Re: Wrestling with MS Templates and Styles

[dmbrown -at- brown-inc -dot- com]

Jerry Franklin wrote:
> 
> ...I remain unable to delete many unwanted styles (e.g. "Normal" and
> the native "Heading" styles).

I don't think think you can delete them.  Either use them, or ignore them.

Be aware that you lose a lot of useful things by not using Heading 1, Heading 2, and so on.  I'd use them.

As for Normal, is some other name really better?  I'd just use it.

>
> I also seem unable to override someone else's standard "Normal" 
> template with my own

The styles are in the document, unless you set Word to reload them from the template every time you open the document.  Do that, and make sure everyone's using a copy of the same template (or actually sharing one on a network drive).

> 
> ... I'd also like to share this template with others

That's easy.  See above.

>
> and have them return their docs to me in the exact same template, 
> without my having to reapply styles, or attach my template, or 
> what-have-you.

That's just the way Word works.  It'll always use the template you tell it to.  If you tell it to use the Normal.dot template in C:\Documents and Settings\smith\Application Data\Microsoft Office\Templates, that's what it's gonna use.

If it doesn't find it (like there's no Smith directory on Jones' computer), I'm pretty sure Word will fall back to the Normal.dot in its default directory.

But others can speak with certainty about the "fall-back" algorithm--I haven't paid it much attention, because I'm careful to put the template where I want it, and then tell Word where it is.

>
> I've also been unable to have Word open up with my template, 
> instead of the Normal template

If the file's there, Word will use it.  Keep checking.

> 
> Should I be creating a style sheet instead of futzing around 
> with templates? 

Nah, templates are the only way to go...reinforced by occasional verification by the style master (you).

I've got a handful of old Word Basic macros I wrote years ago to simplify that process:  list paragraph styles used, remove unused styles, load styles from the template, list fonts used, and so on.

>
> Is it operator ignorance or error? 

Just practice.

>
> Or could I have a funky instance of Word?

I doubt it.  Reinstallation is a last resort, and it hasn't solved any problem I've ever encountered with Word.

> 
> FYI, I'm pretty much wedded to Word for now, both because it's 
> the easiest way to exchange comments and drafts with others 
> throughout the company and because most of my documents thus far 
> are short

You can use it for long docs, too--200 pages and more, lots of graphics, tables, and cross-references--I've been doing it for years.

A lot of people on this list get pretty steamed whenever I say that, though.  Don't let it bring you down.

--David 
 
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