Using one WORD document for different audiences

[ErikJan]

I have a WORD document that contains information and "more detailed" information. The first part should be available to a larger audience, the more details comments about each topic only to a smaller group.
I do think it's most easy to work with one document only.
The only way I think this can be done is to use hidden text. It's cumbersome but I believe it's workable.
The problem I have is that I share the two versions as PDF. Seems that where I can select "Hidden" in the Print options, that feature is not available in the "Export" options. And to create my PDF (/A) exported files (with ToC links embedded) I do use export. Am I missing that?

Yes, I know I can "Print to PDF" but that doesn't create PDF/A files, nor a result with embedded ToC links (the latter I'm not 100% sure about)

[ChrisGreaves]

I have a WORD document that contains information and "more detailed" information. The first part should be available to a larger audience, the more details comments about each topic only to a smaller group.

Hi ErikJan.
I think that your "PDF" is a bit of a red herring. Swimming upstream (grin) I suspect the answer should lie in the preparation of the MSWord document regardless of the target.
{INCLUDETEXT} field brings in text from other (document) files
{LINK} field brings in part of a file (OLE; I'm using Word2003)
{REF} field brinhs in bookmarked text
There may be more or better fields.

My initial thought is to surround each such field with an {IF} field in your document.
But I think too you could use an {IF} in each of the source documents.

I am not the resident { field } expert.
Cheers, Chris

[snb]

How to discriminate between 'larger audience' and 'smaller group' ?

[ErikJan]

How to discriminate between 'larger audience' and 'smaller group' ?

I can do that manually if needed.

[ErikJan]

I have a WORD document that contains information and "more detailed" information. The first part should be available to a larger audience, the more details comments about each topic only to a smaller group.

Hi ErikJan.
I think that your "PDF" is a bit of a red herring. Swimming upstream (grin) I suspect the answer should lie in the preparation of the MSWord document regardless of the target.
{INCLUDETEXT} field brings in text from other (document) files
{LINK} field brings in part of a file (OLE; I'm using Word2003)
{REF} field brinhs in bookmarked text
There may be more or better fields.

My initial thought is to surround each such field with an {IF} field in your document.
But I think too you could use an {IF} in each of the source documents.

I am not the resident { field } expert.
Cheers, Chris

Interesting thoughts, thanks.
I'd like as the 'advanced' text is an extension of the simple text, the document is best maintained as one file I think. I do see paragraphs / sections with simple text followed by more detailed paragraphs for the advanced / support group.
So I can use an {ASK} field and ask if the advanced version should be displayed or not, then I could text a variable with an {IF} field. But it seems I can't hide text like that so I guess the whole advance section should be in the {IF} field itself?
What about creating some VBA code that finds a start- and end-markers I add to the text to mark advanced sections and then hides or unhides the text between these markers.
Seems pretty straightforward. I should find out how to create a marker that is visible but that doesn't mess up formatting and would also not print.
More thoughts and suggestions?

[StuartR]

How about using a different style for the advanced text and modifying that style to be hidden

[snb]

Sample file ?

[Jay Freedman]

How about using a different style for the advanced text and modifying that style to be hidden

Exactly correct. You can install the following macro and add a button for it to the Quick Access Toolbar to toggle the advanced text off and on.

Code: Select all

Sub ToggleAdvancedText()
    Dim strStyleName As String
    strStyleName = "Advanced"  ' change this as needed
    
    With ActiveDocument.Styles(strStyleName).Font
        .Hidden = Not .Hidden
    End With
End Sub

[snb]

See attachment.

[ErikJan]

I looked at the code in the Word doc that was posted by "snb". It's confusing as it shows (or hides) the contents of a variable called "snb", but that contents is also "snb".
Using this, I should 'fill' the variable 'snb' with my advanced text and I'm not sure if I could use formatted text for that.

Jumping back to the styles approach, I need to play around with that one a bit to see if and how that might function.

In any case, thanks to both of you for the suggestions so far. Appreciated!

[ErikJan]

OK, thinking about the Style approach. I see that I do need "something" that I can use to mark sections that I want to hide or show later.
Such a 'marker' however should be just that: a marker. That would mean that when I apply a Style to mark parts of my document, that Style should NOT alter the representation of the text / paragraphs it is applied to. In my mind that would mean that the style is 'empty'.
But I see no way to do that... any suggestions?

[snb]

You can format any text within an {If } field without any restrictions.

[StuartR]

OK, thinking about the Style approach. I see that I do need "something" that I can use to mark sections that I want to hide or show later.
Such a 'marker' however should be just that: a marker. That would mean that when I apply a Style to mark parts of my document, that Style should NOT alter the representation of the text / paragraphs it is applied to. In my mind that would mean that the style is 'empty'.
But I see no way to do that... any suggestions?

You can create a character style, based on "Default Paragraph Font" and toggle the hidden status of this style with a Macro

[ErikJan]

You can create a character style, based on "Default Paragraph Font" and toggle the hidden status of this style with a Macro

But that still has a "Default Paragraph Font" defined... and as such, when I apply it, it will change fonts if they differ from that default...

[ErikJan]

You can format any text within an {If } field without any restrictions.

I'm beginning to see the benefits here now... thank you. Let me play around a bit with this thought and do some tests...

[StuartR]

But that still has a "Default Paragraph Font" defined... and as such, when I apply it, it will change fonts if they differ from that default...

"Default paragraph font" means use the default font for the current paragraph. If your text is currently in style Heading 1, then it will retain the Heading 1 font style, if it is in style Normal then it will retain the Normal font style. This might cause a problem if you are formatting text manually, but if you use styles for all your formatting then it will work well.

[snb]

As far as I can see the font 'Hidden' property only takes into effect when printing not in the UI.

[StuartR]

As far as I can see the font 'Hidden' property only takes into effect when printing not in the UI.

It works the way that I expect. If hidden text is displayed then I see it on screen but not in print, otherwise it is not visible in either. It's easy to check by toggling the Show/Hide pilcrow in the paragraph section of the ribbon.

[Charles Kenyon]

You can create a character style, based on "Default Paragraph Font" and toggle the hidden status of this style with a Macro

But that still has a "Default Paragraph Font" defined... and as such, when I apply it, it will change fonts if they differ from that default...

Have your underlying text be in a paragraph style that uses the formatting you want. Do not use direct formatting or other character styles to format this text.

[Charles Kenyon]

Also, consider using Building Blocks / Quick Parts / AutoText and Building Blocks Gallery Content Controls.
https://www.addbalance.com/usersguide/a ... entControl

If you alter the QAT, that alteration can (and should) be saved in your document or template, rather than in Word as a whole. If you use a custom building blocks gallery, you can put that gallery on the QAT as well.
https://addbalance.com/word/QATmodifica ... #PageStart
http://gregmaxey.com/word_tip_pages/bui ... eries.html