WD2000: New Style or Changes Are Unavailable in the Master Document or Subdocument (211261)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Word 2000
This article was previously published under Q211261

SYMPTOMS

When you create a new style or change an existing style, the new style or your changes to the existing style may not be available to either the master document or the subdocument.

Case 1: Style Changes Not Available in Subdocument

This behavior may occur if you create a new style or change an existing style in a master document, and then open the subdocument outside of the master document (or within it).

Case 2: Style Changes Not Available in Master Document

This behavior may occur if you open a subdocument outside of the master document (or within it), create a new style or change an existing style in the subdocument, and then open the subdocument in the master document.

CAUSE

When you create a document based on the Normal template (Normal.dot), Word creates the document as a "snapshot" of the template at that moment in time.

Subsequent changes to the Normal template are not reflected (updated) in existing documents previously created from it; however, these changes will be reflected in any new documents based on the Normal template.

WORKAROUND

Use a Custom Template

To work around this behavior, create or change your styles in a custom template, and then base both your master document and all subdocuments on your custom template.

To allow your custom styles to update automatically, click to select the Automatically update document styles check box in both the master document and each subdocument. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Open the master document or subdocument.
  2. On the Tools menu, click Templates and Add-Ins.
  3. Click to select the Automatically update document styles check box, and then click OK.
  4. Repeat steps 1 through 3 for each master document and subdocument.
When the Automatically update document styles check box is selected, any changes you make to an existing style in either the master document or subdocument are automatically made to (and available in) each document where the style is applied.

For more information about creating a custom template, click Microsoft Help on the Help menu, type template in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topics returned.

Workaround for Normal Template

If you created your master document or subdocuments using the Normal template, use any of the following methods to work around the behavior of the Normal template.

Method 1

Create your new style (or change the existing style) in both the master document and each of the subdocuments.

For more information about how to create a new style, click Microsoft Help on the Help menu, type modify a style in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topics returned.

Method 2

After you open your master document and expand each of your subdocuments, use the Format Painter to copy a style from the master document to a subdocument, or from a subdocument to the master document.

For more information about using the Format Painter, click Microsoft Help on the Help menu, type use format painter in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topics returned.

Method 3

Use the Organizer to copy your new or changed styles to each of your subdocuments or to your master document.

For more information about how to copy styles between documents, click Microsoft Help on the Help menu, type copy styles, autotext entries, toolbars, or macros in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topics returned.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about master documents and subdocuments, click Microsoft Word Help on the Help menu, type master documents in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topics returned.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:12/6/2000
Keywords:kbprb kbtemplate KB211261
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