Header text mysteriously changing

[cstallins]

(We use Word 2003 SP2. All files live on a shared server that we access through our WinXP laptops and company network.)

To facilitate speedy document creation we created a template called Lab_Modules.dot. At the top-right corner of that template's header is the italicized place-holder text Exercise Name, which we manually change to match the title of each document we create with that template. We have created dozens of two-to-five-page files with this template, and on each page of every file we have carefully replaced the dummy header text Exercise Name with that file's actual title.

After we Insert as Link several of these files to create our finished lab document, we notice that the headers in a few (but never all) of the sub-documents we inserted as link have lost their title name and that the dummy text Exercise Name has mysteriously returned. Because we have dozens of these short sub-files, and we typically string together ten to fifteen of them (using Insert as Link) to create our library of finished lab documents, we are puzzled by the seeming randomness of this behavior - it does not appear to be restricted to a select few sub-files. Can you tell us how/why our dummy header text is returning and how we might fix the problem?

Thank you for your valuable time,
Curtis

 

[kampspropane]

I would try to delete the template and re-create it.

See it, Learn it, Do it, TEACH IT!!

 

[fumei]

At the top-right corner of that template's header is the italicized place-holder text Exercise Name, which we manually change to match the title of each document we create with that template."

You may want to consider using a field. Is the title set as a real document Title? Is there a real document Title (ie. a document property)? It does not sound like it, as you mention manually changing things. If not, you should.

Also, how, exactly, are you bringing the separate documents together? If the title is the document Title, then you may want to change the field value to text.

There are quite a number of possible solutions to this. Hard to say which is best without knowing more details.

You could use a closing macro for each document to put the title as text into the header. This would eliminate updating fields, and possibly changing the values to text.

You could have that closing macro insist on actually setting the Document Title. Not just text on your title page (if any) but the actual document property.

You could use an incoming macro for building from this documents that does stuff.

We have created dozens of two-to-five-page files with this template, and on each page of every file we have carefully replaced the dummy header text Exercise Name with that file's actual title.

EACH page???? Why each page? I don't understand that.

I must admit that most of my templates start off with demanding to know the new document Title. This does NOT have to be the actual text of the title on the page. That can be different (but often IS the same) as the document Property - Title.

As for your actual described problem, more details are needed. For example, we dod not know if you are using the same template to start a new document, and bring in the other files as Link. OR, are you using a different template. OR, maybe even normal.

faq219-2884

Gerry
My paintings and sculpture

 

[cstallins]

kampspropane, my manager is considering doing just that - rebuilding the templates. Thank you for pressuring her ;-)

fumei, my replies to your comments:

You may want to consider using a field. Is the title set as a real document Title? Is there a real document Title (ie. a document property)? It does not sound like it, as you mention manually changing things. If not, you should."

My manager has considered fields in the past...

Also, how, exactly, are you bringing the separate documents together? If the title is the document Title, then you may want to change the field value to text.

I'm not sure what you mean by If the title is the document Title, then you may want to change the field value to text. What does "change the field value to text" mean? The documents are brought together through Insert > File > Insert as Link. Also my manager tells me that she has never entered the document titles in File > Properties > Title. Do you think doing so may help prevent some of our files' header text from reverting to that of the master template?

I am not familiar with implementing macros, so your closing and incoming macro suggestion will have to wait till we exhaust other avenues.

EACH page???? Why each page? I don't understand that.

I misspoke - we do not manually change the dummy header text on every page of our file - only the first page. My manager says that the section break(s) automatically (or are *supposed* to automatically) make sure that each page of that section reflects the same header text after we Insert as File into our lab book (main file).

As for your actual described problem, more details are needed. For example, we do not know if you are using the same template to start a new document, and bring in the other files as Link. OR, are you using a different template. OR, maybe even normal.

We use the same template to create all of our several dozen files. That template has some dummy text in the header. The rest you know...

Thank you all so much for your time.
Curtis