I have a template which has a number of styles based on other styles.



Now, whenever I use a document based on that template, any time I try to create ANY style in the document - even trying one based on the Normal style - I get the "The style you want to create is based on too many styles" message.

I get the message even when I try to update one of the existing styles in the document (using the "Update <existing style> to match selection" popup menu item).

Is this a known limitation? Or have I done something wrong?

IIRC the maximum Style nesting is 10. You will get that message if you try to nest styles in 11 levels or more (i.e. Style 11 is based on Style 10 which is based on Style 9 which is based on Style 8 which is based on Style 7 which is based on Style 6 which is based on Style 5 which is based on Style 4 which is based on Style 3 which is based on Style 2 which is based on Style 1).

It's also possible you'd get such a message if the document has some form of corruption that Word interprets as an excessive number of nested Styles.

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

Considering
corruption of the document seems a serious possibility.

What happens if you try and create a Style based on No Style, not even Normal? BTW, this is actually a good practice. It allows you to be a lot more precise in how your nesting cascades if you start with your own starting point.

I'm starting to think that corruption of the document is the problem.

Confirming your recollection, in Word 2010 I get the message at attempting to create a new style when a style at level 11 is already applied. That is, the maximum nesting is 10. Level 11 can be created because that represents 10 levels of nesting. Level 12 cannot be created.

Getting the error message depends on which style is applied at the insertion point when the "New Style" button is pressed.

Try creating the new style when the style in use is at a lower level. For example, apply the normal style to your paragraph and then attempt to create a new style.

If you attempt to create a new style, Word assumes it is to be based on the style currently being used. If that one is already 10 levels deep, you will not even get to the dialog to change the based-on style.

Understanding Styles in Microsoft Word
http://www.addbalance.com/usersguide...oo_Many_Styles (new section based on this thread)

Thanks Charles - the problem isn't trying to go to a style at level 11. What I have is:

- a bullet style, 1-9, with each inheriting from the one lower.
- a text style, 1-9, with each inheriting from the one lower.
- for each of the above, there are actually two styles - one with no spacing after it, and one with a line's worth.

So that's 36 user-created styles I have, and no more than 9 levels of inheritance in any of them.

But when I try to create another style - based on ANYTHING, including Normal, I get the 'too many styles' error. I even get it when I try to "Update <style name> to match selection", which wouldn't result in a new style at all.

Then, perhaps you want to check out document corruption.

Corrupt documents can often be 'repaired' by inserting a new, empty, paragraph at the very end, copying everything except that new paragraph to a new document based on the same template (headers & footers may need to be copied separately), closing the old document and saving the new one over it.

in this case, though, I'm not sure that will solve a Style-based corruption. To fix that, you may need to:
• save the document in RTF format;
• open it in WordPad;
• make an edit in Wordpad (e.g. insert a space);
• save the document & exit Wordpad;
• re-open in Word.
This process should remove all Style data from the document, though the formatting will be retained. Assuming the problem isn't in the document template, you should now be able to re-attach the Styles.

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

I am still curious to know if you can create a style based on No Style.

fwiw, 2010 seems to let me create styles based on No style … I don't get an error message, and the new style shows up in the Styles list.

Attached Images

basedOnNone.png (36.4 KB, 17 views)

No one is saying that it is not possible, in a properly functioning document, to create a new style based on no style.

The problem, in recent versions of Word is that if you get this message, you do not get the opportunity to change the based-on setting if you are starting from a style that already has ten levels of nesting. In Word 2003 you would see this error message and then the new style dialog would pop up with a blank where the based-on style is. In Word 2010 & 2013 what happens is that you get the message and then are returned to the document. You never see the dialog that you posted.

This is apparently what is happening to the OP whenever he/she tries to create a new style regardless of the number of levels in the current style. (i.e., starting from the normal style)

Attached Images

2010StylesTooMany.png (7.6 KB, 17 views)

My point was that:
is not accurate. You CAN still create a style.

And my point is that Pluviouville is reporting that it is not possible. I am accepting this as an accurate report of the user's experience in that document. Paul pointed out earlier that this may be due to document corruption.

Further, if you are attempting to create a new style and your cursor is in text formatted with a style already nested ten-deep, you will not be able to create a new style in Word 2007-2013. You could in Word 2003; the modify style dialog would be launched with no style being shown as the based-on style. That does not happen in the ribbon versions.