Advanced use of DocumentBuilder 2.0

hi Eric. Is there anywhere where you post the sample code that you present in the screencasts? It would be useful to be able to download this and try it out.

thanks

Hi Eric, I too would be very graeful if you could post up the code that uses the Content Contol (Bio-01) in your screencast.

Regards

Dave

I have expert-level knowledge of Word, but I'm only just beginning to explore the more advanced possibilities.

Can you please explain the relationship between Document Builder and Visual Studio? I ask because while I do have access to the Express Edition, the professional edition is not an option due to budget constraints at this time.

I'd like to know, for each of the solutions you present, whether or not the express edition of Visual Studio is sufficient.

Thank you so, so much for all of this excellent information!

Kristen

Hi Eric,

Thanks so much for your reply.

I'm going to tell you what I would like to be able to do and then cross my fingers that you can tell me:

1.  Whether or not your tools are what I need

2.  Which tools to use for what, and

3.  Specifically which functions are possible only by using the professional edition of Visual Studio

I work with for a consulting organization that responds to RFPs regularly, and once they win a job, the deliverable is usually a report. So, the two types of documents I would like to automate--using the same (master) template--are Proposals and Reports. Separate templates will be used to create the Resumes and Project Descriptions that get inserted into Proposals.

Both Proposals and Reports:

There are certain bits of information that we will use in both proposals and reports, like the name of the company we're writing the RFP/Report for, the title of the proposal or project/study, etc. This information will be gathered via workflow forms wherever in the (Business Development) process the new information is received and ultimately pulled into any document that needs to use it, dynamically, likely with Building Blocks that contain Content Controls (that contain code to insert a file determined by the choice made by the user.)

Only Proposals:

Then, there are sections like "resumes" (and "project descriptions") that go only in proposals. Resumes and Project Descriptions are individual files on a common server, created using the appropriate template (Resume.dotx or ProjectDescription.dotx) and editable by anyone in the department (they need to be word files because the people I work with don't want to change the way they have been doing things for 25+ years.)

Both the resume (and project description) FILES, and the information contained WITHIN THE FILES need to be dynamically linked to the content controls in the proposal in which they are inserted. So if a new employee, Joe, creates a resume for himself, Joe's name immediately becomes available on the (dropdown) list from which a user has to choose in order to insert Joe's resume.

My question is this: Understanding that my explanation and question are in "non-programmer's English" because I am not a programmer, and that the programmer who will be helping me knows very little about Word (we all have Office 2010 now, but only upgraded recently from 2000!) can you explain which tools/software/languages will allow us to accomplish this in a way that we'll both understand?

I don't necessarily need for you to tell me how to do it (though I wouldn't turn any help down). I just need to narrow down the list of software to download or purchase and languages to learn, to the ones that are absolutely necessary.

I know I'm asking a lot. But please know that I would be grateful for any help you can give me.

Thanks again for your last response and Happy Holidays!

Kristen

In your Nov. 29th reply, you said that the "Open XML Package Editor PowerTool for Visual Studio 2010" requires an edition of Visual Studio that is not express. I still can't figure out if what you call it is the same thing as, "Visual Studio Tools for the Office System Power Tools." Are there several names for each of these tools Can you list all the tools with their complete and official names, and then say the most common way to refer to them (indicating the tools that require VS Prof. and the ones that dont?)

I am desperately trying to learn this stuff, but I can't find a book on it, and the blogs are almost always written for people who already know the basics.

Thanks again! I'd appreciate any help you can offer.