placing text from MS Word with only 'italic', 'underlined' and/or 'bold'

[T***@adobeforums.com]

Hi there,
I work with InDesign CS4 Dutch for Windows.

I've got a question. When I place text from e.g. MS Word, I often get a lot of overwrites in my InDesign from the imported document. I don't want any overwrites like font type or size, etc. to show, but only italic, underlined, and/or bold. (and the odd (un)numberd list).

So far I've not been able to find a way to place a "clean" text. Should I tell the editors to get rid of any overwrites before they submit the articles (a lot of work for them, and difficult to instruct to computer illiterates)? Or is there an easier way?

Thanx in advance,

Thom Hiemstra
Amsterdam

[Robert Tkaczyk]

you can try my set of macros for WORD:

http://www.adobescripts.com/modules/mydownloads/singlefile.php?cid=9&lid=38

Macro set for Microsoft Word, changing local formatting (bold, italics, super- and subscripts, underlining) to character styles, which may be properly imported into InDesign.

213 combinations of:

("100000000") - Bold
("010000000") - Italic
("001000000") - Underline
("000100000") - SuperScript
("000010000") - SubScript
("000001000") - AllCaps
("000000100") - SmallCaps
("000000010") - StrikeThrough
("000000001") - DoubleStrikeThrough

robin

[P***@adobeforums.com]

You might as well get used to the idea that Word users will never give you "clean" files.

Many of the long-doc regulars use InDesign scripts that search for italics, bold, bold italics, etc., and assign character styles to retain the desired formatting, then select all text and remove local overrides. These scripts are basically just strung-together Find/Change operations, so you can do them one at a time manually, too.

Peter

[T***@adobeforums.com]

Hi Peter,

This sounds like a good idea. In that way I won't have to ask the editors of the magazine I lay-out to change it in Word (which I expect will not go smoothly) but I can take care of it myself.

WOuld you know of good scripts to do this? Would you have one (a few??) yourself? Or would you know of a good site/good sites where I could find them?

I would be much obliged.

Thom Hiemstra
Amsterdam
***@thomhiemstra.nl

[P***@adobeforums.com]

When the new forums come on line Monday you should be able to find some advice. I'm not a long-doc person, normally.