Use of Range Object Question

[jsb73]

In Access I create a Word document for reports. I have used Selection.TypeText to write to the Word document. I understand that using the Range object would make it faster. Would using the ActiveDocument.Range improve the speed of execution, or should I try to use a Range for each paragraph? If so how do I add a paragraph and use that paragraph's range. I have looked and looked and can't seem to find code that works.

[macropod]

Hi jsb,

In most cases, working with ranges where practical (and it almost always is unless you have a reason to modify something based on the fact of its selection) is far more efficient than making and working with selections. Whether working with 'ActiveDocument.Range' or a specific paragraph range (or some other range specification) is appropriate depends on what you're trying to do. Without seeing the code, I can't say more than that.

[jsb73]

Thanks Paul,

In the following code, how is the optimal way to add another paragraph to the document using the Range object if that is the most efficient way?

Dim wo As Word.Application
    Set wo = CreateObject("Word.Application")
    Dim woDoc As Word.Document
    Dim woRng As Word.Range
    
    With wo
        .WindowState = wdWindowStateMaximize
        .Documents.Add
        Set woDoc = wo.ActiveDocument
        Set woRng = woDoc.Range
        With woRng
            .Font.Bold = True
            .Font.Size = 12
            .Paragraphs.Alignment = wdAlignParagraphCenter
            .InsertAfter "Hello Ranger Again"
        End With
    End With
   
    ActiveDocument.SaveAs "C:\LookingAtWord\Ranger.doc"
    wo.Visible = True

[macropod]

OK, with your code, you're formatting the whole document with 12pt bold text, centred paragraphs. Is that what you really want?

It is always better to use appropriately-defined paragraph Styles for managing document formatting, rather than overriding an existing Style with the format you want.

FWIW, to insert another paragraph is as simple as adding another line with:
.InsertAfter vbCr & "My New paragraph"
Then, of course, you'd want to format the new paragraph, for which you could use code like:
.Paragraphs.Last.Range.Style = "Some Style"

[jsb73]

Thanks again Paul. I am still a bit confused. Are you saying it is best not to sart with fomatting the Document.Range, but better to start by adding paragraphs using InsertAfter then adding the paragraph styles for each paragraph?

[macropod]

Originally Posted by jsb73

Thanks again Paul. I am still a bit confused. Are you saying it is best not to sart with fomatting the Document.Range, but better to start by adding paragraphs using InsertAfter then adding the paragraph styles for each paragraph?

Pretty much, yes. Of course, if you have many paragraphs to insert and most of them are to be in the same Style, you might start off by applying that Style to the whole document, insert all the text, then apply the alternative Styles to the paragraphs that need them. There are numberous possible approaches, none of which is necessarily 'right' and the others 'wrong'; it all comes down to what's easiest to develop, maintain and execute. The important point, though, is to avoid overriding Style formats - doing so can create all sorts of problems for users later on.

PS: There's an .InsertBefore method too.

[jsb73]

Thanks, Paull. You have helped me a lot.
Jim