Redefining the "Normal" style is MS Word?

[Geoff Hart <ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca>]

Amelia DeLoach wondered: <<I've made a few changes to the Normal style 
in a MS Word template but know that, based on historical posts to this 
list, this is typically not a good idea. However, it's difficult to 
tell if it's ALWAYS a bad idea to do this.>>

There are two problems. First, in a fit of inspired poor design, Word 
ships with many styles (including headings!) based on Normal. So if you 
change Normal, all other styles based on it (including headings) change 
too. Second, because every template seems to ship with Normal as part 
of it, the first time someone accidentally selects the "automatically 
update style setting", your copy of the Normal style gets clobbered.

So it's not _always_ a bad thing, but if you're not the only one using 
the templates, it is potentially asking for trouble. For that matter, 
it's trouble if you yourself get careless. I use Normal in my own 
templates simply because I'm too darned lazy to rebind the 
Command-Shift-N keyboard shortcut ("assign the Normal style") to 
another style.

<<I was tasked to create templates for non-tech writers and document 
designers who will change the style "Body Text" to "Normal." I've seen 
them do this many times... (Also, ALL styles are independent of one 
another in the event someone attempts to change one style.) ... Having 
any of you successfully done something like this? What should we watch 
out for>>

Alas, there's no way to make this foolproof. Unskilled users are 
particularly gifted at screwing up the use of templates and stules, and 
even people who should know better often mess things up. If you want 
them to reliably change body text to Normal, the only safe way to do it 
is to record a macro that does this for you, add a toolbar button 
containing the macro in the template you're using, and teach them to 
click the button. Even then I'm sure someone will find a way to screw 
it up.

--Geoff Hart   ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca
(try geoffhart -at- mac -dot- com if you don't get a reply)


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