Master and Sub collation and other things

Hi there,

I sent this query to microsoft a week ago but haven't
heard anything, so I thought I'd try you guys out as I've
found your site helpful in the past.
================================================== ========
I have been working on a solution for a business process
for a couple of months. The process is quite complex in
that it:

1. takes data from spreadsheet
2. stores the spreadsheet data in a SQL database
3. produces reports in word based on that data
4. collates these reports with other word reports to
produce approx 100 (different) reports based on this
information.

I have written an application in VB6 which automates
Excel, Word and accesses the SQL database. The problem is
with the final part (4), the collation is using master and
sub documents - and I know the [your]recommendations are
not to use this feature, but I don't know of any other way
to provide a solution. I think that because the master and
sub documents are not based on a common template and have
a mixture of styles etc, when the collation is complete
there are lots of blank pages and different paper sizes
etc. My question is that if I were to create a 'global'
template with all the required styles in it, which is
protected and has 'automatically update styles' disabled
would this allow me to control collation, pagination,
table of contents, paper sizes and orientation, and
printing? If this is the right way to go would I be able
to print different sections of the report to different
printers (e.g. colour printers) during the printing of an
entire report whilst maintaining page numbering?

Furthermore, would a progression of the solution be to
ship all the VB6 code into the global Word template and
use a customised version of Word with new menus etc to
automate Excel and access the database hence controlling
the business process from Word rather than VB6 forms?
================================================== =======
I have since been investigating the problem and think that
maybe the best way to go is split my application so that
my VB app handles the data (SQL) and Excel side of things
and leave Word to deal with the viewing, editing,
printing, and collating processes. Anyhow the main problem
is to get a decent global template together so that the
collation works (master and sub). If I am taking the wrong
direction please tell me which path leads to the correct
solution :-)

I look forward to any responses and please ask if you
require any furhter information.

Best Regards
Nige Hamilton

Hi Nige,

Its not entirely clear what process you are including in "collating these
reports with other word reports". I guess you mean grouping a set of files
into a single printed document, and adding a consolidated table of contents.
If so, you might be interested in this article.

Creating a Table of Contents Spanning Multiple Documents
http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/P...cle.asp?ID=148


If this isn't what you are after, could you explain in a bit more detail
what goes into stage 4 of your process?


--
Regards
Jonathan West - Word MVP
http://www.multilinker.com
Please reply to the newsgroup


"nige hamilton" wrote in message
...
Hi there,

I sent this query to microsoft a week ago but haven't
heard anything, so I thought I'd try you guys out as I've
found your site helpful in the past.
================================================== ========
I have been working on a solution for a business process
for a couple of months. The process is quite complex in
that it:

1. takes data from spreadsheet
2. stores the spreadsheet data in a SQL database
3. produces reports in word based on that data
4. collates these reports with other word reports to
produce approx 100 (different) reports based on this
information.

I have written an application in VB6 which automates
Excel, Word and accesses the SQL database. The problem is
with the final part (4), the collation is using master and
sub documents - and I know the [your]recommendations are
not to use this feature, but I don't know of any other way
to provide a solution. I think that because the master and
sub documents are not based on a common template and have
a mixture of styles etc, when the collation is complete
there are lots of blank pages and different paper sizes
etc. My question is that if I were to create a 'global'
template with all the required styles in it, which is
protected and has 'automatically update styles' disabled
would this allow me to control collation, pagination,
table of contents, paper sizes and orientation, and
printing? If this is the right way to go would I be able
to print different sections of the report to different
printers (e.g. colour printers) during the printing of an
entire report whilst maintaining page numbering?

Furthermore, would a progression of the solution be to
ship all the VB6 code into the global Word template and
use a customised version of Word with new menus etc to
automate Excel and access the database hence controlling
the business process from Word rather than VB6 forms?
================================================== =======
I have since been investigating the problem and think that
maybe the best way to go is split my application so that
my VB app handles the data (SQL) and Excel side of things
and leave Word to deal with the viewing, editing,
printing, and collating processes. Anyhow the main problem
is to get a decent global template together so that the
collation works (master and sub). If I am taking the wrong
direction please tell me which path leads to the correct
solution :-)

I look forward to any responses and please ask if you
require any furhter information.

Best Regards
Nige Hamilton

Hi Jonathan,

Many thanks for your prompt reply. Your article
http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/P...PMArticle.asp?
ID=148 looks like it should help - I think I've been
taking the option #2 approach, but a blend of the
information in the article looks like it will provide an
answer. I'm in the process of creating my global template
at the moment (with all the required styles), so it might
be some time before I implement your suggestions but I'll
let you know how I get on :-)

Cheers
Nige

-----Original Message-----
Hi Nige,

Its not entirely clear what process you are including
in "collating these
reports with other word reports". I guess you mean
grouping a set of files
into a single printed document, and adding a consolidated
table of contents.
If so, you might be interested in this article.

Creating a Table of Contents Spanning Multiple Documents
http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/P...PMArticle.asp?
ID=148


If this isn't what you are after, could you explain in a
bit more detail
what goes into stage 4 of your process?


--
Regards
Jonathan West - Word MVP
http://www.multilinker.com
Please reply to the newsgroup


"nige hamilton"
wrote in message
...
Hi there,

I sent this query to microsoft a week ago but haven't
heard anything, so I thought I'd try you guys out as
I've
found your site helpful in the past.

================================================== ========
I have been working on a solution for a business process
for a couple of months. The process is quite complex in
that it:

1. takes data from spreadsheet
2. stores the spreadsheet data in a SQL database
3. produces reports in word based on that data
4. collates these reports with other word reports to
produce approx 100 (different) reports based on this
information.

I have written an application in VB6 which automates
Excel, Word and accesses the SQL database. The problem
is
with the final part (4), the collation is using master
and
sub documents - and I know the [your]recommendations are
not to use this feature, but I don't know of any other
way
to provide a solution. I think that because the master
and
sub documents are not based on a common template and
have
a mixture of styles etc, when the collation is complete
there are lots of blank pages and different paper sizes
etc. My question is that if I were to create a 'global'
template with all the required styles in it, which is
protected and has 'automatically update styles' disabled
would this allow me to control collation, pagination,
table of contents, paper sizes and orientation, and
printing? If this is the right way to go would I be able
to print different sections of the report to different
printers (e.g. colour printers) during the printing of
an
entire report whilst maintaining page numbering?

Furthermore, would a progression of the solution be to
ship all the VB6 code into the global Word template and
use a customised version of Word with new menus etc to
automate Excel and access the database hence controlling
the business process from Word rather than VB6 forms?

================================================== =======
I have since been investigating the problem and think
that
maybe the best way to go is split my application so that
my VB app handles the data (SQL) and Excel side of
things
and leave Word to deal with the viewing, editing,
printing, and collating processes. Anyhow the main
problem
is to get a decent global template together so that the
collation works (master and sub). If I am taking the
wrong
direction please tell me which path leads to the correct
solution :-)

I look forward to any responses and please ask if you
require any furhter information.

Best Regards
Nige Hamilton



.

Hi Jonathan,

Progressing well with the RD fields - and strange beasts
they are! Several gotchas regarding show/hide paragraph
marks and the handling of the quotes and \f switch. Anyhow
it looks like it will solve my printing, pagination and
TOC problems - I'm now applying it programmatically
through VB along with your handy macro(s).

However, is there any way of viewing or saving an entire,
collated document (electronically) - as defined by the
TOC? This is necessary as I have to 'archive' each
finished report (preferably in pdf format).

Best regards
Nige Hamilton

-----Original Message-----
Hi Jonathan,

Many thanks for your prompt reply. Your article
http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/P...PMArticle.asp?
ID=148 looks like it should help - I think I've been
taking the option #2 approach, but a blend of the
information in the article looks like it will provide an
answer. I'm in the process of creating my global template
at the moment (with all the required styles), so it might
be some time before I implement your suggestions but I'll
let you know how I get on :-)

Cheers
Nige

-----Original Message-----
Hi Nige,

Its not entirely clear what process you are including
in "collating these
reports with other word reports". I guess you mean
grouping a set of files
into a single printed document, and adding a
consolidated
table of contents.
If so, you might be interested in this article.

Creating a Table of Contents Spanning Multiple Documents
http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/P...LPMArticle.asp
?
ID=148


If this isn't what you are after, could you explain in a
bit more detail
what goes into stage 4 of your process?


--
Regards
Jonathan West - Word MVP
http://www.multilinker.com
Please reply to the newsgroup


"nige hamilton"
wrote in message
...
Hi there,

I sent this query to microsoft a week ago but haven't
heard anything, so I thought I'd try you guys out as
I've
found your site helpful in the past.

================================================= =========
I have been working on a solution for a business
process
for a couple of months. The process is quite complex in
that it:

1. takes data from spreadsheet
2. stores the spreadsheet data in a SQL database
3. produces reports in word based on that data
4. collates these reports with other word reports to
produce approx 100 (different) reports based on this
information.

I have written an application in VB6 which automates
Excel, Word and accesses the SQL database. The problem
is
with the final part (4), the collation is using master
and
sub documents - and I know the [your]recommendations
are
not to use this feature, but I don't know of any other
way
to provide a solution. I think that because the master
and
sub documents are not based on a common template and
have
a mixture of styles etc, when the collation is complete
there are lots of blank pages and different paper sizes
etc. My question is that if I were to create a 'global'
template with all the required styles in it, which is
protected and has 'automatically update styles'
disabled
would this allow me to control collation, pagination,
table of contents, paper sizes and orientation, and
printing? If this is the right way to go would I be
able
to print different sections of the report to different
printers (e.g. colour printers) during the printing of
an
entire report whilst maintaining page numbering?

Furthermore, would a progression of the solution be to
ship all the VB6 code into the global Word template and
use a customised version of Word with new menus etc to
automate Excel and access the database hence
controlling
the business process from Word rather than VB6 forms?

================================================= ========
I have since been investigating the problem and think
that
maybe the best way to go is split my application so
that
my VB app handles the data (SQL) and Excel side of
things
and leave Word to deal with the viewing, editing,
printing, and collating processes. Anyhow the main
problem
is to get a decent global template together so that the
collation works (master and sub). If I am taking the
wrong
direction please tell me which path leads to the
correct
solution :-)

I look forward to any responses and please ask if you
require any furhter information.

Best Regards
Nige Hamilton



.

.

Print it as a .pdf file.
--

Charles Kenyon

Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word

Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of
Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide

See also the MVP FAQ: http://www.mvps.org/word which is awesome!
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn
from my ignorance and your wisdom.

"nige hamilton" wrote in message
...
Hi Jonathan,

Progressing well with the RD fields - and strange beasts
they are! Several gotchas regarding show/hide paragraph
marks and the handling of the quotes and \f switch. Anyhow
it looks like it will solve my printing, pagination and
TOC problems - I'm now applying it programmatically
through VB along with your handy macro(s).

However, is there any way of viewing or saving an entire,
collated document (electronically) - as defined by the
TOC? This is necessary as I have to 'archive' each
finished report (preferably in pdf format).

Best regards
Nige Hamilton

-----Original Message-----
Hi Jonathan,

Many thanks for your prompt reply. Your article
http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/P...PMArticle.asp?
ID=148 looks like it should help - I think I've been
taking the option #2 approach, but a blend of the
information in the article looks like it will provide an
answer. I'm in the process of creating my global template
at the moment (with all the required styles), so it might
be some time before I implement your suggestions but I'll
let you know how I get on :-)

Cheers
Nige

-----Original Message-----
Hi Nige,

Its not entirely clear what process you are including
in "collating these
reports with other word reports". I guess you mean
grouping a set of files
into a single printed document, and adding a
consolidated
table of contents.
If so, you might be interested in this article.

Creating a Table of Contents Spanning Multiple Documents
http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/P...LPMArticle.asp
?
ID=148


If this isn't what you are after, could you explain in a
bit more detail
what goes into stage 4 of your process?


--
Regards
Jonathan West - Word MVP
http://www.multilinker.com
Please reply to the newsgroup


"nige hamilton"
wrote in message
...
Hi there,

I sent this query to microsoft a week ago but haven't
heard anything, so I thought I'd try you guys out as
I've
found your site helpful in the past.

================================================= =========
I have been working on a solution for a business
process
for a couple of months. The process is quite complex in
that it:

1. takes data from spreadsheet
2. stores the spreadsheet data in a SQL database
3. produces reports in word based on that data
4. collates these reports with other word reports to
produce approx 100 (different) reports based on this
information.

I have written an application in VB6 which automates
Excel, Word and accesses the SQL database. The problem
is
with the final part (4), the collation is using master
and
sub documents - and I know the [your]recommendations
are
not to use this feature, but I don't know of any other
way
to provide a solution. I think that because the master
and
sub documents are not based on a common template and
have
a mixture of styles etc, when the collation is complete
there are lots of blank pages and different paper sizes
etc. My question is that if I were to create a 'global'
template with all the required styles in it, which is
protected and has 'automatically update styles'
disabled
would this allow me to control collation, pagination,
table of contents, paper sizes and orientation, and
printing? If this is the right way to go would I be
able
to print different sections of the report to different
printers (e.g. colour printers) during the printing of
an
entire report whilst maintaining page numbering?

Furthermore, would a progression of the solution be to
ship all the VB6 code into the global Word template and
use a customised version of Word with new menus etc to
automate Excel and access the database hence
controlling
the business process from Word rather than VB6 forms?

================================================= ========
I have since been investigating the problem and think
that
maybe the best way to go is split my application so
that
my VB app handles the data (SQL) and Excel side of
things
and leave Word to deal with the viewing, editing,
printing, and collating processes. Anyhow the main
problem
is to get a decent global template together so that the
collation works (master and sub). If I am taking the
wrong
direction please tell me which path leads to the
correct
solution :-)

I look forward to any responses and please ask if you
require any furhter information.

Best Regards
Nige Hamilton



.

.

Doh!

I'll give it a shot :-) Many Thanks

(Sometimes you can't see the wood for the trees!)

-----Original Message-----
Print it as a .pdf file.
--

Charles Kenyon

Word New User FAQ & Web Directory:
http://addbalance.com/word

Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented
version of
Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide)
http://addbalance.com/usersguide

See also the MVP FAQ: http://www.mvps.org/word which is
awesome!
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -------
--
This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn
from my ignorance and your wisdom.

"nige hamilton"
wrote in message
...
Hi Jonathan,

Progressing well with the RD fields - and strange beasts
they are! Several gotchas regarding show/hide paragraph
marks and the handling of the quotes and \f switch.
Anyhow
it looks like it will solve my printing, pagination and
TOC problems - I'm now applying it programmatically
through VB along with your handy macro(s).

However, is there any way of viewing or saving an
entire,
collated document (electronically) - as defined by the
TOC? This is necessary as I have to 'archive' each
finished report (preferably in pdf format).

Best regards
Nige Hamilton

-----Original Message-----
Hi Jonathan,

Many thanks for your prompt reply. Your article

http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/P...PMArticle.asp?
ID=148 looks like it should help - I think I've been
taking the option #2 approach, but a blend of the
information in the article looks like it will provide
an
answer. I'm in the process of creating my global
template
at the moment (with all the required styles), so it
might
be some time before I implement your suggestions but
I'll
let you know how I get on :-)

Cheers
Nige

-----Original Message-----
Hi Nige,

Its not entirely clear what process you are including
in "collating these
reports with other word reports". I guess you mean
grouping a set of files
into a single printed document, and adding a
consolidated
table of contents.
If so, you might be interested in this article.

Creating a Table of Contents Spanning Multiple
Documents

http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/P...LPMArticle.asp
?
ID=148


If this isn't what you are after, could you explain
in a
bit more detail
what goes into stage 4 of your process?


--
Regards
Jonathan West - Word MVP
http://www.multilinker.com
Please reply to the newsgroup


"nige hamilton"

wrote in message
...
Hi there,

I sent this query to microsoft a week ago but
haven't
heard anything, so I thought I'd try you guys out as
I've
found your site helpful in the past.


================================================= =========
I have been working on a solution for a business
process
for a couple of months. The process is quite
complex in
that it:

1. takes data from spreadsheet
2. stores the spreadsheet data in a SQL database
3. produces reports in word based on that data
4. collates these reports with other word reports to
produce approx 100 (different) reports based on this
information.

I have written an application in VB6 which automates
Excel, Word and accesses the SQL database. The
problem
is
with the final part (4), the collation is using
master
and
sub documents - and I know the [your]recommendations
are
not to use this feature, but I don't know of any
other
way
to provide a solution. I think that because the
master
and
sub documents are not based on a common template and
have
a mixture of styles etc, when the collation is
complete
there are lots of blank pages and different paper
sizes
etc. My question is that if I were to create
a 'global'
template with all the required styles in it, which
is
protected and has 'automatically update styles'
disabled
would this allow me to control collation,
pagination,
table of contents, paper sizes and orientation, and
printing? If this is the right way to go would I be
able
to print different sections of the report to
different
printers (e.g. colour printers) during the printing
of
an
entire report whilst maintaining page numbering?

Furthermore, would a progression of the solution be
to
ship all the VB6 code into the global Word template
and
use a customised version of Word with new menus etc
to
automate Excel and access the database hence
controlling
the business process from Word rather than VB6
forms?


================================================= ========
I have since been investigating the problem and
think
that
maybe the best way to go is split my application so
that
my VB app handles the data (SQL) and Excel side of
things
and leave Word to deal with the viewing, editing,
printing, and collating processes. Anyhow the main
problem
is to get a decent global template together so that
the
collation works (master and sub). If I am taking the
wrong
direction please tell me which path leads to the
correct
solution :-)

I look forward to any responses and please ask if
you
require any furhter information.

Best Regards
Nige Hamilton



.

.



.