Legal Blackline (XP SP-1)

[abcornwell]

We are seeking a way to create a true legal blackline. A true legal blackline would show tracked changes in a static form - user could not switch between Final and Final Showing Markup.

Here is what we've done thus far:

- Create Doc 1 v.1 as original
- Doc 1 v.2 is the edited document, all Tracked Changes accepted
- With Doc 1 v.2 open, run Tools, Compare and Merge Documents, Legal Blackline turned on, select Doc 1 v. 1

We do get a third document showing all the tracked changes - but this is not a "static display" - it's possible to cycle through Final and Final Showing Markup.

I tried using Tools, Protect Document. It does protect the document from changes being accepted/rejected, but I can still cycle through Final and Final Showing Markup.

What am I missing? Is this possible?

We do use DeltaView - but this group of attorneys have issues with DeltaView comparisons and want to stick with Word's Track Changes. (I'm almost ready to tell this group that if they don't want to use DeltaView they can PDF the edited document showing Tracked Changes and be done with it.) <img src=/S/bash.gif border=0 alt=bash width=35 height=39>

TIA!

Anne Cornwell
Cincinnati, Ohio

[vswearingen]

You are absolutely right. You cannot get a "static" blackline out of Word XP. If they don't like what DeltaView does for them, then they will have to send a PDF of the tracked changes.

Re: DeltaView -- what's not to like? What is their specific quibble? I think it is a beautiful program -- you can tweak the settings to whatever they want.

[jscher2000]

Well... there's always this approach:
<pre>Sub LockBlackLine()
'Convert Track Changes to stable font attributes
'Jefferson Scher 8/30/01; rev. 8/28/02 for Lounge

If MsgBox("Convert all tracked changes to anonymous direct formatting?", _
vbQuestion + vbYesNo, "Lock Tracked Changes") = vbNo Then Exit Sub

'make the changes
Dim revMark As Revision
If ActiveDocument.TrackRevisions = True Then _
ActiveDocument.TrackRevisions = False
For Each revMark In ActiveDocument.Revisions
If revMark.Type = wdRevisionInsert Then
revMark.Range.Select
revMark.Accept
With Selection
.Font.Underline = wdUnderlineSingle
.Font.Bold = True 'for bolding inserts, if desired
End With
ElseIf revMark.Type = wdRevisionDelete Then
revMark.Range.Select
revMark.Reject
Selection.Font.StrikeThrough = True
End If
Next
End Sub</pre>

I've only used it a few times, so I'm not certain that it will extend into all the necessary nooks and crannies. Also, it generally is troublesome to use the For Each approach to iterate over a collection while deleting items from the collection, so for the sake of safety, at least in theory, it would be best to check for any remaining Revisions Marks and re-run the loop, but since I haven't encountered a document that complex (in Word2000, I've seen a monster in XP), I haven't added it yet.

[abcornwell]

I agree - DeltaView is lovely. We're asking this group for their dislikes, needs, and we're going to see if DeltaView can provide what they want. If no - then we'll march off in another direction.

Anne <img src=/S/thinks.gif border=0 alt=thinks width=15 height=15>