Robert, thankyou for your reply.
From you remarks I take it that I need to make a "Memoir.dot" not formed at
all on the Normal.dot and setup styles within the template then reformat all
the existing files (I would strip and import), and NOT fiddle with the
separate files as they are. If Publisher is the way to go, then I assume I
should output the files as a PDF, otherwise if the advise is to stick with
Word then I would simply produce a large Doc file, supposedly using Outline.

I await further advice
David


"Robert M. Franz [RMF]" wrote in message
...
Hello David

David wrote:
I am about to try and put together a longish file of family memoirs. At
present I have quite a number of separate files of "Glimpses". So I am
now plagued on how to put it all together along with a number of small
pics.
I had always thought the way to go was with a "Master file" in Word 2003.
but if I read rightly a number are saying they are trouble, it seems that
an OUTline file with linking to all the various sub heads is the way to
go. Another site says to use publisher. I usually avail myself of Pub's
delight with my Christmas letters, but would it be better for me with my
"Coffee Table Book?"

what do you intend to do (in Word or Publisher) with the new file: are you
looking for a way to "publish" all the bits in one work (paper, PDF, ...)
with common styles, headers, TOC, etc.? Do you plan on doing a lot of
reformatting of the individual parts, either in their own file or in the
new big one?


One other thing if I may, a question regarding my Word's Normal.Dot
template.
I run XP 2003 and XP pro OS
I have "tinkered with my normal DOT template file for many years, it is
now
bloated to nearly 400K, also I think some of my tinkering is far from
excellent. I am about to set up a largish set of "Memoir" files and have
a
number of style changes in mind. The question is, Do I wipe out the
existing normal template and start completely fresh or do I create a
complete set of styles maybe not based on Body text, etc, ??

First of all: your Normal.dot file should be of (mostly) no import
concerning your memoir files. Whatever these are, the IMHO proper way to
proceed is to create a dedicated template (memoir.dot) and set that up
(with styles, but also with relevant section properties) needed for this
special type of document. Then create new files from this template, and
use these to create (or copy into and maybe restyle, if the content
already exists) your new memoirs.

HTH
Robert
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