Forum Discussion
Using Styles, specifically Normal (default)
Jim_Bond When modifying a style, if you want the modifications to apply to other, new documents, you need to check the box for "New documents based on this template" before clicking on OK to dismiss the Modify Style dialog.
If you do not do that, if the document was saved after you modified the style, the modifications should appear in a copy of the document, unless in the Templates and Add-ins dialog you have a check mark in the box for "Automatically update document styles"
That box should NOT be checked.
Have to say there are still problems with the default style, which will not update in the original document when modified, but I think I have discovered a very basic workaround.
Again, sincere thanks.
By "default style," are you referring to the Normal style? Note that style inheritance only works for settings that have NOT been explicitly modified in the "child" style. For example, if a style called S is based on the Normal style and you then modify the font name of S, the font name will no longer respond to later changes of the style name in Normal.
In addition, if you find that text in the document is not consistent with the applied style, you can revert the selection to the settings of the underlying style by pressing Ctrl+SpaceBar (reverts character settings, such as font name, size, attributes) and by pressing Ctrl+Q (reverts paragraph settings, such as indentation and line spacing).
- Thank you for responding, I appreciate your help although really don't understand the first paragraph (which is surely more an indication of me and my general grasp of Word).
However, I do find I am able to work with Styles providing the default (ie the Normal style that is active on opening a document) is ignored and all text / headings / titles etc are given seperate and obviously individual styles. Try as I might, atempts to modyfy this base/default style fail.I assumed (probably incorrectly) that you were referring to style inheritance. The "Style based on" setting in the Modify Style dialog box determines which style is the basis for a given style. For example, in the screen shot below, the Modify Style dialog box indicates that Heading 1 is based on Normal.
You mentioned defaults. What do you mean by that? How do you expect the defaults to work? Different programs may have different mechanisms for applying default settings...
In Word, each paragraph style defines default settings (font name, font size, attributes, line spacing, indentation, etc.). Those settings are applied to text when you apply the style.
The initial appearance of a new document is determined by settings defined in whatever style is applied to text in the underlying document template.
- Thanks for persisting with this and apologies if I have not been clear; I must confess to having a block when it comes to ‘Wordspeak’.
To fully explain the “Modify Default Style” problem; I have been a full time writer for many years, originally delivering typed m.s. by post! I fully accept Word documents are far superior (and publishers now require e.mailed submissions). However, though I appreciate many of the features, I still tend to work with limited enhancements.
One would be to distinguish Chapter and other headings, which is easily achieved by adding a style, which can then be modified. However, on completing a m.s., if I wish to change the default / Normal style, which was present on starting the docukent, and used for my body text, any modifications to not “take”. (In modifying I am right clicking on the squared out style on the top ribbon then clicking on Modify, making the appropriate changes, and clicking ‘okay’.) Whatever changes I introduce, being they to the first screen, or later Format options, there is no change to the document.
The workaround that I have (recently) derived is to copy the entire document and put it all into another style and treat that as my base for text. Then click on Chapters / Author Notes and anything else that I would like to be highlighted / different and put that in a Heading style. That way I can modify the newly created inner text style if need be.
It works, but seems a long winded way to go about things (and I’m sure would not be approved of by those with more Word knowledge). It would be so much simpler to be able to modify the basic “Normal” style that comes as a default when starting a document.
Again, thanks for your help and sincere apologies if I am missing something obvious.