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Importing Microsoft Word Documents

Module by: Mark Husband, Connexions. E-mail the authors

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Summary: How to enter content into Connexions by importing Word documents.

Overview

You can convert an existing Microsoft Word document into a CNXML file, which is the file in a Connexions module that contains the text and instructions for displaying images or other files. To convert a Word document you must first create a new module and then import the Word document into the module. The Import function applies CNXML tags to the Word paragraph and character styles.

Note:

The Word file converts more smoothly and needs less fine tuning of the CNXML if you apply the styles in the Connexions document template to the Word file before you import it. Use of the Connexions document template is optional, but we recommend it.

Connexions documents contain not only structural information about the document, but also semantic information. This means that you do not simply highlight some text and designate it as bold. Rather, you highlight the text and designate it as a "term" or as a "quote". When your document is uploaded to Connexions, the structure and the semantics are both preserved. Using Connexions styles is easy. If you have used styles in Microsoft Word before you will not have a problem. If you have not, have no fear, you will be using styles in no time.

The Connexions Template

Before you start creating Connexions modules from Word documents, we recommend that you obtain a copy of the Connexions document template.

Obtaining the Connexions Document Template

To download the template from the Connexions Web site and to install it on your computer, use the following steps:

  1. Click the following link to download a copy of the template: Connexions document template. A dialog box opens, displaying options for opening or saving the template file.
  2. Specify that the template file should be saved to the desktop on your computer and click OK.
  3. Launch Microsoft Word on your computer.
  4. Reduce your window size so that the document template icon is visible on your desktop.
  5. From the Word File menu, click New.
  6. Drag and drop the document template icon into the "General" tab of the "New" document box.

Figure 1: The "General" tab on Microsoft Word's "New" document dialog box.
Figure 1 (GeneralTab.png)

Now you can apply the Connexions document template to your Word documents.

Creating a New Word Document with the Connexions Template

To create a new Word document that uses the Connexions document template, use the following steps:

  1. Launch Microsoft Word on your computer.
  2. Select New from the "File" drop-down menu. An empty document will open and the "New" document dialog box displays.
  3. Select the Connexions-Document.dot icon from the "General" tab on the Microsoft "New" document dialog box.
  4. Click OK.
  5. Enter your content into the new document.
  6. Apply the appropriate paragraph and character styles to the content as you enter it.

Applying Connexions Styles to an Existing Word Document

To apply the Connexions styles to an existing Word document, use the following steps:

  1. Complete the process to obtain the Connexions document template.
  2. Launch Microsoft Word and open your existing document.
  3. Select "Format" from the menu bar.
  4. Select "Theme" from the drop-down menu.
  5. Click the "Style Gallery" button.
  6. Select Connexions-Document.doc from the "Template" box. The styles from the template are copied into your document. If the Connexions style names match the style names in your existing document, then the Connexions styles are automatically applied to those items.
  7. If the style names do not match, you must apply the Connexions template styles to the appropriate items in the existing file. To apply a paragraph style, place the cursor in the paragraph and select the style from the Style drop-down box in the Word Formatting toolbar.

    Note:

    Paragraph styles display the paragraph symbol next to their name in the drop-down box.
    To apply a character style, highlight the word or words and select the style from the Style drop-down box in the Word Formatting toolbar.

    Note:

    Character styles display an "a" next to their name in the drop-down box.
  8. Repeat the previous step for all the content in the file.

Please note these instructions are for Word 2000. The process for other versions of Word will be similar. Consult your Word Help feature if you have questions with a different version of Word.

Importing Your Word Document

When your Word document is complete, you are ready to import it into Connexions. To import the Word document, use the following steps:

  1. Log into Connexions.
  2. Display the Connexions workspace or workgroup in which you want to work on your document.
  3. Create a new module in which you will import your Word document. See Creating New Items in a Workgroup for instructions on creating a new module.
  4. Click the "Edit" tab in the new module, if it is not already displaying.
  5. Select Microsoft Word from the Import drop-down list and click Import.
  6. Click Browse and locate your document.
  7. Click Import to upload your document. Your new document is uploaded and ready to edit or publish in Connexions.

Figure 2: The "Edit" tab showing the "Import/Export module" box.
Figure 2 (import.png)

Warning:

Importing a Word file into an existing module will overwrite the contents of the existing module with the contents of the Word file. Be careful not to import a Word file into a module that contains content you want to save.

Feel free to edit your module using our editor, or make your changes in the Word file and repeat the import process.

Word documents can be extremely varied. We have attempted to handle many common cases, with the goal of extracting the text from your document so that you can mark it up in CNXML without having to retype the content. Some cautions:

  • Formatting (such as bold and italics) is not preserved.
  • Some images and other objects may import correctly and become figures in the module, but others may not. Please let us know which objects you have success with and which you do not.
  • If you use CNXML-specific styles to create your Word document, you will get a more faithful conversion for elements like terms, citations, code, and others.
  • Even without CNXML-specific styling, you can make sure that your section organization is preserved during import by using the standard Word header styles (Heading 1, Heading 2, and so on) in your original document.

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