Use Current Normal Template with "My Templates"

[John McGhie]

Hi Norm:

The temptation to tell Linda that you asked a question, and then almost
immediately proceeded to answer it yourself, is almost irresistible

Are there any negatives for this non-power user using Normal Template to
keep all my modified and created styles?

Yeah. See below: a fellow named "Norm" has typed the answer below.

In addition to what he says: when you are learning customisation, you will
break Normal quite frequently, and when you do, you will lose everything in
it.

Let me see if I follow. I create a Documents, let's use myletterhead as
the example, but I can't hang it off Normal. So to do it that way I need
to create a new template and then hang it off that?

You got it!

Cheers

--

The email below is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless I ask you to; or unless you intend to pay!

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP (Word, Mac Word), Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. | Ph: +61 (0)4 1209 1410 | mailto:[email protected]

 

[Norm]

Hi John:

Let me see if I follow. I create a Documents, let's use myletterhead as
the example, but I can't hang it off Normal. So to do it that way I need
to create a new template and then hang it off that?

You got it![/QUOTE]

But what I haven't got is how to "easily" create and maintain styles
using other than the Normal Template for the repository for all those
styles.

I'll ponder.

Thanks,

Norm

 

[John McGhie]

Hi Norm:

It's staring you in the face

The procedure is exactly the same as if you were using Normal.dotm, except
that you CAN'T use Normal.dotm.

So you need to create a DIFFERENT template (which you can make by simply
using Finder to COPY Normal.dotm and re-name it).

Then make your changes in that template, and every sample file you have
hanging off it will update the next time it opens.

BUT: If you are going to do a lot of this, then you need to "manage" the
process.

Which provides you with a golden opportunity to learn to use the Microsoft
Org Chart application you spent all that money on...

Start Word, and use Insert>Object>Microsoft Organisation Chart... And away
you go... There's only one Help topic, read it, then just follow your
nose...

Instead of the names of people, type in the names of your templates. This
will enable you to keep track of what inherits from what. For this purpose,
Normal sits to one side of the top level template (in the "Secretary"
position) and that's pretty much the relationship Normal does have: it takes
dictation while Word operates

Cheers

Hi John:






You got it!

But what I haven't got is how to "easily" create and maintain styles
using other than the Normal Template for the repository for all those
styles.

I'll ponder.

Thanks,

Norm[/QUOTE]

--

The email below is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless I ask you to; or unless you intend to pay!

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP (Word, Mac Word), Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. | Ph: +61 (0)4 1209 1410 | mailto:[email protected]

 

[Norm]

Hi John:

Haven't been in class lately. Hope I didn't miss any exams.... or should
I say.... I hope I missed all the exams.

We "needed" to check on the "kids" in CA.

OK..... on to templates and saving my styles......

It's staring you in the face

Can't see with my bifocals. :-(

The procedure is exactly the same as if you were using Normal.dotm, except
that you CAN'T use Normal.dotm.

I got that part. Understood that from the McGhie classroom.

So you need to create a DIFFERENT template (which you can make by simply
using Finder to COPY Normal.dotm and re-name it).

OK, got that too.

Then make your changes in that template, and every sample file you have
hanging off it will update the next time it opens.

What I didn't understand was how to "easily" use another template as the
repository for all my styles.

I'm not sure what you mean by "sample" but following this recommendation
I gather I would have to start by opening all new docs from this "My
styles template."

BUT: If you are going to do a lot of this, then you need to "manage" the
process.

I didn't get the MS Org Chart the first time but I'll try again.

Thanks for the help,

Norm

 

[John McGhie]

Hi Norm:

Oh. You're back... We thought you were sneaking a cigarette behind the bus
shelter... Needed to check on the kids ‹ a likely excuse....!

What I didn't understand was how to "easily" use another template as the
repository for all my styles.

I'm not sure what you mean by "sample" but following this recommendation
I gather I would have to start by opening all new docs from this "My
styles template."

Yeah, that's it. You might have multiple templates: one for Letters, one
for Reports, one for Books. When you start a new document, double-click the
correct "kind" and the blank document you get handed will already contain
the correct styles.

It will also automatically be "attached" to the template you double-clicked.

You can go further, and set the "Automatically update styles on open"
setting in the "Tools>Templates and Add-ins" section for each document.

If you do, then whenever you open the template and make a change to the
styles, that change will be copied into all the documents set that way, the
next time you open each document.

Cheers

--

The email below is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless I ask you to; or unless you intend to pay!

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP (Word, Mac Word), Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. | Ph: +61 (0)4 1209 1410 | mailto:[email protected]

 

[Norm]

Hi John:

Yeah, that's it. You might have multiple templates: one for Letters, one
for Reports, one for Books. When you start a new document, double-click the
correct "kind" and the blank document you get handed will already contain
the correct styles.

But if one pursues such a "styles strategy" is there a place where one
can view and manage all of one's styles?

It will also automatically be "attached" to the template you double-clicked.

Will the Normal Template also be attached or just the template from
which you launched?

You can go further, and set the "Automatically update styles on open"
setting in the "Tools>Templates and Add-ins" section for each document.

If you do, then whenever you open the template and make a change to the
styles, that change will be copied into all the documents set that way, the
next time you open each document.

And it will impact all future adds/edits in that document or all text
both existing and new? I assume the second.

Thanks for the help. Good to be back in the classroom.

Norm

 

[John McGhie]

Hi Norm:

But if one pursues such a "styles strategy" is there a place where one
can view and manage all of one's styles?

Yes. You can have a "master" Template which contains all the styles.

You can then create multiple "Document Types" attached to that template.

These must be files of type "Document", and you must attach them to the
template with their "Automatically update styles" property set ON.

You must then set their file attribute of "Stationery" to ON in the Mac file
system.

You could then update the style in the template. If you then Opened and
then Saved the "type" documents, they would update their style table from
the master template.

If you then created your output documents from the type documents, you would
have the styles replicated down the chain into them.

Wouldn't it be so much simpler to use a separate template for each kind of
document? Normally, you would use the same style names for each kind of
document, but change the style definitions appropriate to that kind of
document.

Will the Normal Template also be attached or just the template from
which you launched?

You already know the answer to that. The Normal template can never be
"attached", it's a Global Add-in. It is always available, at the
Application level, not the Document level. It can't be attached to a
document because it's a level above the template level.

And it will impact all future adds/edits in that document or all text
both existing and new? I assume the second.

You can work that out with your current knowledge. I will give you a hint:
where are the styles that are applied to the text in each document stored?

Cheers

--

The email below is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless I ask you to; or unless you intend to pay!

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP (Word, Mac Word), Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. | Ph: +61 (0)4 1209 1410 | mailto:[email protected]

 

[Norm]

Hi John:

Wouldn't it be so much simpler to use a separate template for each kind of
document? Normally, you would use the same style names for each kind of
document, but change the style definitions appropriate to that kind of
document.

You've convinced me; it would be!
Not having used style definitions up until taking Clive's and John's
courses over the past 6 months, I thought I would like to have every
instance of a style in one place. Guess that isn't so important.

You already know the answer to that. The Normal template can never be
"attached", it's a Global Add-in. It is always available, at the
Application level, not the Document level. It can't be attached to a
document because it's a level above the template level.

So in order to use the latest definitions and toolbars for a previously
created Word doc, I would need to attach it again. Correct?

You can work that out with your current knowledge. I will give you a hint:
where are the styles that are applied to the text in each document stored?

In that document. So would update all.

Thanks,

Norm

 

[John_McGhie_[MVP]]

About TIME you got back!!

So in order to use the latest definitions and toolbars for a previously
created Word doc, I would need to attach it again. Correct?

If by that you mean "Toggle automatically update styles on open", yes. Flip
that on, and immediately flip it off. But be aware that it overwrites all
the styles in the document that also exist in the template.

In that document. So would update all.

Go to the top of the class

Cheers

--

The email below is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless I ask you to; or unless you intend to pay!

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP (Word, Mac Word), Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. | Ph: +61 (0)4 1209 1410 | mailto:[email protected]

 

[Norm]

Go to the top of the class

I have a very good prof.

Thanks.

 

[Norm]

Hi John:

Hope all well down under. Trust Clive is well, too.

If by that you mean "Toggle automatically update styles on open", yes. Flip
that on, and immediately flip it off. But be aware that it overwrites all
the styles in the document that also exist in the template.

Seem to be stumped on this one.

Tried to "Toggle" the old doc but couldn't do so (never found a toggle
"switch") and I couldn't change the setting on the Tool/Templates and
Add-Ins setting page. It reported, template no longer available or
something like that. Sorry I should have copied dialog exactly. :-(

Also, you said that if I wanted to use current defined styles with a
Save As older doc, then I needed to change that setting and then
immediately change back. What will happen if I leave it set that way?

And I assume that setting is just for the currently active doc. Correct?

Thanks,

Norm