Q Macro

Let's face it you can write a lot of Word macros and then forget where you put them, what you called them and too often they are not quite right the next time you want to do something.
So write the macro each time. The Q macro typically finds and corrects each instance.

Q Macro logic
The macro always follows the same logic.
Use a keyboard shortcut to run a macro to perform a task (on selected text)
The macro includes a move to a next instance using "find"
It also makes whatever movements are necessary to select the exact text to perform the task (above)
To write the macro
Select the text
Tool > Macro > Record New Macro
Macro name is always the same* and keyboard shortcut is always the same Alt+Q
Perform the task (use the keyboard in preference to the mouse)
Ctrl+F to open the Find dialog
Enter the text to find
Select the exact text to perform the task (use the keyboard)
End Macro
To run the macro
Select the text and press Alt+Q to perform the task. The task will be performed and another instance will be found and selected.
If you do not want to perform the task on the selected text then press the MSWord search buttons on the scroll bar (or Ctrl+Page down) to find the next instance.
Then select the text needed for the start of the macro.

Always the Same
Always make the macro name the same - you can find it easily if I need to edit it. Alt+F8 > Q
Overwrite any old instances because each macro is in some way different from the previous macro.
Always make the keyboard shortcut the same - Alt+Q is a very easy key combination with the left hand.

Note: Some of the above information is specific to MSWord 2000
This item also appears in the xdk_hdk users group FAQ pages:
groups.google.com/group/xdk_hdk

Keep Track of Formatting

Office 2007
Something to be aware of for those of you using track changes and fussy about your formatting (and new to Word 2007)
From the Office button select Word Options then Advanced and you will see "Keep track of formatting".
For details see C Kent's page:
How to turn Keep Track of Formatting on and off

Is the information lost inside the document?

Over the years we have developed ways of extracting information from within documents.
For example the document may have information in tables with cells all over the place. This arrangment may not suit the next purpose of the information.
When you don't want to waste your time trying to extract bits and pieces of information, talk to us, or email:
Contact Bruce White

Who did what when?

Problem: What work has been done on a particular project.
Solution: Check the files created on the PC. Hopefully they were all placed in identifiable places, like their project directory.

1. Use Command Prompt (\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories) to extract the information to clipboard. Right click the [c:\] button for the menu. Type the drive letter you want, then navigate the directories using the command:
cd (then paste the rest of the directory copied from the Windows Explorer address bar).
Use cd.. to move up a level.
2. Paste into MSWord and replace the sometimes fixed widths with tabs (macro for this)
3. Select all text for table - copy & paste into Excel
4. Sort by Date and time
5. Find files with contiguous dates to identify time spent on the project.

Editing documents in MSWord?

Be sure to check the document properties, File => Properties

These can often show information that is not consistent with the content. If the information was borrowed/stolen from someone then it may also show the original author.

Document conversion problems in HDK

To find the error, (use a copy of the document) make it into two documents and see which half crashes.
Remember to put a Heading 1 at the start of the second half.

Reboot and then split that document in half until you find the problem. Also watch the compile process for clues on which topic has the problem.

Once you find the topic with the problem, go to the original document and copy the text to Notepad then back. This will clean up the code. If what you find is a table, select the table and convert it to text then back again to clean up the table.

Sometimes the problem is with an imbedded graphic, normalise the graphic in some way and then reinsert it.

Word Automatic numbering fix:

(from: Steve Hudson , HDK List MVP)
Just prior to publishing, make a copy of your document and open that copy.
Press Alt+F11 (opens the VBE), Ctrl+G (goto Immediate Window) and type

ActiveDocument.ConvertNumbersToText

This 'hard-codes' all lists in the document, numbers and bullet points.