TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: Using Binder & TOC -Reply From:David Spiteri <DSPITERI -at- TUC -dot- COM> Date:Wed, 6 May 1998 07:41:40 -0500
Linda, We share your frustration re: Word's Master Documents mode. Our group gave up on it when we found the alternative. Working on a large document with many parts or that we want to split up among writers...we
1) build a Cover-TOC document to contain anything that precedes the table of contents.
2) use the RD field code to build tables of contents that span documents.
The RD field is found through Word's main menu ... Insert - Field - Index and Tables: Syntax: {RD "Drive:\\Path\\toc\\DocName.doc"} where Drive is the disk drive, Path is the path to the document, and DocName.doc is the document to scan for TOC entries.
One RD line is used for each separate file to be included in the TOC.
RD also works with cross-file indices.
3) sometimes we merge the documents into one at the final review cycle if it is an electronic review.
4) use "Start at..." for chapter numbers and page numbering when the documents are kept separate.
5) Of course the Table of Contents is generated when you update fields and can be manually touched up after it is generated.
6) I think that the separate files that RD scans can/should be closed when the RD field is updated. That's why you provide the pathing etc.
