Styles in a Style-Less Environment

S

SV

I'm going to start with the question, if more info is needed, I put it under
the question.

I created a document using my own, personal template (ProjectX.dot) using my
own, personal styles (Most styles specially named for the project)... when
I send that document to someone else, will their system be able to see my
styles or would they have to have my .dot file in their Templates folder?

Basically, is Word going to be able to show the documents on other computers
as they are on mine, or do the others have to have my template file????

There, now the background in case it's helpful:

A while back I inherited some documents because each person who opened them
seemed to see something different and I'm tenacious enough to figure out how
to solve problems. I was asked to update them and 'fix that damned
formatting problem.' I found out that some of the authors used numbered
outlines and others simply typed the numbers and hit 'tab' to make it LOOK
like there were outlines, and none of them agreed as to whether one should
us Arial and Bold or just 'Arial Black' and don't get me started on
tables!!!!

In any case, I posted a message here and as a result of the information I
recieved, I've learned a TON about styles and how to use them. I even went
so far as to create a new template file for this project so that when I open
these documents, I KNOW that the ONLY style information present is the stuff
I put in there my own self. With the exception of headers, EVERY style is
named with ProjectX (ProjectX HEader, ProjectX Footer, ProjectX DocTitle,
etc) and I've been having a good chunk of fun. The only styles identified
by 'standard' names are the Headings of my numbered outlines. My template
is PRojectX.dot and resides in my Templates folder (But not in ANY other
person's template folder!)

This leaves me with the question of what my end-user is going to see.....
when they open it with their Normal.dot template.

Am I going to have to send my template to them and attempt to get them to
put it in their Templates folder, then try to edit the location of the
template for each document so it can navigate the Templates folder of ANY
computer/ANY user?
Can I even DO that (I dunno, add '%profile%' to the path or something?

Thanks,

Shane
 
J

Jezebel

The styles are copied from the template to the document, so the users do not
need a copy of the template.
 
S

SV

Shauna,
Yup, the info below definitely helps.
When I inherited these documents and saw so many odd things I suspected
something basic in formatting and how it's done. Other MVP's turned me onto
'styles' and your links below pretty much confirm both what happened and
that my actions are going to protect me.

I had a hunch that creating my own template document would likely keep 'my'
styles safe, and that naming the specific styles with new names would add a
second level of security.

I'm no longer concerned, thanks to you, Sue, and the rest of the MVP's. I
hope being an MVP is worth the trouble, cuz it sure is worth it to me to
have people I can ask!

Now, if you'll pardon me, the one set of styles I DIDN'T give a
project-specific name were ALL MY NUMBERED-OUTLINE HEADINGS!!! NOOOOOOOOO...
heh.. I think I have a template to update!

Shane
 
S

SV

Jezebel,
Thanks, definitely a direct answer to a rather meandering question! Much
appreciated.

:)

Shane
 
S

SV

yeah.. I'm still working my way up to that. First put out the fire, THEN
work on a prevention program...

:)

Shane
 
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