Contents

Introduction

Before You Start

Conventions

Getting Help

Index of Help Topics

Quick Tour Step-by-Step

The following topics offer a complete set of instructions for using WordSmith.  However, if you want a more concise tutorial now, click the Step-by-Step button below and on each subsequent screen.

Basics

The WordSmith Process -- Evolution

Microsoft Word Templates vs. WordSmith Functionality

What Is a Template?

Overview of the Toolbars

How to Use WordSmith

Summary of Steps

Attaching the Template

Properly Locating the Cursor

Correcting Mistakes

Developing the Document

Setting Up the Document

Viewing the Results of the Setup

Completing the Document

Tweaking

Document Elements

Tables

Text Styles

Index and Table of Contents


Before You Start

WordSmith enables you to use many of Microsoft Word’s advanced features without the study and practice normally required.  However, you should complete an introductory course in Word before reading these instructions.


Conventions

The following documentation customs are designed to improve your understanding of Help:

•	Keyboard and toolbar button commands are in bold letters, and combination commands are joined with a plus sign.

Example:	Alt+T means “press the Alt and T keys at the same time.”

•	Word main menu commands are bold and presented as they appear on the menu (with hot key letters underlined).  Sub-menu commands are separated from main menu commands by a separator ( | ).

Exercise:	File | Templates means “select File from the main menu, then select Templates from the sub-menu.”  The underlined letters allow you to make these selections without using the mouse, by pressing Alt and the underlined letter.

•	The graphics used as exhibits have “hotspots” that further explain functions.  Scan your cursor over the graphic with your mouse.  Click the mouse when the cursor becomes a finger pointer to see a pop-up explanation for the function of each toolbar button.

Example:	Click on the smiley face button:

•	There are other hotspots in the document that help you understand the material by providing timely explanations of new terms, etc.  The colored text with dotted underlines pops up more instruction, “on the spot.” when you click on it.  Try it now with these words.


Smiley Face

Have a nice day!


Getting Help

The User’s Guide is your first source for learning; it secondarily serves as a reference.  However, each WordSmith template has a customized online Help system.  Click the button on the right end of the toolbar in the exhibit below:


  WordSmith Help

Launches the Help system you are reading now.


What Is a Template?

Microsoft Word's Definition

How It Applies to You

Benefits of Using a Template


Microsoft Words Definition of a Template
  Microsoft Word’s Definition of a Template

A template is a blueprint for the text, graphics, and formatting of a document.  A template also stores styles, macros, AutoText entries, and customized Word command settings.


  How the Template Applies to You

This template is a blueprint for you to follow in formatting your document.  However, you don’t have to know anything about formatting or storing styles, macros, or AutoText to use it.

WordSmith has its own toolbars, customized to produce the formatting prescribed by the standards found in the User’s Guide manual.  Though you can use styles, macros, and AutoText independently of the toolbars, buttons do all the formatting for you.


  The Benefits of Using a Template

This approach to documentation will

•	ensure consistency

•	increase productivity

Example:

Setting up the body pages and front matter of the User’s Guide manual without WordSmith requires more than 30 actions.  Many of them demand advanced Word skills, and one of them is undocumented by Microsoft.  WordSmith reduces those 30+ steps to one.


Overview of the Toolbars

Word normally displays two toolbars by default.  They are

•	the Standard toolbar

•	the Formatting toolbar

These toolbars have buttons that allow you to perform certain functions with a mouse click.  You could use them for all your formatting.  However, using them demands a skill you might not have.

The custom toolbars included in WordSmith combine the functions of the Standard and Formatting toolbars (as well as others).  They automate the combined functions so that a number of mouse clicks and formatting selections are reduced to one button.

The custom toolbars ensure that your formatting complies with standards.  They allow you to match standards without comparing your work to a model or learning the relatively complex procedures required to produce standard formats.  They also increase your productivity.

The User’s Guide manual was formatted with the custom toolbars.  All the Chapter Titles, Topic Titles, Topic Labels, body text, tables, page layouts, headers, footers, as well as the Index and Table of Contents were formatted (and, in some cases, inserted) with one mouse click on a toolbar button.


Summary of Steps to Use WordSmith

There are six steps in using WordSmith:

1.	Launching Microsoft Word

2.	Attaching the template

3.	Saving the title of the document in the Summary Info dialog box of Word

4.	Setting up the document

5.	Launching the function toolbars

6.	Clicking buttons for the appropriate functions

FIRST DOCUMENT DEVELOPMENT STEP


Attaching WordSmiths Template
Attaching WordSmith’s Template

The first thing you have to do to make this work is launch Microsoft Word and attach the WordSmith template to your document.

Note:	These instructions apply to the WRDSMTH1.DOT template, but you might be using a different template for a document style other than Systems Manual.

Here are the steps:

Step	Action
1	From the main menu: Select File | Templates.
2	Click the Attach button.
3	Click on the File Name (WRDSMTH1.DOT for a Systems Manual) for the template you want.
4	Click OK.
5	Click an X in the checkbox for Automatically Update Document Styles.
6	Click OK.
NEXT STEP


Launching WordSmiths Main Toolbar
Launching WordSmith’s Main Toolbar

After you have attached WordSmith’s template, click the WordSmith main menu item.  The main toolbar will be displayed at the top of the document window.


Launching the Function Toolbar

The main toolbar has buttons with broad descriptions, such as Text and Tables.  It allows you to select function toolbars.

The function toolbar has buttons for specific activities, such as creating topics and inserting Step/Action tables.  The function toolbar is launched by clicking a button on the main toolbar.

Exercise:	If you want to insert an Exercise paragraph that prompts the reader to practice, click the Text button on the main toolbar and this function toolbar will be launched:


Executing Specific Toolbar Functions

When the function toolbar is displayed, you can choose the specific function you want to execute.

Example:	If you want to start a new chapter, you should click New Chapter.  The New Chapter paragraph mark will be inserted in its proper place, and the formatting will be done automatically for you.


The WordSmith Process -- Evolution

WordSmith was developed by an accomplished technical writer who began to worry that he was little more than a technical “formatter.”  The complexity of the word processing program was consuming 75% of the time, and only 25% was going toward writing meaningful text.  To turn that relationship around, the author created WordSmith.  WordSmith has enabled him and many others to produce more consistently attractive and communicative documentation in less time.

However, this system is not the answer to all the writer’s problems.  It is a significant improvement over the hoops you must jump through with most word processors to create a document.  This improvement can best be measured through the following analogy:

Scenario #1:  A class of writers with no experience in Microsoft Word is taught to produce the shell for the WordSmith User’s Guide.  WordSmith is not available to them.  It takes two days to train them to produce the title page, copyright page, set up the pages with proper headers and footers, develop the body components, and create a table of contents.  They leave the two-day class 75% proficient.

Scenario #2: A class of writers with no experience in Microsoft Word is taught to produce the shell for the WordSmith User’s Guide, using WordSmith. It takes two hours to train them to produce the title page, copyright page, set up the pages with proper headers and footers, develop the body components, and create a table of contents.  They leave the two-hour class 95% proficient.

These writers must still consider a number of points when using WordSmith:

•	the sequence in which functions are executed

•	cursor location when executing functions

•	correcting mistakes

•	executing commands not incorporated into the custom toolbars


Setting Up the Document

Start a new document by following a specific order.

The table below guides you through the proper sequence for setting up a new document:

Action		Result
From the main menu: Select File | Templates.		The Templates and Add-ins dialog box will be displayed.
Click the Attach button.		The Attach Template dialog box will be displayed.
Select the template you want, then click OK.		The Templates and Add-ins dialog box will re-appear.
Click an X in the checkbox for Automatically Update Document Styles, then click OK.		The template is attached to the document.
Select WordSmith | Toolbar from the main Word menu.		The main toolbar will be displayed at the top of the document window.
Click the Set Up button.		The Set Up toolbar will appear in the document window.
Click the Pages button.		The Summary Info Dialog box will pop up.
NEXT STEP		1. The document is now properly titled for later archiving and search purposes; the title page will reference this entry when setting up the document’s front matter. 2. Title and copyright pages will be set up. 3. The following setup, in compliance with documentation standards, will be made: • margins • paper size • header/footer layout 4. Two document sections will be established.  One will contain the title and copyright page.  The other will contain three blank pages, with the exception of a Chapter Title and Topic Title for your editing. 5. All header text will be inserted and formatted. 6. All footer text (including page numbers) will be inserted and formatted. 7. Your cursor will land on the Chapter Title, where you should edit the text.  Do not highlight the paragraph mark for the Chapter Title placeholder when editing.  Setup is complete.


Viewing the Results of the Setup

It will be helpful to view the results of the Setup.  If you click the Print Preview icon on Word’s Standard toolbar, you can see how your document would look if printed.

Use this feature often to review your progress.

NEXT STEP


Completing the Document

Take the following steps to complete the document:

Step	Action
1	Replace the “Chapter Title” text with the name of your chapter.  Do not highlight the paragraph mark for the Chapter Title placeholder when editing.
2	Enter the name of your topic in the proper location of “Topic Title.”
3	Click the Text button on the template’s main toolbar.
4	Position your cursor where you want a block of text.
5	Click the Block button on the Text toolbar.
6	Enter the Topic Label for the block.
7	Press Tab, then enter the text for the block.
8	Repeat Steps 4 - 7 until you have completed all the text for the topic.
9	Place the cursor where you want a new Topic.  Click the Topic button on the Text toolbar.  Replace the “Topic Title” text with the name of your topic.  Repeat Step 8 for each topic.
10	Click the New Chapter button on the Text toolbar to start a new chapter.
11	Enter the title of the new chapter.
12	Repeat Steps 2 - 9 for each chapter until the body of the document is complete.
13	Click the Set Up button on the template’s main toolbar.
14	Mark Index entries according to Word procedure.
15	Click the Index button on the Set Up toolbar to create an Index.
16	Click the TOC button on the Set Up toolbar to create a Table of Contents.
17	Revise the document as needed (see Tables, Updates, Continuations , and Tweaking).
NEXT STEP


Tables

The Tables button on the main template toolbar launches the Tables function toolbar, which has nine table types from which to choose.  As with all other buttons except New Chapter and those in Update, you should position the cursor where you want the table to be inserted before clicking the button.


Updates

Updates can be made to three document elements via toolbar buttons:

•	Table of Contents (see Index and Table of Contents)

•	Index (see Index and Table of Contents)

•	Title

The Title button on the Update toolbar updates the title page as well as the title reference in the copyright statement.  Use this function after changing the title in the File | Summary Info dialog box.


Continuations

These buttons break the continued page and set up the continuation labels in a consistent way.  Click on the below exhibit to see more specific instructions.

♦	See Index and Table of Contents for instructions on continuing the TOC and Index.


Tweaking

No system is perfect, including this template.  It may be necessary to scan through your document for needed modifications.  These could include changes like taking out extra paragraph marks, bolding some words or placing them in italics, and the like.

The Tweak toolbar can help with the final document cleanup.  Click the Tweak button on the main toolbar to launch the following function buttons:

The Convert button also has utilities to tweak the document.

NEXT STEP


Tweaking - Spacing
  Spacing

Inserting too few or too many spaces at places within a document is a common writing mistake.  This function will search the document for those mistakes and automatically fix them.


Tweaking - Mark Edits
  Mark Edits

Use this button to mark text as incomplete or subject to later edit in some way.  Place your cursor where you want the mark and click; three asterisks will be inserted there.


Tweaking - Find Edits
  Find Edits

This function finds the asterisk markings you have made with the Mark Edits button.


Tweaking - Placing Bookmarks
  Place Bookmarks

Click the button to mark your place before exiting the document, in the same fashion as you would when reading a book.  You can also place more than one bookmark, naming each for later searches


Tweaking - Finding Bookmarks
  Find Bookmarks

Clicking this button takes you to your bookmark.


Tweaking - Spell Check
  Spell Check

Performs a spell check of the document.


Properly Locating the Cursor

The position of your cursor when clicking toolbar buttons is important to the successful execution of some button-click functions.

The blocks of text are typed inside a Word table.  You can see this table (dotted lines) by selecting Table | Gridlines on the Word main menu.  You cannot successfully execute a button click to create new text while in this table.

•	When you click the Topic, Block, Example, Note, or Exercise button on the Text toolbar, as well as any Tables or Continue toolbar button your cursor should be at the desired insertion point (outside the block table).  Press the Enter key (called a hard carriage return by typists) to provide spacing between paragraphs.

Note:	The New Chapter button will insert a page break before locating the New Chapter text placeholder on a new page.  Therefore, your cursor should be just below the last block of a topic when using this button.


Correcting Mistakes

Suppose you click a button and the unexpected happens?  Or you simply change your mind.

Don’t panic.  All you have to do is reverse the operation with this button.

This is the Undo button (your best friend) on the Standard toolbar.  It will wipe out all your mistakes.  Simply click it until you are back where you started before the error occurred.


Using Other Word Commands

WordSmith’s custom toolbars might not handle all the formatting needs you have.  They exist to provide a tool for consistency and higher productivity.  Tweaking might be necessary.

This documentation is not designed to replace Word basic training.  The Tutor button on the main toolbar will take you directly to Word’s Quick Preview tutorial (if it is installed on your system) for immediate examples and demos of basic functions.

Note:	Word 7.0 does not have a tutorial online.


Standard Styles

Definition of Styles

How You Should Use Styles


Definition of Styles

Styles are formatting commands that you design.  You choose the formats to apply -- for example, the font of the text, alignment, line or paragraph spacing, and borders.  This group of characteristics is then given a unique style name.

The custom templates already have styles defined, so you don’t have to design or name them.  In fact, the custom toolbars incorporate styles in their automated formatting.


How You Should Use Styles

The main reasons for using styles are to

•	provide consistency

and

•	speed up formatting

If your formatting needs do not exceed what WordSmith provides, you don’t have to concern yourself with styles.  However, if you find yourself formatting something in a particular way repeatedly, learn to use the Format | Style option.  By creating a new style for that task you will save time and ensure consistency in the long run.

•	However, when using the Style feature of Word, do not overwrite, delete, or change styles you see in the Style drop-down list box and add those changes to a WordSmith template.

See Toolbar Functions.


Toolbar Functions

Each button on the custom toolbars automatically attaches a style to the item you are inserting into your document.

Example:	When you click the Topic button on the Text toolbar, a Topic paragraph mark (Heading 2 style) is inserted into the document.


Pages

Sets up the front matter and body pages.


Index

Inserts a new Index in a new section.


TOC

Inserts a new Table of Contents in a new section.


Chapter
New Chapter

Inserts a New Chapter.


Page
New Page

Inserts a new blank page.


Topic

Inserts a Topic.


Block

Inserts a Topic Label and block of text within a topic.


Example

Inserts an Example paragraph.


Note

Inserts a Note paragraph.


Exercise

Inserts an Exercise paragraph.


2, 3, or 4 Column

Inserts either a 2, 3, or 4 column table, depending on your button selection.


Overview

Inserts Overview table:  Displays topics in the manual and their page numbers.


Step/Action

Inserts a Step/Action table:  Displays sequential steps in a complete procedure.


Action/Result

Inserts Action/Result table:  Displays the consequences of a series of actions.


Decision

Inserts a Decision table:  Displays the correct action under given circumstances.


Part/Function

Inserts a Part/Function table:  Used for listing parts and functions or fields and descriptions.


Stage/Description

Inserts a Stage/Description table:  Used for processes.


TOC

Updates the Table of Contents.


Index

Updates the Index.


Title

Changes the Title and Copyright pages, if you change the Title in File | Summary Info.


Topic/Block

Types “continued” on last line of page, inserts a heading for the topic being continued on the next page, and attaches a “continued” tag.


Table

Inserts the text, references, headings, and styles at the top of a continued table and on the bottom of the preceding page.


TOC

Inserts the text, references, headings, and styles at the top of a continued page and on the bottom of the preceding page.


Index

Inserts the text, references, headings, and styles you see at the top of a continued page and on the bottom of the preceding page.


Index and Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Index


Table of Contents

The TOC button on the Set Up toolbar will create a separate section at the start of the document and insert a new Table of Contents there.  You will need to reposition this Table of Contents to follow the copyright page when you submit the document for printing.  However, the Table of Contents pages will be properly numbered by the toolbar button.

If you revise the document, you should press the TOC button on the Update toolbar; the Table of Contents will then reflect your revisions.  Either of these TOC buttons can be pressed from anywhere in the document.

Continued Table of Contents

If the Table of Contents takes more than one page, you should insert continuation labels.  To do this:

Step	Action
1	Position your cursor at the end of the last line you want on the page to continue.
2	Insert two paragraph marks (on the same page).
3	On the main template toolbar, click Continue.
4	On the Continue template toolbar, click TOC.
A next page and continuation labels will be inserted.

NEXT STEP


Index

The Index button on the Set Up toolbar will create a separate section and insert a new Index there.  However, you will need to mark the Index entries first.

See the Word documentation (User’s Guide or online Help) for instructions on creating an Index.  The most convenient way to get help on this subject may be to Search for Help on...index entries, using the Help choice from Word’s main menu.

If you revise the document by changing the page numbers or marking new index entries, you should press the Index button on the Update toolbar; the Index will then reflect your revisions.  Either of these Index buttons can be pressed from anywhere in the document.

Continued Index

If the Index takes more than one page, you should insert continuation labels.  To do this:

Step	Action
1	Position your cursor at the end of the last line you want on the page to continue.
2	Insert two paragraph marks (on the same page).
3	On the main template toolbar, click Continue.
4	On the Continue template toolbar, click Index.
A next page and continuation labels will be inserted.


Index of Help Topics

Click a topic for more explanation:

Attaching WordSmith’s Template

Before You Start

Benefits of Using a Template

Completing the Document

Contents

Continuations

Conventions

Correcting Mistakes

Definition of Styles

Executing Specific Toolbar Functions

How the Template Applies to You

How You Should Use Styles

Index and Table of Contents

Launching the Function Toolbar

Launching WordSmith's Main Toolbar

Microsoft Word's Definition of a Template

Microsoft Word Templates vs. WordSmith Functionality

Overview of the Toolbars

Properly Locating the Cursor

Setting Up the Document

Standard Styles

Summary of Steps to Use WordSmith

Table of Contents

Tables

Toolbar Functions

Tweaking

Updates

Using Other Word Commands

Viewing the Results of the Setup

What Is a Template?

The WordSmith Process -- Evolution


Insert Microsoft Excel Worksheet


Summary Info


Text Hotspot

This colored text with the dotted underline is a pop-up hotspot.


About

Displays the version of the attached template.


Set Up


Text


Tables


Update


Continue


Tweak


Convert


Virus

Launches the Microsoft scanner for finding and cleaning files with the Concept Virus.


Tutor

Launches Word’s basic training demos and examples.


Help

Launches the Help system for the template.


New Document


Open Document


Save Document


Print Document


Print Preview


Spelling


Cut


Copy


Paste


Format Painter


Undo


Redo


AutoFormat


Insert AutoText


Insert Table


Columns


Drawing


Insert Chart


Show/Hide
Show/Hide ¶


Zoom Control


Help


Style


Font


Font Size


Bold


Italic


Underline


Align Left


Center


Align Right


Justify


Numbering


Bullets


Decrease Indent


Increase Indent


Borders


Topic

Position the cursor on the line where you want the word “continued” to appear (outside the block table).  Clicking Topic on the Continue toolbar will right align continue on that line, break the page below that line, and place the topic label at the top of the next page with a continued tag below it.


Block

Position the cursor on the line where you want the word “continued” to appear (outside the block table).  Clicking Block on the Continue toolbar will right align continue on that line, break the page below that line, and place the topic label at the top of the next page with a continued tag below it.


Table

When a table spills over onto another page, place the cursor on the last table line of the first page and click the Table button on the Continue toolbar.  A continued tag will be placed below the table on the first page, the topic label with continued below it will appear on the next page, followed by a continuation of the table (accompanied by the table header).


Microsoft Word Templates vs. WordSmith Functionality

You might be wondering why you would use WordSmith when Microsoft Word already has templates.  The Word templates are handy for certain tasks.  However, they do not offer the functionality of WordSmith.

WordSmith templates perform a series of functions with single button clicks.  These functions are chained together in the order in which they must be performed to complete complex tasks.  The Word templates, on the other hand, provide little more than pre-formatted placeholders for text.