I think if people had this option it would get used.
I think people are reading my request like it is related to a typical report
that you would write... might be hard to see why you would need tabs for a
report. Yes, a hyperlink/outline etc. would help someone get from one page
to the next - one section to the next - one chapter to the next. This isn't
actually the only reason people use word documents.
Ok - hypothetical...
you go to a meeting for an organization. They want to become more involved
in the area where they live and amongst themselves. You take down all their
ideas and offer to organize it for them.
On one tab - you could place all items related to upcoming meetings and
goals; on the second tab you could place all volunteer options; third tab
working with needy; educational opportunities etc. etc. etc... (hard to think
of exact ideas)
People within the group have varied interests...
I realize you could set up hyperlinks at the top of the document down to
separate sections... but just imagine having the ability to set up each
section as separate color coded tabs... one tab labeled volunteer, one
labeled education, one labeled service...
Again I realize hyperlinks are a solution but it just isn't the same.
:
Kristina, you said tabs could show a "related but separate document."
Excel's tabs show different parts of the same file, not separate documents.
Most people who want tabs in Word are looking for a quicker way to skip
around a single document, say, from Section 1 to Section 2. For that
type of help, consider these options.
Edit | Go To, Outline View, Document Map, and Browse Object.
More info on some of those here:
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Formatting/UsingOLView.htm
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/documentmap/index.html
http://daiya.mvps.org/browseobject.htm
Kristina Demers wrote:
Ok - I don't believe that I am comparing apples to oranges and I don't think
you're understanding what I'm requesting. I don't mean having separate
files... I'm talking about having one file with several tabs (the same as
excel)... instead of using a spreadsheet with formulas each tab would be set
up with the features of word a word document (but again this would be one
report not several (same as excel).
You mention that this would be a poor use of resources to have the system
open all documents - how would this be any different than an excel
spreadsheet with several tabs? How would that take more resources?
- it's a feature that excel has which word doesn't. Your logic about losing
several separate tabs at once (because you haven't created a bunch of
different documents) could be applied to excel as well. I realize that if
you lose a file in either excel or word you would lose all tabs included
within that file. This doesn't keep me from using several tabs in excel and
it wouldn't keep me from creating several tabs in word.
There are reasons why this would be helpful. If it wasn't a helpful feature
there would be no reason to have it in excel either. We'd all just have
several documents in excel as well (you can set up macros and hyperlinks in
excel as well but yet people still set up one excel report with several
tabs). Several times I have created documents in excel even though it takes
quite a bit of time and set up (word wrap etc...) simply because of the tab
option that you get in excel.
I realize that this apparently doesn't make sense to you... but it is
something that I would find helpful (hence the post to this site).
I realize it's been set up this way from the beginning but it doesn't mean
it has to stay that way...
Kristina
:
Well, the problem is that you're comparing apples to oranges... the sheets
in an Excel Workbook are all a part of the same *file*, whereas each Word
doc constitutes a separate *file* in and of itself. There's no way [based on
OS constraints as well] that you can store files within one another. From a
number of perspectives that would present a very precarious situation - ie,
lose one, lose them all. Also, any time you open "one" you'd be opening them
all which isn't always desireable or practical from a system resources
standpoint.
The suggestion I offered does require that you actually open the individual
files, but it hasn't anything to do with Compare Side by Side. When you
click the Task Bar button that represents an open document that doc window
comes to the front. IOW, it allows you to switch back & forth between open
docs in the manner you described - with the click of a button... or you can
use the kybd shortcut... or you can use the Window Menu.
I get the impression that what you really are looking for is a better way of
managing the organization of your files. For that purpose there are a number
of Windows features that may help as well as customizing capabilities within
Word. I'm sure you'll get some other suggestions, but here are a few general
ideas:
1- If you can't (or don't wish to) store the related files in a single
folder, create folder & put shortcuts to those files in it. Either way, that
folder can be added to the My Places bar of the open dialog so that it is no
further away than Ctrl+O to bring the Open dialog box up.
2- Create macros to open each of the related files and assign them to
buttons on a custom toolbar or as commands in a custom menu.
3- Add a page in each of the related docs (or create a separate doc) and
insert hyperlinks to the other docs in the "group".
4- Use the Customize dialog to add the Work menu to the menu bar & add those
docs to to it.
--
HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac
message
I do have Word 2003 but did not find the options as you describe below.
Actually I don't believe the option you are referring to is the same
thing.
I'd actually like the option to permanently create tabs within a document.
This setup would be the same as excel only instead of spreadsheets it
would
be related documents.
What your referring sounds like I would just be opening two documents and
viewing them side by side (Window>Compare Side by Side with...). There
are
times when this feature is helpful but not at all the same thing.
If I've misunderstood what you mean let me know. thanks, Kristina
:
Which version of Word do you already have? If 2003, for example, go to
Tools> View, check the box for Windows in Task Bar & use the Windows Task
Bar buttons to do exactly what you describe. You might also check
keyboard
shortcuts in Word Help for quick was to move from one doc window to
another.
--
HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac
message
Any chance you would consider adding a new feature to Microsoft Word...
I
would love to see the tab options (same option that we have in excel)
added
to word. This would allow a user to click on a tab and see one
report/document... then click on another tab to see a related but
separate
document. I would find this incredibly helpful...
----------------
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