Favorite MS Word Features
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At the job, I’m a dedicated MS Word user* and I’ve come to rely on and, even enjoy some of it’s features, such as document map and split screen. The Document map displays a navigable document heirarchy in a pane. The split screen divides the page in two and lets you view two locations in the document at the same time. Definitely a nice feature when I have to write software specs, test scripts, and standardized processes.
When I get home and need to do some serious work, like write a book, I use OpenOffice.org. The only nuance is that OOo Writer doesn’t have compatible features for the document map and split screen. It’s not enough to make me switch, but these are the things you think about when you need to navigate a thirty page chapter looking for the phrase you used five pages ago.
* I slipped in two presentations using OOo the other day, and no one was the wiser.
Hello, I discovered the use of document map few days ago and I liked it. But the next time I used it, the map showed only my last chapter, the one that I was working on when I first opened the map. How come? I already added more chapters but they didn’t show on the map? Kid of defeated the purpose of good navigational support, don’t it?
07 Feb 2008 at 2:35 am
Hi Tierney,
The document uses styles in your document to create the navigation. If you use the styles title, subtitle, H1 through H9, then your headings should display on the map.
The other obvious thing with Word’s document map is that if you switch the view in Word, the document map won’t display. You need to select it again.
Beyond that, I’ve never had too many problems with feature. YMMV.
Mike
08 Feb 2008 at 9:29 am