Re: attaching word templates

[Sean Hower <hokumhome -at- freehomepage -dot- com>]

Yeah, I know. ;-)

I guess I was looking for a "clean" way to handle the styles/templates. What I do now is similar to what Keith Cronin suggested in a very helpful email he sent to me (I'll copy and paste below for those who sent me emails requesting the same info.) I was just starting to feel like the method was awefully convoluted and was wondering if there was a different way.

Anyway, here's what keith wrote me. There were a couple of things in there that I didn't know about. So......THANKS KEITH!!!!

-----------
For one thing, give your template a unique name. Something that you can safely assume nobody else has named any of their Word templates.

It's as easy as working on a document, tweaking it, and then saving it as a TEMPLATE, not a document. So your final file name will be something like this:

        Seans_groovy_template.dot 

rather than this: 

        Seans_groovy_template.doc 

Also, in building your template, AVOID using a style called Normal, and avoid BASING any other styles on Normal. (note from Sean, I learned this one the hard way.....hehe)

It's rather time consuming to build a template from the ground up, but is worth it in the long run if you're going to use it a lot. And, much like the way most Frame users approach working with Frame templates, it's easiest to base it on a preexisting template that is CLOSE to what you want.

But basing on a previous template means you'll have some housekeeping to do - often there will be many styles based on Normal, so you'll need to modify or delete those styles.

And when you get all your styles looking good, take the time needed to make sure that NONE of them have the Automatically Update feature enabled.

If you use this method, whereby you base a template on a DOCUMENT that you like, do make sure that every single paragraph has a style assigned to it. Then delete most or all of the text, and save it as a TEMPLATE as described earlier.

Once you've saved it as a template, close the file. 

Then open a new file in Word, and select your new template as the basis. Write your new document, and then send it to somebody else. Word automatically attaches the template you created to that doc, UNLESS the recipient decides to override your template and attach a new one. But it will open up the first time looking the way you want it. After that, it's up for grabs.

Hope this is helpful - pardon its stream-of-consciousness nature..... 




********************************************
Sean Hower

technical writer
http://hokum.freehomepage.com




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