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ashrae-editor
ashrae-editor
Known Participant
August 13, 2015
Question

Importing a Word File Overwrites Pre-existing Framemaker Styles?

  • August 13, 2015
  • 1 reply
  • 1038 views

When I import a Word file into Framemaker, the Word styles now appear to be automatically added to my paragraph styles list. Is there a way to override this behavior? Otherwise I end up with a bunch of unwanted Word styles cluttering up my Paragraph Catalog.

Thanks and regards.

JMW

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    1 reply

    F
    FieryPantone
    Legend
    August 14, 2015

    In FM10, so probably also in later versions, the paragraph catalogue pod has an [Options] button. This brings up the very useful Set available formats dialogue, where Delete all unused formats will help tidy your polluted file. (at least as far as styles goes; not colour definitions …) Alternatively, you can ruthlessly delete all and every format (starting from the catalogue) and then use File > Utilities > Create and apply formats; the risk here is you'll end up with spurious not-quite-duplicates you still have to tidy up by hand.

    Personally, I would never, ever let a Word source file anywhere near my FM files. copy/paste as plain text and reapply formatting afterwards if it's a small document, save as .txt and add MML tagging if it's larger. I prefer spending time cleaning up before import than spending it cleaning up after the event.

    ashrae-editor
    ashrae-editorAuthor
    Known Participant
    August 14, 2015

    Thanks for the reply.

    We're a technical publisher. Our documents contain a large number of formats and objects (figures, tables, equations). We import author docs into carefully prepared unstructured templates and then go through applying styles from top to bottom. My concern is not having a bunch of superfluous styles automatically imported into my catalog, cluttering up the list and making applying my own styles more difficult. Hiding or deleting unapplied styles doesn't help because the styles I wish to use initially count as unapplied styles.

    Copying and pasting a 20 page formatted Word file into the Frame document crashes Framemaker, and removing all formats from the Word document before copying and pasting makes it more difficult to distinguish the elements of the document in order to correctly apply styles.

    Basically, this new change makes everything I do more difficult. There's no reason for Adobe not to make importing Word styles optional. This is a massive letdown for an otherwise excellent iteration of the software.

    Arnis Gubins
    Arnis Gubins
    Inspiring
    August 14, 2015

    FM import model for styles is additive. If the style name exists, then it replaces that style. However, if the style doesn't exist in the current document, then FM adds that style to the catalog. If a particular style is superfluous and not used, then remove it from the Word template/files before you import (i.e. clean up your Word templates).

    Recent versions of FM can also delete unused styles in a document (options are on the Paragraph/Character list windows).

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