Word XP - Styles/Template Update problems

[Warwick Flint]

WORD 2002:SP2

Greetings,

I have created a company template to allow us to create
all future company documents.

The template has a number of unique styles (e.g. COMPANY-
H1, COMPANY-H2, etc) so that we can differentiate our
styles from Word XP's standard styles and so to avoid any
unnecessary complication/confusion.

Initially I created the first required document WITHIN the
new template and then saved it as a DOCUMENT later.
This allowed me to create the document and template at the
same time and allowed me to make sure that the styles were
up-to-date whilst allowing flexibility.

I have subsequently made sure that the template is current
and have distributed it.
Users have been given instructions of where to put the
template - note that some users have reset their default
template path settings.

Unfortunately the following problem exists:

1) an older version of the template (T1) has been
distributed and used to create document ABC
2) At some stage during the creation of document ABC,
the styles have been changed by the user
3) In an attempt to correct this problem a new
template has been submitted
4) Unfortunately applying the new template to
document ABC has not brought the document back into line
5) I have copied document ABC back to my local
directory and reapplied the new template to no avail.
Thus I thought that there are two scenarios when trying to
fix this problem
a. Either the styles when 're-imported through
organizer' are not being updated
- e.g. outline numbering paragraph spacing is wrong, Or
b. If the new template is attached the styles ARE
updated but some ERRORS are creeping in, i.e. COMPANY-BODY
TEXT gets the colour and weight of a COMPANY-H1 - there is
no logical reason for it inheriting the properties of such
a style.

I am left scratching my head, and thinking:

a) Either my understanding of styles and templates is
wrong
b) There is some sort of bug in this area of Word
Xp's functionality

Can anyone help?

Regards,

Warwick Flint



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Warwick Flint
Documentation Engineer
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[Charles Kenyon]

1) Is numbering involved in any of the styles that are causing you problems?
Apparently so. In that case, the problem may be in the numbering list
templates. See below.

2) You can get very bizarre behavior when importing one style that is based
on another style without importing the based-on style. This won't be a
problem when you update all styles based on a newly attached template.

3) Even if you import the whole set, you will get anomolies unless you
import the set multiple times. I import (copy) three times.

Example:

COMPANY BODY TEXT is based on COMPANY NORMAL which is bold. COMPANY BODY
TEXT has bold switched off.

COMPANY H1 is based on COMPANY NORMAL which is bold. The bold is left on.

Import COMPANY BODY TEXT but not COMPANY NORMAL or COMPANY H1 into a new
document which already has a COMPANY NORMAL style which is not bold. COMPANY
BODY TEXT in the new document will be bold because the bold attribute is a
toggle.

On numbering:

See: How to create numbered headings or outline numbering in your Word
document
<URL: http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/numbering/OutlineNumbering.html>. This
is based on ...

Word's Numbering Explained
<URL: http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/Numbering/WordsNumberingExplained.htm>

How to Create a Template, Part II
<URL: http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/Customization/CreateATemplatePart2.htm>

Seven Laws of Outline Numbering
<URL: http://www.microsystems.com/fra_sevenlawsofoutlinenumbering.htm>

The following are some discussions on the Microsoft newsgroups on numbering:
Nightmare on ListNumbering Street <URL:
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&th=9e790fa7ed2886b3,18&ic=1>
The Joy of Lists <URL:
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&th=811287ebce8fc203,15&ic=1>
Relinking ListTemplates <URL:
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&th=2350746054c838e,12&ic=1>
Outline numbering: restart doesn't restart <URL:
http://groups.google.com/[email protected]#p>
Format Doesn't "Hold" <URL:
http://groups.google.com/[email protected]#p>
(above list compiled by Dave Rado, Word MVP)

ListNumbering Street Revisited <URL:
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&safe=off&th=57df77857e4993ce>

See the latest numbering discussion I've seen, especially post #4 which
contains Dave Rado's concise instructions for setting up heading numbering.
<URL:
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&ic=1&th=bce07d7714769f5c>

--

Charles Kenyon

See the MVP FAQ: <URL: http://www.mvps.org/word/> which is awesome!
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn
from my ignorance and your wisdom.

--

Charles Kenyon

See the MVP FAQ: <URL: http://www.mvps.org/word/> which is awesome!
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn
from my ignorance and your wisdom.