Importing multiple Word docs into InDesign

Question

Hi there
Is it possible to import multiple Word documents into a single InDesign text frame all at once?
I have 20 files that all flow sequentially so was wondering if -- by selecting them all in Place window -- they would all be brought in one after the other, without each one creating its own new text frame.
Any help gratefully received.
Thanks
Dan

Answer 1

I use the script, below, for that. It's a bit scruffy, it should be tarted up. But it works fine. When you start it you type a path/file mask, using the formats illustrated in the dialog.
It sets a few import preferences, these are the only ones I'm interested in. But it'll pick up the other options from their current settings.
Peter
// Description: Place multiple textfiles as one story
#target indesign
preset = '/d/test/*.rtf';
app.wordRTFImportPreferences.useTypographersQuotes = true;
app.wordRTFImportPreferences.convertPageBreaks = ConvertPageBreaks.none;
app.wordRTFImportPreferences.importEndnotes = true;
app.wordRTFImportPreferences.importFootnotes = true;
app.wordRTFImportPreferences.importIndex = true;
app.wordRTFImportPreferences.importTOC = false;
app.wordRTFImportPreferences.importUnusedStyles = false;
mask = prompt ('Enter a file path/mask.\r\r' +
    'Examples:\r' +
    'd:\\books\\test\\*.rtf   /d/books/test/*.rtf', preset);
if (mask == null) exit();  // Cancel pressed
ff = Folder (File (mask).path).getFiles (File (mask).name);
if (ff.length > 0)
    placed = [];
    missed = [];
    tframe = app.documents.add().textFrames.add({geometricBounds : [36, 36, 400, 400]});
    placedstory = tframe.parentStory;
    app.scriptPreferences.userInteractionLevel =
        UserInteractionLevels.neverInteract;
    pb = initprogressbar (ff.length, 'Loading');
    for (i = 0; i < ff.length; i++)
        pb.value = i;
        try
            placedstory.insertionPoints[-1].place (ff[i]);
            placedstory.insertionPoints[-1].contents = '\r\r';
            placed.push (ff[i].name);
        catch (_)
            missed.push( ff[i].name );
    app.scriptPreferences.userInteractionLevel =
        UserInteractionLevels.interactWithAll;
    inform = '';
    if (placed.length > 0)
        inform = 'Placed ' + ff.length + ' files (in this order):\r\r' + placed.join ('\r');
    if (missed.length > 0)
        inform += '\r\rCould not place:\r\r' + missed.join ('\r');
    delete_empty_frames ();
    alert( inform );
else
    alert (mask + ' not found.');
// End
function delete_empty_frames ()
    app.findGrepPreferences = app.changeGrepPreferences = null;
    app.findGrepPreferences.findWhat = '\\A\\Z';
    var empties = app.activeDocument.findGrep (true);
    for (var i = 0; i < empties.length; i++)
        empties[i].parentTextFrames[0].remove()
function initprogressbar (stop, title)
    progresswindow = new Window('palette', title);
    progressbar = progresswindow.add ('progressbar', undefined, 1, stop);
    progressbar.preferredSize = [200,20];
    progresswindow.show ()
    return progressbar;