? Choose the level of detail to display in the Document Map 2

[cherishwit]

FYI: the subject line is a direct quote from the Word Help function. Says I ought to be able to choose, but I can't figure out how. . .the details:

I'm working in MS Word 2002 and, after I switched from page layout view with document map open to outline view, the text in document map became so small that it is unreadable. I used the format --> Styles --> Custom --> format settings (checked the box by document map) --> modified the style (was tahoma 12, changed it to arial 11) then closed out. Still too small.

Any suggestions?

I might add that I am working with a client who is unhappy because each line with in his normal style appears on his document map.

Thanks,
cherishwit

 

[tf1]

Have you tried right-clicking in the DocMap and selecting which levels you want to display in the DocMap?

Your client must have his normal style set up as an outline level for it to appear in the DocMap.


Regards: tf1

 

[Lilliabeth]

It seems to me that any very short paragraphs will be added to the Docmap. It is as if Word is trying to GUESS what should be there instead of simply using styles.

 

[cherishwit]

Thank you for your replies. I have tried right clicking, but it hasn't worked. I have fiddled around with outline view and then changed back to page layout view and my tiny print issue seems to be resolved. I still would like to know how to address this issue though.

I think I'm going to have to sit at my client's computer and work out what is wrong. I know he's frustrated, but then, so am I!

Thanks so much,
cherishwit

 

[tf1]

Ah now I'm recalling a bug with the DocMap but my aging grey cells are having difficulty recalling the details and simple resolution. Let me sleep on it...


Regards: tf1

 

[fumei]

Document map was a great idea, but as Lilliabeth mentions, it makes approximations.

1. If there are not explicit heading levels used - that is, if all the text is Normal style, it will use normal style as a heading.

2. Yes, it DOES extrapolate short sentences for headings, and therefore to be included in the Document Map.

3. Once "determined" to be in the Map, it is very difficult to get it out. EXAMPLE:

Two words

Text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text

Text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text text

Two other words

* * * * * * *

The Document Map will extrapolate "Two words", and "Two other words" as headings, and put them in the map. Even if all the paragraphs are Normal style (no changes). This is because they are short. However, adding text to make them longer will not remove them from the Map.

Even the above example is not consistent. If you copy the example to a new file, it can come out differently.

Essentially, the Document Map is a (distorted IMHO) reflection of the existing Outline levels. Unfortunately Word can not conceive of a document WITHOUT Outline levels. This is the Microsoft paradigm of what a document IS.

Another example: a document that is a screenplay. The ONLY styles in this document are screenplay elements (Screenheading, Character, Dialogue, Action). Each of which is formatted to industry standards. These are NOT Outline levels per se. However, the Document Map considers them as such, and EVERY paragraph is in the Document Map. So whole Dialogue paragraphs are in the Map. Hmmmm, not exactly useful.

Good idea (the Document Map), but unless it has been improved in 2003.....I don't know.....

The only time I have found it to be accurately efficient is with extremely careful design and explicit outline styles, used right from the beginning. I have found it nearly impossible to retrofit documents.

But hey....if someone can explain a better use for it, I am more than willing to hear about it.

Gerry

 

[Lilliabeth]

unless it has been improved in 2003.....

I'm using Word 2003 and the behavior of the Document Map is exactly as you described.

 

[tf1]

Gerry

There's a very real reason why that happens with DocMap. Something that isn't too obvious and hence isn't well know is that DocMap is actually an AutoFormat function.

If you create a document correctly using styles throughout, DocMap will perform as most users expect.

If you use normal style and direct formatting throughout your document and then open DocMap, it will AutoFormat your document and results in the observations you describe. Word makes wrong assumptions.

There certainly was a huge improvement in Word 2003 and this is why... When we talked to the Word developers, one of the many problems we reported was your observations with using DocMap plus where it mysteriously chages Levels (particularly L2) when using Outlines. Well with a room full of seasoned Word users, we were all aghast to learn for the first time that DocMap was an AutoFormat function!!! The developers were as surprised to learn about us not knowing as we were in finding out.

We had all thought that the DocMap was simply a tool for navigating/manipulating long documents: that is what we had all being using it for. And it is great for this purpose.

But we now know the downside. Once that was understood, we have no probles with it now. You should never use normal style in a long document.

Regards: tf1

 

[fumei]

Ah...then that is it then. It is not reliable IMHO. I am not sure why they did such a sloppy job on this. I mean other than it is MS. I just can't see why, if all you have is normal style, and normal text...why it makes those "decisions" as what is a heading or not. NONE of them are headings. Oh well.

Gerry

 

[Lilliabeth]

Oh, that's why when I open old documents and look at the map, it looks great, but when I just "play around" testing the behavior of the docmap, I get a mess. Not supposed to play around.

 

[fumei]

Hi tf. Ah...that explains things.

As for me...I NEVER use normal style...ever. I never use direct formatting. Short or long documents, ALL of them use properly designed styles.

Hmmmm, I am starting to wonder if I should go to 2003.

Gerry

 

[cherishwit]

Hi,

thank you all for your insightful comments. I had NO idea about the autoformatting function.

quote from Gerry: I NEVER use normal style...ever. I never use direct formatting. Short or long documents, ALL of them use properly designed styles.

So what style do you use for body text, that for which I have been using normal?

enjoying the conversation,
cherishwit

 

[tf1]

Hi Chershwit

After years of practise (and punishment) from Word, this is how I tackle Word - especially for work.

I always commence a new template by creating a Style that I call something associated with the template name such as 'QuoteBase' style. This base style is based on NO Style and it is then used for every other style used in the template.

Because many of our work templates use the same set of styles, this base style may be identical to other template base styles, but I still use a different name because you just never know that one day a particular template may need to be different (there's no accounting for users' demands)!

Once the template is completed, I lock down the style list available (as you can with Office 2003). This approach is about the most stable that I have used. It is also favoured by the users because they get a custom Styles Toolbar that I attach down the lefthand side of the screen making it easy for them to see which styles are available and easy to apply. Along with AutoText, this makes for a very productive environment.

I do have to make a confession though: I occasionally use direct formatting. Every now and again I italicise or embolden a single word or phrase - sometimes I may even change the colour of the font in a word or phrase for emphasis. It's very lazy as I know that there are bult in emphasis character styles that I could easily adapt!

But it is easy to remove direct formatting with Ctrl+spacebar and/or Ctrl+Q.


Regards: tf1

 

[fumei]

Essentially, the same idea as tf has expressed. The naming is of course up to the person creating the template. What ever naming you use..BE CONSISTENT.

Main body text style is named: MainBody
Main body text - indent 1.5": MainBodyInd15
HeaderDocTitle, HeaderChapTitle

and on and on. It takes a little getting used to, and it does take some thought.

Once you seriously use styles a few of things become very apparent.

1. Once set up, using styles makes things SO much easier. You can forget about format (mostly). Things like spacing between paragraphs, spacing within tables, indents and on and on...are handled. I have most of mine with keyboard shortcuts. So I just write and ignore all format, then zoom along the document hitting keyboard shortcuts to format. A style toolbar is also handy.

2. People do a LOT of manual formatting! For the most part, it is NOT consistent. I can not think of the number of documents I have seen with different format for the same type of text. Headings formatted differently in different parts of the document; bullet lists formatted differently in different parts of the document. I believe this is unprofessional. Properly designed styles that are USED prevent any of this.

3. The use of styles greatly enhances the ability to do more sophisticated document processing using VBA.

When first using styles seriously there is a tendency to make gobs and gobs of them. It is true, for some jobs you DO need gobs. Over time though, at least for me, my documents have become leaner.

However, document - especially technical document - design is another HUGE topic!

The key point is to start from a template. Make a basic, clean, style, and then build on that one.

Gerry