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Re: System for cleaning up legacy Word docs?

Subject: Re: System for cleaning up legacy Word docs?
From: Bruce Byfield <bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Wed, 05 Jan 2005 12:35:55 -0800


Stevenson, Rebecca wrote:

I'm going to spending a lot of time in the near future working on legacy
Word documents, doing data merges (don't ask). I believe these files
were created by people who have never heard of styles, and working with
them is somewhat painful. I was wondering if anyone has a systematic
method that they use for cleaning these things up, so that when I am
done with this assignment I can leave them in better shape than I found
them? I don't usually use Word, so I'm leery of causing myself more
grief through careless changes.

You may find it easiest to save in plain text, then reformat properly. In the long run, that may be quicker than trying to correct the careless formatting habits of the original writers.

If that isn't possible, try to get a sense of exactly how the original writers formatted. With any luck, you'll notice patterns that will allow you to make global replacements and to write macros for the most common patterns.

Whatever you decide, my sincere condolences. It sounds as though you have a messy and painful job ahead of you
.
--
Bruce Byfield
http://members.axion.net/~bbyfield

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References:
System for cleaning up legacy Word docs?: From: Stevenson, Rebecca

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