.

What I am trying to do is to pull together a HUGE document from a number of
other authors. It is a technical specification that may wind up being
1000-2000 pages when complete. It will have embedded objects such as Visio
docs, Excel worksheets and other illustrative pictures.

What I would like to do is manage the Master document while having all the
others manage their own subdocuments. I understand that hese will all need to
be in the same directory - is that correct?

Up til now I have beena pretty basic user of MS Wod. This project has me
delving into the more advanced features of Word and Office.

I will lookup the "Insert ext" fielyou mentioned.

Thanks again!
Click to expand...

I realize that you may not have an alternative, but you are really
asking for trouble using Word for this kind of project. A 1000+ page
document is bad enough, but when you use the master document feature and
include a bunch of embedded objects, it is like smoking in the dynamite
storage room. Good luck to you!
 
If you continue on the master document path, you'll probably have need of
these articles:

http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/General/RecoverMasterDocs.htm
http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/General/WhyMasterDocsCorrupt.htm
http://www.techwr-l.com/articles/general/masterdocs

If you want to investigate what Cindy suggested, pay close attention to the
names -- it is NOT "Insert text", it's the IncludeText field (and its
cousin, the IncludePicture field). These are discussed in the Help.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.
 
Thanks all. I have implemented the IncludeText "solution" and everything is
working out beautifully so far!
 
Back
Top