Word template with specific print Macros (setting up on mac word 2011)

Question

We are being asked to set up a 4page A5 template in Microsoft Word but we need functionality adding for Word Macros to add new pages according to print parameters, i.e. the A5 4pg would need to be able to add sets of four pages at a time and paginate automatically into printers pairs, and it would also need macros to format tables, add colour, maintain agreed fonts etc. etc.

My question is as it will need to be printed as a4 folded in half like a booklet, there are macros for printing odd pages then flipping the paper over and printing the even pages but is it possible to add pages in printers pairs using macros in this way and print without having to turn over and put the paper back into the printer?  

Thanks for any help

Answer 1

The most important piece of help I can give you is "Don't try this with Mac Word macros!" Some critical functions you will need are missing from Mac Word VBA.  The most important of which is that you cannot control "printing" using VBA (not to the level you would need to).

So first you need to "de-construct" the assignment, and do the bits that Word is not good at in something else.

Tables are no problem for Word: investigate Table Styles.  By creating a table style you can format at table exactly and perfectly in a single click. Borders, fonts, colours: all done.  You will need to apply "Heading Row Repeat" manually, they left that out of table styles for some massively incomprehensible reason.  Hint: for a Table Style to work correctly, the paragraph style of all the text in the table must be Normal.  And no direct formatting :-)

You can make VBA to format tables, and I used to.  But now I simply use table styles: so much simpler.  VBA does not handle row and column straddles well: table styles cope perfectly.  Or you can use AutoText to store a pre-formatted table in the document template. But table styles are so much easier, once you get the hang of them.

Colours and agreed fonts: Use paragraph styles.  Persuade your user that if the style name is correct, the formatting is correct.  And if they fiddle with the formatting, or don't use the correct styles, you WILL break their fingers :-)

If you forbid direct formatting in the document, you can then instantly impose the correct formatting on the styles using the Template>Update styles command.  That instantly overwrites the styles in the document with the styles in any template you attach.

Having done that bit, you then have the imposition to do.  I strongly suggest that you consider one of these:

http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/14804/cocoabooklet

http://www.cheapimpostor.com/

http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/11693/booklightning

That's how I would approach the assignment.

Hope this helps