How to create shorter docs from large base template?

[Preloader]

Hello,
At the moment I have a large comprehensive MSWord document (template). The template is used to create a new document, then substantial amounts of separate paragraphs text and headers are removed, the "Contents" field is refreshed and the document saved. This is an oft repeated task, and the template doc is regularly updated

Unfortunately creating the new shortened docs (which vary according to each different end user requirements) is a time consuming and laborious process, so the team and our channel members want me to create a new template document.

The new document is to have a contents field with "selectable content" options, and upon a refresh command the document populates with the only paragraph text and headers needed. The new saved document will be made up from only "selected content" material.

Any tips on how to go about this with MSword?
If an MSWord doc can support this somehow the solution will be popular with the team.

Thanks.

[fumei]

Whoa. This is NOT how templates are used. Templates are used to generate new documents. The template file itself is NOT opened or changed in any way at all. Nothing needs to be removed as nothing is ever put into the template itself.

Templates can absolutely be designed for variable selected content.

[Preloader]

Hi Fumei, Yes I understand. What I am trying to say is that the template is not modified except by the template owner. Otherwise, the team members double click on the template (template1.dotx), and of course it opens up a new document (new.docx) with all the configured content in place. The team members then to finalise the new doc for the new specification have to trawl through the doc (new.docx) removing any unwanted text content, and then refresh the Contents table at the start of the doc.

For the new template design (template2.dotx) when the team open a
new file (new.docx) from the template, the team want to see a table of the "content" options. They then want to select the optional text items (say from a list of "paragraph headers" for example) they require, and "refresh" to populate the document. Rather than delete the unwanted items in the (new.docx) one by one and then refresh the Contents table at the start.

Does MSWord support a method to do this new template requirement?

Thanks.

[fumei]

Yes. It is as I stated. Use the template to ADD content. Perhaps the users do not modify the template itself, but it would probably be better to have the template to build the document.

The users select the items that are optional, and when finished that optional content is inserted. Rather than have ALL content in the new document, and the users have to remove anything.

This certainly can be done, and by a variety of methods. The basic document, and a displayed userform to select the optional is one way.

It takes good design and well thought structure, but it is very possible. If you really want to have all the content in and do a removal route, an efficient method is to have all of the "chunks" bookmarked. Removing them is easy.

[eNGiNe]

Sounds like what I do by assembling DITA topics with a bookmap (outside Word) and saving out to rtf for prettifying before distribution …

[Preloader]

The users select the items that are optional, and when finished that optional content is inserted. Rather than have ALL content in the new document, and the users have to remove anything.

This certainly can be done, and by a variety of methods.

Thanks, Can you give me some leads or samples as to what methods are used?

The webinars and macro samples i have studied only seem to offer methods to format existing content. Can a macro import a textfile/rtf/dotx from the same file folder as the active document? (Sample or link to resourse/webinar for this?) Maybe I can make a menu of macros, designed to import selected text. Maybe this is the wrong design to choose?

I worry that I might have to go the whole developer XML route.

Remember, I want the template (dotx) to have all the content hidden, but but available via an Contents selection interface. The desired text content (docx) only appears if text "headers" for example, are selected as required content. When the user "refresh" document only the selected content shall appear in the document.
Also note the template is distribted, not just used at HQ.

Thanks.

[Preloader]

displayed userform

I did not catch this tip earlier. I am investigating "user form" in Word Help. Word Help suggests
Developer tab >Drop down list &
>building block gallery

Is this the right tack for me, do you think?

[Charles Kenyon]

Originally Posted by Preloader

I did not catch this tip earlier. I am investigating "user form" in Word Help. Word Help suggests
Developer tab >Drop down list &
>building block gallery

Is this the right tack for me, do you think?

Here is information about the Developer Tab. It depends on how much time and effort you want to put into your template up front.

A userForm is probably the best option. It is certainly a good one.
Create a Simple Userform

I would suggest putting the individual parts into AutoText or Building Blocks and having your UserForm insert them into the document as needed. They should be created using Heading Styles that are used to create a Table of Contents. Then your userForm can insert a table of contents field (possibly also in AutoText if you customize your TOC) and update it as it finishes.

The AutoText/building blocks can be stored in your template but don't display in the document until/unless called into the document. They are not any part of the document's size. For me, AutoText is much easier to format and edit than trying to directly insert contents using the userForm (vba).

Automated Boilerplate Using Microsoft Word
How to create a table of contents in Microsoft Word

If you simply want to use the Building Block Gallery approach without the UserForm, I would suggest exploring Greg Maxey's tools (free).
Building Blocks & AutoText

For an example of a simple custom gallery, take a look at my 2003 WordArt Add-In for 2010-2013. While that holds WordArt, you can certainly put complex text in your template's galleries and those galleries can easily be attached to QAT buttons in the template. Note, though, that the gallery buttons all look the same and are cryptically named.

You could also add a custom ribbon to your template to allow much more flexibility (or restrict user choices). Customize the Ribbon (It doesn't take rocket science). That could include one or more userForms and custom galleries.

[Preloader]

A userForm is probably the best option. It is certainly a good one.
Create a Simple Userform

I have that macro sample working, the text entered into the suggested user form appears into my document as promised.
I will checking out your other tips over next few days. On closer inspection of your links CK, you may very well get a Customer soon!

I can see the potential. Many Thanks.
All the welcome reply's to this post are getting the ball rolling for sure, and I will be looking back over the posts and links to review suggestions as my understanding increases.

p.s.

I have a bit more to learn yet so I will be lurking around this forum for a couple of months at least, maybe til Spring! The results I want will be all better if I am prepared to put the work into it.

I will share the results of my research and experiments with this project as I get the parts of document template working.

[Charles Kenyon]

Originally Posted by Preloader

I have that macro sample working, the text entered into the suggested user form appears into my document as promised.
I will checking out your other tips over next few days. On closer inspection of your links CK, you may very well get a Customer soon!

I sincerely hope you don't need my services. I am a criminal defense lawyer!
This is my hobby to release pressure. Doug Robbins, Greg Maxey, Stefan Blom, Graham Mayor and others on this forum could provide help though.

[Preloader]

criminal defence lawyer!

Lol, stick around... I may need someone to defend the quality of my coding!
But as you say, let's hope i can avoid that!

Just out of curiosity CK, what is the story behind the "donate" links on your webpages? I guess any funds are intended to meet the cost of hosting, but what gives?

[Preloader]

Originally Posted by fumei

Hi Fumei. Perhaps the users do not modify the template itself, but it would probably be better to have the template to build the document. ...so I distribute the template, and the end users will have to learn to open the template directly. Hopefully my macro can run, and produce the file content needed, but also produce a new file, leaving the template unaffected and ready for reuse?

The users select the items that are optional, and when finished that optional content is inserted. Rather than have ALL content in the new document, and the users have to remove anything. Yes

This certainly can be done, and by a variety of methods. The basic document, and a displayed userform to select the optional is one way. I intend to achieve this method, do you think this is the best method for me? I am not a pro level programmer but have completed entry level coding training and work as an applications engineer for a software company. My team expect this method, but after I have provided this project solution, I will also try to get buyin for a php website to do same. That way I also get global version control.

It takes good design and well thought structure, but it is very possible. If you really want to have all the content in and do a removal route, an efficient method is to have all of the "chunks" bookmarked. Removing them is easy. Interesting! Currently doc users have to trawl through the doc with click and drag actions to select and delete text to be deleted.

Thanks Fumei for the above tips. On one point though, my initial thought would be a double click on the template for the doc users to get going, but for my project you seem to have an idea that the code will work better if they open the template file directly. Is that right?

[fumei]

No, no. I would NEVER suggest users opening the template file directly. That defeats the whole purpose of a template.

[Charles Kenyon]

Originally Posted by Preloader

Lol, stick around... I may need someone to defend the quality of my coding!
But as you say, let's hope i can avoid that!

Just out of curiosity CK, what is the story behind the "donate" links on your webpages? I guess any funds are intended to meet the cost of hosting, but what gives?

It is intended to help offset the cost of hosting. Most of the [bandwidth] activity on my web site is people reading the word pages and downloading. I probably should switch web hosts.