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Subject:Re: MSWord Problem From:"Bergen, Jane" <janeb -at- ANSWERSOFT -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 3 Feb 1998 13:51:30 -0600
On Tuesday, February 03, 1998 9:19 AM, Maurice Thompson
[SMTP:maurice -at- IDOC-INC -dot- COM] wrote:
>
> The problem(s) stem around a template that we are using to create all
> documentation that will untimately be accessed thoughtout the
> company. It seems that a file is put into a shared directory, but the
> viewed and printed output differ. Such as numbered lists in table
cells
> are being renumbered. My version is 1, 2, 3, then 1, 2, 3 but when
Chris
> opens the same file she gets 1, 2, 3, then 4, 5, 6. Sometimes the
style
> does not keep proper spacing, white space, and margins. It's a real
> mess and it will only get worse as we create more documentation that
> needs to be shared.
Maurice,
Check to see that the users are all using the SAME template. Sometimes
you may have a template with the same name, but in different places.
Somewhere along the line the templates get out of synch.
Next, check to see that one or the other user does/does not have the
option for "Automatically update document styles" checked. That has
caused me grief in the past. I almost NEVER leave this checked. It's
risky. You don't say whether you are using Word 95 or Word 97, so I
don't know where that option is for you.
In all my life I have never seen such a buggy program as Word 97. When I
modified a style in Word 95, I often checked the "Add to template" to
save the change to the template. That doesn't work in Word 97, even
though the option is still available. Once in a great while it *may*
actually save a change, but usually not. The autonumbering is a true
nightmare. It's not just different -- it's totally random as to whether
it works or not! Man, I thought RoboHelp was buggy, but nothing beats
Word 97.
I could go on and on about the problems for technical writers using Word
97, but this isn't a Word list so I won't. Since most of the bugs do
affect technical writers, however, I will, quickly before Eric pulls the
plug, heartily recommend to any list members that they stick to Word 95
if given a choice (I wasn't). Now Office 98 is out for the
Macintosh...or about to be out. Go figure!
Jane
Jane Bergen, Technical Writer,
AnswerSoft, Inc. Richardson, TX
(972) 997-8355
janeb -at- answersoft -dot- com
