Formatting Solutions® Pro FAQ
Information Mapping's Formatting Solutions (FS) products are designed to help customers more easily apply the principles and concepts taught in our seminars.
FS is a template that works with Microsoft® Word and allows users to format their Word documents according to the standards of Information Mapping.
Exclusive to Mappers
Because the Formatting Solutions does not "stand alone" without the user's full understanding of the Information Mapping method, our software is available exclusively to Information Mapping seminar graduates.
Product FAQs
The following are frequently asked questions about Formatting Solutions product information.
- How do you use Formatting Solutions Pro (FS Pro) with an existing document?
- What new Formatting Solutions releases are planned for this year?
- I am looking for easy access to my Formatting Solutions Pro template. Is there a way to create a shortcut?
How do you use Formatting Solutions Pro (FS Pro) with an existing document?
To use Formatting Solutions Pro (FS Pro) with an existing document, you must first attach the FS Pro template to the document. This topic is covered in the help files for FS Pro under "Attaching the Template to an Existing Document," and is also explained below.
Attaching the FS Pro template
Use the following procedure to attach the FS Pro template to your existing document. 1. Select Templates and Add-Ins from the Tools pull-down. 2. Click on the Attach... button to select infomappro.dot as your document template. 3. Click on the OK button.
Reference: For more on attaching templates, refer to your Microsoft Word User Guide.
What to do if you don't see your toolbar.
If, after attaching the FS Pro template, you do not see the FS Pro toolbar, you should:
1. Select Templates and Add-Ins from the Tools pull-down menu. Infomappro.dot should be listed as the Document Template. If it is not, add it.
2. Select Toolbars from the View pull-down menu and make sure InfoMap is checked off.
3. Run a current version of your Virus Protection software to identify any potential Macro viruses, as sometimes changes toolbars.
Important: If your system does have a Macro virus you should contact your IT department or the maker of your virus protection software, not Information Mapping, for further instructions.
Fixing "funny" bullets
FS Pro uses Microsoft's bullet functionality, as does Formatting Solutions 1.5 for Word 97, but FS 1.4 for Word 6/95 does not. As a result, if your document was created in FS 1.4 for Word 6/95, your bullets may look "funny" when you attach the FS Pro template. To correct this problem use the Update Document to this Version option from the InfoMap pull-down menu. All bullets will be adjusted to use the Microsoft bullet function.
I am looking for easy access to my Formatting Solutions Pro template. Is there a way to create a shortcut?
To create a shortcut to the Formatting Solutions Pro Template on your desktop follow the steps below.
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Open Microsoft Word and resize to a floating window so that a portion of your desktop is visible. |
| 2 | From the File menu, select New. |
| 3 | Click on the Information Mapping Tab. |
| 4 | Right click with your mouse on the file name 'infomappro.dot' and select Copy. |
| 5 | Move the mouse pointer to your desktop then right click with your mouse and select Paste Shortcut. |
| 6 | Close all open windows. |
Version FAQs
Following are frequently asked questions about Formatting Solutions version information.
- How do I select the correct version of Formatting Solutions?
- My co-worker and I are using the same version of Formatting Solutions, but every time we share a document the Formatting Solutions tool bar disappears. What can I do?
How do I select the correct version of Formatting Solutions?
In order to verify your correct version of Formatting Solutions for Microsoft Word, please follow the procedure below:
1. Open Microsoft Word.
2. Go to the Help menu.
3. Click on About Word—this tells you what version of Word you are running.
4. Select the version of Formatting Solutions that corresponds to your version of Word.
If you are still uncertain, please call Client Services at 888-INFOMAP (463-6627) for help prior to ordering.
My co-worker and I are using the same version of Formatting Solutions, but every time we share a document the Formatting Solutions tool bar disappears. What can I do?
If you are sharing documents with a co-worker who has the same version of Microsoft® Word as you, but Formatting Solutions seems to disappear every time you open the document, you may have your templates installed in different places.
How this happens
The Formatting Solutions installation diskette will put Formatting Solutions in a default destination directory unless the person installing it picks a different one. The template name and path are stored with the document so if you chose your own destination directory the document may not find the infomap.dot template. The same problem will happen if you renamed infomap.dot to something else but your co-workers did not. When you pass a document back and forth you will always have to use the Microsoft Attach Template function to reattach your copy of Formatting Solutions.
Solution
The best solution is to make sure all people on your project team have templates with the same name, located in the same directory structure. If you do this and you are all using the same version of Microsoft® Word™, sharing documents created with Formatting Solutions should be seamless.
Capability FAQs
Following are frequently asked questions about Formatting Solutions capability information.
- Formatting Solutions works well for writing hard copy documents but it can be hard to use with online documents. Does Formatting Solutions Pro address this issue?
- How do I include Block Labels in a Table of Contents?
- I have installed the Formatting Solutions for Word 2000, but when I press the buttons on the toolbar they do not work. Can you help me out?
- When using Formatting Solutions for Word 2000, how do I generate a "Table of Contents?"
Formatting Solutions works well for writing hard copy documents it can be hard to use with online documents. Does Formatting Solutions Pro address this issue?
Formatting Solutions Pro (FS Pro) has features that make it easier to create Web pages from Mapped MS Word documents. A common feature of Mapped documents is the `continued' object such as a Continued Table, Block, or Map. Since a Web page uses continuous scrolling through a document rather than a `page' metaphor, there is no need for continued objects. FS Pro lets you remove continued components of a document as a `pre-processor' to publishing them on the Web.
FS Pro also has an automatic "save as HTML" feature similar to the Word feature but tuned for Mapped documents. Writers can set an HTML output option to display Block Labels in the left-hand column, similar to a paper Map, or above the Block Text. The feature is selected by the writer to control the look and feel of the Web page prior to actually saving the HTML version of the document.
In addition, FS Pro lets you save both the .doc file and the .html version of the file. This allows you to edit only one version for the document while publishing it to both paper and on-line audiences. This "single source document" feature is far more user-friendly than the standard two source document styles of MS Word.
How do I include Block Labels in a Table of Contents?
The current Formatting Solutions Table of Contents feature includes Chapter Titles and Map Titles. To include Block Labels you will need to run the Table of Contents as follows:
1. Go to the Insert Menu.
2. Choose Index & Tables.
3. Click the Table of Contents tab.
4. Change "Formats:" to Choose "From Template."
5. Change "Show Levels:" to 5.
6. Press OK.
7. Rerun Table of Contents.
The Table of Contents will now include Block Labels.
I have installed the Formatting Solutions for Word, but when I press the buttons on the toolbar they do not work. Can you help me out?
Microsoft Word has a built-in feature to automatically strip out macros during an install when the security setting is high. The security setting is set high by default. To fix this problem, follow these easy steps.
1. Go to the Tools menu.
2. Select Macro and then Security.
3. Change settings to Low.
Note: After the install you can change the setting back to medium.
4. Click OK.
5. Exit Word.
6. Reinstall Formatting Solutions.
The macros will now work.
When using Formatting Solutions for Word, how do I generate a "Table of Contents?"
Formatting Solutions generates a table of contents that lists the Chapter Titles, Map Titles, and their respective page numbers. It lists only those titles that are within one document file.
Follow the steps in the table below to generate a table of contents.
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Position the cursor at the bottom of the document. Note: Be sure it is outside of the Block grid lines. |
| 2 | Select Table of Contents from the InfoMap pull-down menu or toolbar. Result The following appears: a section break, the Table of Contents, Map Title, a Memo Line, and a listing of the Chapter and Map titles with page numbers. Note: You can cut and paste the table of contents anywhere in your document. |
When using Formatting Solutions for Word 2000, how do I generate a "Table of Contents?", cont'd
Updating the table of contents If you change Map Titles, Chapter Titles, and/or page numbers, then
- delete the original table of contents, and
- repeat the generation of the table of contents.
The new table of contents will reflect the title and/or page changes.
Compatibility FAQs
Following are frequently asked questions about Formatting Solutions compatibility information.
- What is the version compatibility for FS Pro?
What is the version compatibility of FS Pro?
| Formatting Solutions Pro version... | Is compatible with MS Word for Windows... |
|---|---|
| 1.3d | 97, 2000 & XP(2002). |
| 2.1 | 2000, XP(2002), and 2003 |
| 3.0d | 2000, XP(2002), and 2003 |
| 3.0e | 2000, XP(2002), 2003 and 2004 Note: This is the most current version. |
For Upgrades
Anyone certified in the Information Mapping methodology who is currently using an older version of FS Pro may upgrade to a newer version for a minimal charge, plus relevant taxes and shipping.
