Add to Write - append a file

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Dave Gehman
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Add to Write - append a file

Unread post by Dave Gehman »

Just used the RTF import available on the Project tab (File > Load topic from file) for the first time and found that I couldn't append it to existing text in a topic. It wasn't a big deal, because I could cut the old material and paste it into my favorite RTF editor, Jarte, then bring it back to the newly overwritten topic.

Still, it would be nice to be able to append RTF (and the other options: XML, HTML, text and so on) rather than having to overwrite text that's already in a topic.

(Kudos on the graphics handling for the RTF import, especially the ability to convert and save the graphics in the project's IMAGE folder rather than bulk up the XML with embedded graphics code.)
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Tim Green
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Re: Add to Write - append a file

Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi Dave,

Instead of loading the RTF into an existing topic, try using the Import option in the File menu. That will load it into a new topic, or even multiple new topics if it contains Heading 1 ... Heading 6 heading styles. :)
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Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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Dave Gehman
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Re: Add to Write - append a file

Unread post by Dave Gehman »

Tim Green wrote:Instead of loading the RTF into an existing topic, try using the Import option in the File menu.
I looked at that File menu option, but stepped back after reading:
This option creates a new project...
Since I wanted to add to an existing project and didn't want a new one, I decided it wouldn't be the right thing... can it be used to append to an existing project?
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Tim Green
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Re: Add to Write - append a file

Unread post by Tim Green »

I looked at that File menu option, but stepped back after reading:
That's an old text error that's never been noticed, but will be corrected now. Ignore it. If you have a project open and selected using Import in the File menu will add to the current project. 8)
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Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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Dave Gehman
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Re: Add to Write - append a file

Unread post by Dave Gehman »

There we have it - problem solved.

Just not my personal problem: noticing things others don't and NOT noticing things everyone else sees...
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Tim Green
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Re: Add to Write - append a file

Unread post by Tim Green »

Dave Gehman wrote:Just not my personal problem: noticing things others don't and NOT noticing things everyone else sees...
Not just your personal problem: I've been looking at that damned dialog and explaining how to use it for years and I never noticed it. :oops:
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Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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Dave Gehman
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Re: Add to Write - append a file

Unread post by Dave Gehman »

Meanwhile....

I'm not getting what I want with the File > Import option. The import creates an entirely new topic - and it up and creates child topics for each subhead -- which is very useful, had I been trying to create a new topic and children under it. (And,yes, I understand that this is how it is designed to behave.)

However, what I want is a different sort of importation: to append formatted text to an existing topic. That topic already has some text in it. The RTF file that I'm bringing in contains goodies that I want to add. Most likely it will have subheads, and I don't want grandchildren topics to be created.

In desperation, I tried this: in the Word document (DOCX) containing the text and tables (but no graphics) I want to append, I select all > copy. Then I just paste into the H+M topic. I have to go into H+M and assign styles to the text, but that's minor.

No far, nothing dire is occurring when I do this, though I know that Word programmers have blithely gone where no man has gone before, at least as far as pristine XML is concerned.
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Tim Green
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Re: Add to Write - append a file

Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi Dave,

Pasting directly from Word is fully supported probably the best way to achieve what you want here. All the importing options are more designed for getting in structured topics. 8)
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Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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