Syncing docs and their template

[Paul_B]

I'm trying to figure out the best way to sync various Word docs
with normal.dot.

Currently, if I modify a paragraph style and save it to template,
that change is not reflected in existing docs. I'm looking to
affect all docs, even retroactively. AIUI, the Styles/Automatic
Update feature works in the other direction - from the docs to
the template. Is there any way to have the template inform the
docs on a continuing basis? Or does one have to use Organizer
periodically?

Thanks,
p.

 

[Dan Freeman]

Start here:

http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/templaterelations/index.html

Dan

 

[Paul_B]

Start here:

http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/templaterelations/index.html

Dan

"You can update the document with its template's styles. To do
that, Tools > Templates and Add‑Ins. Tick the Automatically
Update Document Styles box. Then, immediately go back and un-tick
that box. Don't leave the box ticked. "

That seems just about perfect for what I want. Thanks very much
for this information. Any idea why this option shouldn't be left
on?

p.

 

[Dan Freeman]

"You can update the document with its template's styles. To do
that, Tools > Templates and Add-Ins. Tick the Automatically
Update Document Styles box. Then, immediately go back and un-tick
that box. Don't leave the box ticked. "

That seems just about perfect for what I want. Thanks very much
for this information. Any idea why this option shouldn't be left
on?

Don't thank me. Thank Shauna!

As for why, I rarely ask that. If Shauna (or Suzanne, or Jay, or Doug, etc.)
ever says "turn that off!" I do. If I put a little thought into what might
get kerfuffled, I can usually see the reasoning, but I'll generally defer to
the more experienced. I have *enough* gray hair all on my own. <g>

Dan

 

[Paul_B]

Don't thank me. Thank Shauna!

Thank you, Shauna!

As for why, I rarely ask that. If Shauna (or Suzanne, or Jay, or Doug, etc.)
ever says "turn that off!" I do. If I put a little thought into what might
get kerfuffled, I can usually see the reasoning, but I'll generally defer to
the more experienced. I have *enough* gray hair all on my own. <g>

I can see how the setting could cause some very vivid unintended
formatting changes in docs, with that risk increasing
exponentially when a normat.dot is accessed by more than one
person. But for a one person office, and especially when that
person appreciates the power of the setting, I think it could do
a lot of good and the reward would outweigh the risk.

BW,
p.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Consider this scenario:

1. You create a document based on Normal.dot. In that document, you modify
the formatting of some of the styles to suit your current needs. If this
were a document type you were going to be using a lot, you might save the
document (with modified styles) as a template, or if you wanted the changes
to apply to *all* new documents, you would check "Add to template" so that
the changes were applied to Normal.dot, but if the document is a one-off,
your style modifications are needed for only that document.

2. Later you open that document with "Automatically update document styles"
enabled for Normal.dot. All the modifications you made for that specific
document are lost.

--
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.

 

[Paul_B]

Consider this scenario:

1. You create a document based on Normal.dot. In that document, you modify
the formatting of some of the styles to suit your current needs. If this
were a document type you were going to be using a lot, you might save the
document (with modified styles) as a template, or if you wanted the changes
to apply to *all* new documents, you would check "Add to template" so that
the changes were applied to Normal.dot, but if the document is a one-off,
your style modifications are needed for only that document.

2. Later you open that document with "Automatically update document styles"
enabled for Normal.dot. All the modifications you made for that specific
document are lost.

So if I want to establish something different than what I have in
normal.dot, I could simply turn off the update doc styles
function for that one document, while retaining it for most
others, correct? Or for a more independent solution, I could save
the modified doc as a different template.

If I understand that correctly, for my situation those solutions
would be very workable, and keeping Update Document Styles
checked would remain very advantageous overall. But I can see how
it might create more problems than it solves for others,
especially multi-user offices.

p.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Yes, I believe that would be true, and if that system works well for you,
then certainly feel free to try it. FWIW, I never modify the formatting of
Normal.dot or its styles at all, preferring to keep it in default condition
for reference; I create document templates for even the most generic docs
(Letter Portrait, Letter Legal, Letter Landscape, etc.).

--
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.

 

[Dan Freeman]

He's mentioned multi-user scenarios a couple of times so can I ask a stoopid
question?

Can normal.dot even *be* shared? It just strikes me as conflict city even if
it's allowed.

Dan

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

See “You cannot share the Normal.dot file among multiple users in Word”
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=811468

Then try to get some network admins to believe it.

--
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.

 

[Dan Freeman]

See “You cannot share the Normal.dot file among multiple users in
Word” http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=811468

Then try to get some network admins to believe it.

The story of my life! (But it's what I suspected.)

Thanks!

Dan

 

[Paul_B]

He's mentioned multi-user scenarios a couple of times so can I ask a stoopid
question?

Can normal.dot even *be* shared? It just strikes me as conflict city even if
it's allowed.

I wrote it on the supposition that many people could access a
..doc over a network, and thereby could possibly change that doc's
template, and that every doc which was based on that template
would then be subject to change if its Update Doc Styles function
were enabled.

I've no experience in this regard, though, maybe document rights
come into play. So I have no idea how practically important the
MS statement is that Suzanne refers to nearby. Seems to me to be
wishful thinking on Ms's part, but I could well be wrong.

IAC, I appreciate that MS has made this setting flexible. They've
come under criticism for making their templates too vulnerable to
change, and OpenOffice has been lauded for its "bulletproof"
templates. But I found OO's templates to be not bulletproof, but
indeed practically inaccessible, and therefore unworkable.

p.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

The major point is that Normal.dot *should not* be shared. It is intended to
be each individual user's personal scratchpad (for styles and formats to
some extent but primarily for menu and toolbar customizations, AutoText,
macros, etc.); when a corporation wants to enforce a specific format for
specific documents, it should create specific document templates and put
them in the Workgroup Templates folder.

--
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.