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Format in Word First? or Import the docx first?


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11 hours ago, FredVN said:

...I hope the how and why of my method is now clear. The final product determines the tool and the method. Not the other way around. Don't choose AP because you have so many options that you won't use for the end product in question anyway.

As I said, if it works for you, it is absolutely OK. If you only want to write a text, Word would be a really good choice to do that. But if you want to load a text with formatings you did in Word to do the final editings in Publisher, possibly even to change something in the text and/or to ad images and graphics, it is not a good idea. Because it will cause more work as if you had did the whole formating in Publisher. For professional DTP, a well structured workflow is verry important, because time is money, printing is expensive and messy printing is irreversible.

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23 hours ago, iconoclast said:

As I said, I didin't really understand what you want to do. Even because what you want to do is a little bit, let me say, extravagant. I never heard that someone made a layout in Word to load it into a layout program, only to add pagination... To be honest, this sounds to me a little like to knock in a nail by using a screwdriver. There are no better programs on the market for doing layout than layout programs. Not even Word. And especially Publisher with its amazing amount of functionality will give you much better opportunities to create a professional layout than Word. That is the explanation for my reaction. But it is of course your choice, how to do this. And if it works for you, it is absolutely OK.

From the answers, I'm going to continue the learning curve with af-Publisher and import the body of the word doc. Then add all the styles and required pagination. Thanks for the input. 

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12 hours ago, FredVN said:

If I may speak for myself, I have been working for roughly 40 years with all kinds of word processors. So from that habit you start with that.

You also have to look at the final product. For a novel, a report or even a thesis, anything with a lot of text and few illustrations, I will always choose Word. For all these things, Word's layout options are more than sufficient.

I myself have only known AP for a few months. So everything I have done is in Word. Now when I want to modify a document substantially I look at what makes the most sense: modify in Word or convert to AP.

If the choice becomes AP, I save Word as a pdf, open the pdf in AP, save the AP file and delete the pdf. Again the pdf is only a conversion medium because AP can't rightly open Word (at least in my tests).

All changes I then make in AP via text styles and master pages. And at the end, I create a pdf to distribute it.

I hope the how and why of my method is now clear. The final product determines the tool and the method. Not the other way around. Don't choose AP because you have so many options that you won't use for the end product in question anyway.

You're basically where I am... the problem I have with word in creating books from manuscripts is the process when page breaks or section breaks get screwy with the front matter; or the table of contents... or there's that weird thing that happens with odd/even pagination and chapters starting on the correct pages. I looked to af publisher as a way to use it for all those bits while "just simply" importing (placing) the word.docx in a template. I still haven't had a change to play around with what you are describing. If I can get the word.docx body placed as a pdf and add all the other bits afterward, that would be great too. Just haven't had a chance to figure that out. 

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5 hours ago, Fixx said:

If Word produces good enough result why not use it.

Most designers do not use word for anything but word processing as as typesetting tool it is not good enough.

That's just it. It doesn't. I've spent hours "just simply" trying to find why a page is shifting, or a chapter has moved because a section break was incorrect. Or, you create the pdf and the pdf has added a hidden page ... it's maddening. I looked to af p to be a step toward inDesign without the cost. I'm going to continue the learning curve with it. Thanks. 

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The last days I have tested with a couple of pdf's. From a magazine of 28 pags to my ebook of about 330 pages.  Viewing the files I don's see strange things.

Well give it one quick try. Will cost you a few minutes.

Word.

  • Remove page numbers
  • Save as PDF.

AP

  • Open pdf
  • View the result.

If the file is not confidential I am willing to try the conversion. Just send me a PM.

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13 hours ago, FredVN said:

The last days I have tested with a couple of pdf's. From a magazine of 28 pags to my ebook of about 330 pages.  Viewing the files I don's see strange things.

Well give it one quick try. Will cost you a few minutes.

Word.

  • Remove page numbers
  • Save as PDF.

AP

  • Open pdf
  • View the result.

If the file is not confidential I am willing to try the conversion. Just send me a PM.

Will do. Thanks again!

 

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