Re: How to clean up the mess: finally creating a template after 4 yrs of writing documents (Word)

[linda_sims -at- vanguard -dot- com]

You might try MegaReplacer, from Editorium. You'd have to know the names 
of which styles have to be replaced and the names of the replacing styles. 
I've heard good things about it (never used it, but people on the Word-PC 
list love it).

http://www.editorium.com/14843.htm

>>

Sylvia Braunstein wrote on 04/14/2008 10:03:14 AM:

> My colleague suggested that I present a more detailed view of the 
problem.
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> RE: How to clean up the mess: finally creating a template after 4 yrs of
> writing documents (Word)
> 
> I have a customer who has been writing Word documents for the last four
> years, and I guess there are now about a 100 documents, but they never 
yet
> got around to making a template. The documents themselves are 
nevertheless
> quite nicely formatted using local styling (i.e., not local formatting 
but
> local styling: styles have been created/used in the document), however 
there
> is a significant amount of inconsistency in the naming of the styles. I 
make
> a wild guess that about 50% of the total set of styles defined in all 
the
> documents is a 'core', common set of styles, used by all documents, and
> about 25% of the styles are used in some documents but not in others 
(where
> the same styling is implemented but with different style names), and the
> remaining 25% are just custom 'garbage' styles that are not used even in 
the
> document in which they are defined.

<SNIP>

> The only solution would seem to be that we laboriously go over all the
> documents and we identify all "duplicate" styles and select one of the 
style
> names as being the "real name" and renaming all the other styles in 
their
> respective document to that single, real name. However this would take a
> very long time.
> 
> I would be interested to hear if others have had experience of such a
> request and/or suggestions as to how to handle this.

Lin Sims
Business Controls - Technical Writer
The views expressed here are mine and do not reflect the official opinion 
of my employer or the organization through which the Internet was 
accessed.
---+++---+++---+++---+++---+++---+++---+++---+++---+++
For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public 
relations, for nature cannot be fooled. -- R.P. Feynman

----------------------------------------------------------------------
CONFIDENTIALITY STATEMENT. The information contained in this e-mail message, including attachments, is the confidential information of, and/or is the property of, Vanguard. The information is intended for use solely by the individual or entity named in the message. If you are not an intended recipient or you received this in error, then any review, printing, copying, or distribution of any such information is prohibited, and please notify the sender immediately by reply e-mail and then delete this e-mail from your system.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or 
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007 
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to 
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.