On a large specification with number such as 1.7.3.1 a., I need to do a line
by line response, so I want to be able to select all of the text in the
entire specification and delete it without deleting the numbering system.
Then I want to go back beside each number and type a response to that section
of the original spec. I cannot figure out how to delete all of the words in
the spec and leave the nunbering system intact.

Frustrated

Is the numbering there as actual characters, or as an artifact of automatic
outline numbering? If the latter, select the section you want "purged" of
text, and use the following wildcard find/replace whe

Find what:[!][^13]

Replace with:{leave blank}

Make sure Use Wildcards is checked, and choose Replace All.

What this does... this find what string tells Word to match everything in
the selection (or document, if nothing is selected) EXCEPT FOR paragraph
marks, and to replace everything (except for paragraph marks) with nothing
at all. This will leave the numbering structure intact.

--
Herb Tyson MS MVP
Please respond in the newsgroups so everyone can follow along.
http://www.herbtyson.com
"Frustrated" wrote in message
...
On a large specification with number such as 1.7.3.1 a., I need to do a
line
by line response, so I want to be able to select all of the text in the
entire specification and delete it without deleting the numbering system.
Then I want to go back beside each number and type a response to that
section
of the original spec. I cannot figure out how to delete all of the words
in
the spec and leave the nunbering system intact.

Frustrated

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I t was unsing automatic outline and your
suggestion worked flawlessly. Often we have to do line-by-line responses to
large specification with a compliance or exceptions. The ability to delete
the text on the original spec and keep the number system so we can just
respond line-by-line will save us countless hours ($$$).

Non longer Frustrated.

"Herb Tyson [MVP]" wrote:

Is the numbering there as actual characters, or as an artifact of automatic
outline numbering? If the latter, select the section you want "purged" of
text, and use the following wildcard find/replace whe

Find what:[!][^13]

Replace with:{leave blank}

Make sure Use Wildcards is checked, and choose Replace All.

What this does... this find what string tells Word to match everything in
the selection (or document, if nothing is selected) EXCEPT FOR paragraph
marks, and to replace everything (except for paragraph marks) with nothing
at all. This will leave the numbering structure intact.

--
Herb Tyson MS MVP
Please respond in the newsgroups so everyone can follow along.
http://www.herbtyson.com
"Frustrated" wrote in message
...
On a large specification with number such as 1.7.3.1 a., I need to do a
line
by line response, so I want to be able to select all of the text in the
entire specification and delete it without deleting the numbering system.
Then I want to go back beside each number and type a response to that
section
of the original spec. I cannot figure out how to delete all of the words
in
the spec and leave the nunbering system intact.

Frustrated