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How to use LINK and OLE to manage boilerplate accross Word 7 docs?
Subject:How to use LINK and OLE to manage boilerplate accross Word 7 docs? From:"Richard J. Collins" <writejob -at- DNAI -dot- COM> Date:Sun, 30 Mar 1997 04:35:49 -0800
Hello to all,
I have a project that has 5 O&M manuals for individual electronic boxes
that are part of a system. Each of the unit manuals is built around a
standard outline for a military O&M manual. I am constrained to number
paragraphs, but otherwise the manuals are deliverable as commercial off the
shelf documents (COTS).
Since these manuals have common paragraph topics I wanted to use OLE to
keep them all in step and to make changes manageable. I can do this if I
make the text general enough. I have created a "common" file that has the
paragraphs and tables I want to LINK to. Each of the piece parts is set off
by a bookmark that I reference in the path name following the respective
LINK field code insertions in the respective container files (target manual
chapters).
I am using a set of macros devised by Yisrael V. Handel called the Tech-TAV
macro package. It works great for inserting field codes to handle chapter,
paragraph, and caption numbering, so long as I don't try to add OLE to the
mix.
In other words, if I try to use the LINK field (Paste Special) to pull in
boilerplate paragraphs the numbering in my container file does not come out
correct. I get the paragraph numbers from the source file which is not what
I expected, and not what I want. I want to be able to pull in a paragraph
head (usually a second level head) together with the associated body text
and have it renumber according to the position in the containter document,
not the position in the source doc. Perhaps what I should do is set each of
the piece parts off in a separate file? I think I tried that, but I cannot
remember at this point what happened. I think I get the same result, except
the paragraph numbers are different.
Furthermore, cross referencing to figures and tables completely breaks
down. I've come to the conclusion that I am trying to push the system too
hard and that OLE (at least for complicated manuals) is still not ready for
prime time. If I could get rid of the requirement to number paragraphs and
forget about automatically cross referencing tables and figures maybe this
scheme will work, otherwise, I don't see a way.
Can someone prove me wrong? Does anybody have a good scheme that works
reliably for doing what I''ve just described? Yisrael has been very patient
and helped with several questions I've addressed to him, but I am beginning
to feel like a pest. I notice that he writes a ton of email to members of
the various Internet lists devoted to word processing.Take a break Yisrael,
maybe someone on this listserve can help me this time.
Any advice is appreciated.
Rich Collins
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