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#1
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Head-scratcher concerning wildcards and Word 2007
Hi everybody --
I've run into a problem concerning Word 2007's find/replace feature involving wildcards. To keep this very brief, we use a trick to duplicate italics from one version of a file into a new, cleaned up version. All text in need of italicization is "bookmarked" by Q's so it would look like: QQQQI need italicsQQQQ. We use find and replace with a simple wildcard: Find: QQQQ*QQQQ Replace: (format: Italics) Then we remove the Q's, and voila, MOST of us end up with everything italicized as intended. However, we've just discovered that only those Word 2007 users on desktops get the Q's and the text between them italicized. Word 2007 users on laptop end up with only the Q's italicized. Granted, our wildcard trick is pretty jerry-rigged, but does anyone know of a specific bug or keystroke conflict that would make Word stop treating QQQQ*QQQQ as a single string on laptop? Or is there some other flavor of evil afoot? This simple trick saves people hours of work duplicating those italics, so an answer/solution/workaround is desperately needed. Help, please? |
#2
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Head-scratcher concerning wildcards and Word 2007
You really haven't given much detail, but there is no difference between
Word on a desktop and Word on a laptop, so whatever is happening is caused by something else in your environments. You say you replace the marked text with italics and then delete the Qs - two operations; is this done manually or with a macro? To only have the Qs italicised implies that the removal hasn't worked - much more I can't say. As an aside, you can perform both operations in a single F&R (replace QQQQ(*)QQQQ with \1 formatted italic). -- Enjoy, Tony www.WordArticles.com "emporter" wrote in message ... Hi everybody -- I've run into a problem concerning Word 2007's find/replace feature involving wildcards. To keep this very brief, we use a trick to duplicate italics from one version of a file into a new, cleaned up version. All text in need of italicization is "bookmarked" by Q's so it would look like: QQQQI need italicsQQQQ. We use find and replace with a simple wildcard: Find: QQQQ*QQQQ Replace: (format: Italics) Then we remove the Q's, and voila, MOST of us end up with everything italicized as intended. However, we've just discovered that only those Word 2007 users on desktops get the Q's and the text between them italicized. Word 2007 users on laptop end up with only the Q's italicized. Granted, our wildcard trick is pretty jerry-rigged, but does anyone know of a specific bug or keystroke conflict that would make Word stop treating QQQQ*QQQQ as a single string on laptop? Or is there some other flavor of evil afoot? This simple trick saves people hours of work duplicating those italics, so an answer/solution/workaround is desperately needed. Help, please? |
#3
Posted to microsoft.public.word.docmanagement
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Head-scratcher concerning wildcards and Word 2007
Thanks, Tony, for your quick response. And sorry, I just didn't want to bog
this down with too much expo if this was a known issue. What we're actually doing is taking submitted versions of .docs or .rtfs and cleaning them up a bit, then bookmarking the italics with the Q's, as mentioned. That's the first simple find and replace: Find: (format: Italics) Replace: QQQQ^&QQQQ So, still working in the submitted version, we now have all italicized text framed with Q's. Then we select and copy the entire slightly-cleaned-up document, and paste it into Notepad to nuke latent coding and all formatting. The entire text-body is then selected and copied again from Notepad this time, then pasted into a fresh .doc (template with pre-set styles). All italics are lost once text is dropped into Notepad, so the Q's, which carry over from original to Notepad to fresh .doc) give us something quick (and dirty) to work with in replacing all those italics quickly. We then use a 2-step process to deal with the italics and extra Q's: 1) Find: QQQQ*QQQQ Replace: (format: Italics) 2) Find: QQQQ Replace: (nothing) It works perfectly for everyone except laptop 2007. I haven't the foggiest idea why this is happening (did I mention I'm a wildcard noob?), and after hours Googling this problem, I've found a lot of other helpful info, but nothing on this specific bugaboo. "Tony Jollans" wrote: You really haven't given much detail, but there is no difference between Word on a desktop and Word on a laptop, so whatever is happening is caused by something else in your environments. You say you replace the marked text with italics and then delete the Qs - two operations; is this done manually or with a macro? To only have the Qs italicised implies that the removal hasn't worked - much more I can't say. As an aside, you can perform both operations in a single F&R (replace QQQQ(*)QQQQ with \1 formatted italic). -- Enjoy, Tony www.WordArticles.com "emporter" wrote in message ... Hi everybody -- I've run into a problem concerning Word 2007's find/replace feature involving wildcards. To keep this very brief, we use a trick to duplicate italics from one version of a file into a new, cleaned up version. All text in need of italicization is "bookmarked" by Q's so it would look like: QQQQI need italicsQQQQ. We use find and replace with a simple wildcard: Find: QQQQ*QQQQ Replace: (format: Italics) Then we remove the Q's, and voila, MOST of us end up with everything italicized as intended. However, we've just discovered that only those Word 2007 users on desktops get the Q's and the text between them italicized. Word 2007 users on laptop end up with only the Q's italicized. Granted, our wildcard trick is pretty jerry-rigged, but does anyone know of a specific bug or keystroke conflict that would make Word stop treating QQQQ*QQQQ as a single string on laptop? Or is there some other flavor of evil afoot? This simple trick saves people hours of work duplicating those italics, so an answer/solution/workaround is desperately needed. Help, please? |
#4
Posted to microsoft.public.word.docmanagement
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Head-scratcher concerning wildcards and Word 2007
1)
Find: QQQQ*QQQQ Replace: (format: Italics) 2) Find: QQQQ Replace: (nothing) It works perfectly for everyone except laptop 2007. What does happen? After step 1? After step 2? -- Enjoy, Tony www.WordArticles.com "emporter" wrote in message ... Thanks, Tony, for your quick response. And sorry, I just didn't want to bog this down with too much expo if this was a known issue. What we're actually doing is taking submitted versions of .docs or .rtfs and cleaning them up a bit, then bookmarking the italics with the Q's, as mentioned. That's the first simple find and replace: Find: (format: Italics) Replace: QQQQ^&QQQQ So, still working in the submitted version, we now have all italicized text framed with Q's. Then we select and copy the entire slightly-cleaned-up document, and paste it into Notepad to nuke latent coding and all formatting. The entire text-body is then selected and copied again from Notepad this time, then pasted into a fresh .doc (template with pre-set styles). All italics are lost once text is dropped into Notepad, so the Q's, which carry over from original to Notepad to fresh .doc) give us something quick (and dirty) to work with in replacing all those italics quickly. We then use a 2-step process to deal with the italics and extra Q's: 1) Find: QQQQ*QQQQ Replace: (format: Italics) 2) Find: QQQQ Replace: (nothing) It works perfectly for everyone except laptop 2007. I haven't the foggiest idea why this is happening (did I mention I'm a wildcard noob?), and after hours Googling this problem, I've found a lot of other helpful info, but nothing on this specific bugaboo. "Tony Jollans" wrote: You really haven't given much detail, but there is no difference between Word on a desktop and Word on a laptop, so whatever is happening is caused by something else in your environments. You say you replace the marked text with italics and then delete the Qs - two operations; is this done manually or with a macro? To only have the Qs italicised implies that the removal hasn't worked - much more I can't say. As an aside, you can perform both operations in a single F&R (replace QQQQ(*)QQQQ with \1 formatted italic). -- Enjoy, Tony www.WordArticles.com "emporter" wrote in message ... Hi everybody -- I've run into a problem concerning Word 2007's find/replace feature involving wildcards. To keep this very brief, we use a trick to duplicate italics from one version of a file into a new, cleaned up version. All text in need of italicization is "bookmarked" by Q's so it would look like: QQQQI need italicsQQQQ. We use find and replace with a simple wildcard: Find: QQQQ*QQQQ Replace: (format: Italics) Then we remove the Q's, and voila, MOST of us end up with everything italicized as intended. However, we've just discovered that only those Word 2007 users on desktops get the Q's and the text between them italicized. Word 2007 users on laptop end up with only the Q's italicized. Granted, our wildcard trick is pretty jerry-rigged, but does anyone know of a specific bug or keystroke conflict that would make Word stop treating QQQQ*QQQQ as a single string on laptop? Or is there some other flavor of evil afoot? This simple trick saves people hours of work duplicating those italics, so an answer/solution/workaround is desperately needed. Help, please? |
#5
Posted to microsoft.public.word.docmanagement
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Head-scratcher concerning wildcards and Word 2007
Like Tony I can see no reason why the replace should not work on a laptop.
Does the following macro work for you? Sub ReplaceQ() With ActiveDocument.Range.Find .ClearFormatting .Replacement.ClearFormatting .Replacement.Font.Italic = True .Execute findText:="QQQQ(*)QQQQ", _ MatchWildcards:=True, _ replacewith:="\1", _ Replace:=wdReplaceAll End With End Sub Wildcards are explained at http://www.gmayor.com/replace_using_wildcards.htm -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org emporter wrote: Thanks, Tony, for your quick response. And sorry, I just didn't want to bog this down with too much expo if this was a known issue. What we're actually doing is taking submitted versions of .docs or .rtfs and cleaning them up a bit, then bookmarking the italics with the Q's, as mentioned. That's the first simple find and replace: Find: (format: Italics) Replace: QQQQ^&QQQQ So, still working in the submitted version, we now have all italicized text framed with Q's. Then we select and copy the entire slightly-cleaned-up document, and paste it into Notepad to nuke latent coding and all formatting. The entire text-body is then selected and copied again from Notepad this time, then pasted into a fresh .doc (template with pre-set styles). All italics are lost once text is dropped into Notepad, so the Q's, which carry over from original to Notepad to fresh .doc) give us something quick (and dirty) to work with in replacing all those italics quickly. We then use a 2-step process to deal with the italics and extra Q's: 1) Find: QQQQ*QQQQ Replace: (format: Italics) 2) Find: QQQQ Replace: (nothing) It works perfectly for everyone except laptop 2007. I haven't the foggiest idea why this is happening (did I mention I'm a wildcard noob?), and after hours Googling this problem, I've found a lot of other helpful info, but nothing on this specific bugaboo. "Tony Jollans" wrote: You really haven't given much detail, but there is no difference between Word on a desktop and Word on a laptop, so whatever is happening is caused by something else in your environments. You say you replace the marked text with italics and then delete the Qs - two operations; is this done manually or with a macro? To only have the Qs italicised implies that the removal hasn't worked - much more I can't say. As an aside, you can perform both operations in a single F&R (replace QQQQ(*)QQQQ with \1 formatted italic). -- Enjoy, Tony www.WordArticles.com "emporter" wrote in message ... Hi everybody -- I've run into a problem concerning Word 2007's find/replace feature involving wildcards. To keep this very brief, we use a trick to duplicate italics from one version of a file into a new, cleaned up version. All text in need of italicization is "bookmarked" by Q's so it would look like: QQQQI need italicsQQQQ. We use find and replace with a simple wildcard: Find: QQQQ*QQQQ Replace: (format: Italics) Then we remove the Q's, and voila, MOST of us end up with everything italicized as intended. However, we've just discovered that only those Word 2007 users on desktops get the Q's and the text between them italicized. Word 2007 users on laptop end up with only the Q's italicized. Granted, our wildcard trick is pretty jerry-rigged, but does anyone know of a specific bug or keystroke conflict that would make Word stop treating QQQQ*QQQQ as a single string on laptop? Or is there some other flavor of evil afoot? This simple trick saves people hours of work duplicating those italics, so an answer/solution/workaround is desperately needed. Help, please? |
#6
Posted to microsoft.public.word.docmanagement
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Head-scratcher concerning wildcards and Word 2007
On desktop:
After step 1, all the Q's and everything in between are italicized. After step 2, the Q's are gone, leaving just the italicized text. On laptop: After step 1, only the Q's are italicized. The text between them is not. If they continue on to step 2, the Q's may or may not disappear. There was one 2007 laptopper for whom the Q's stayed. For the two other laptoppers, the Q's disappear as intended. "Tony Jollans" wrote: 1) Find: QQQQ*QQQQ Replace: (format: Italics) 2) Find: QQQQ Replace: (nothing) It works perfectly for everyone except laptop 2007. What does happen? After step 1? After step 2? -- Enjoy, Tony www.WordArticles.com |
#7
Posted to microsoft.public.word.docmanagement
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Head-scratcher concerning wildcards and Word 2007
Hi Graham --
Ironically, the page you linked me to (and what a page it is) is what laid the foundation for this trick. Currently, we don't allow use of macros due to security and technical concerns. (Our poor crew has a steep enough learning curve already without introducing macros to the list). Anyway, I really am stumped by all this. I've just sent out an email to poll the whole crew for more information on what's working, what's not, confirmation of OS, Word Version, laptop vs desktop, etc, to see if I can't find other conflicts a/o constants to work with. (also to make sure they can reproduce the error every single time) I will no doubt come crying again as soon as more ducks have been aligned. Thanks for all your help. "Graham Mayor" wrote: Like Tony I can see no reason why the replace should not work on a laptop. Does the following macro work for you? Sub ReplaceQ() With ActiveDocument.Range.Find .ClearFormatting .Replacement.ClearFormatting .Replacement.Font.Italic = True .Execute findText:="QQQQ(*)QQQQ", _ MatchWildcards:=True, _ replacewith:="\1", _ Replace:=wdReplaceAll End With End Sub Wildcards are explained at http://www.gmayor.com/replace_using_wildcards.htm -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org |
#8
Posted to microsoft.public.word.docmanagement
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Head-scratcher concerning wildcards and Word 2007
Graham's macro certainly does what it is intended to on a laptop running
Word 2007 under Vista and also on one running Word 2007 under Windows XP. -- Hope this helps. Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my services on a paid consulting basis. Doug Robbins - Word MVP, originally posted via msnews.microsoft.com "emporter" wrote in message ... Hi Graham -- Ironically, the page you linked me to (and what a page it is) is what laid the foundation for this trick. Currently, we don't allow use of macros due to security and technical concerns. (Our poor crew has a steep enough learning curve already without introducing macros to the list). Anyway, I really am stumped by all this. I've just sent out an email to poll the whole crew for more information on what's working, what's not, confirmation of OS, Word Version, laptop vs desktop, etc, to see if I can't find other conflicts a/o constants to work with. (also to make sure they can reproduce the error every single time) I will no doubt come crying again as soon as more ducks have been aligned. Thanks for all your help. "Graham Mayor" wrote: Like Tony I can see no reason why the replace should not work on a laptop. Does the following macro work for you? Sub ReplaceQ() With ActiveDocument.Range.Find .ClearFormatting .Replacement.ClearFormatting .Replacement.Font.Italic = True .Execute findText:="QQQQ(*)QQQQ", _ MatchWildcards:=True, _ replacewith:="\1", _ Replace:=wdReplaceAll End With End Sub Wildcards are explained at http://www.gmayor.com/replace_using_wildcards.htm -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org |
#9
Posted to microsoft.public.word.docmanagement
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Head-scratcher concerning wildcards and Word 2007
As part of the information-gathering, get the _exact_ version information for
each copy of Word: Ask them to go to Office button Word Options Resources and copy the line under the "about Microsoft Word 2007" heading (by hand -- unfortunately it isn't possible to highlight and copy it). That will tell you whether it's the original (release to manufacturing or RTM) version, Service Pack 1, or Service Pack 2. It's more likely that the laptops have an older release than the desktops do. -- Regards, Jay Freedman Microsoft Word MVP FAQ: http://word.mvps.org Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so all may benefit. On Mon, 1 Jun 2009 20:26:03 +1000, "Doug Robbins - Word MVP" wrote: Graham's macro certainly does what it is intended to on a laptop running Word 2007 under Vista and also on one running Word 2007 under Windows XP. -- Hope this helps. Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my services on a paid consulting basis. Doug Robbins - Word MVP, originally posted via msnews.microsoft.com "emporter" wrote in message ... Hi Graham -- Ironically, the page you linked me to (and what a page it is) is what laid the foundation for this trick. Currently, we don't allow use of macros due to security and technical concerns. (Our poor crew has a steep enough learning curve already without introducing macros to the list). Anyway, I really am stumped by all this. I've just sent out an email to poll the whole crew for more information on what's working, what's not, confirmation of OS, Word Version, laptop vs desktop, etc, to see if I can't find other conflicts a/o constants to work with. (also to make sure they can reproduce the error every single time) I will no doubt come crying again as soon as more ducks have been aligned. Thanks for all your help. "Graham Mayor" wrote: Like Tony I can see no reason why the replace should not work on a laptop. Does the following macro work for you? Sub ReplaceQ() With ActiveDocument.Range.Find .ClearFormatting .Replacement.ClearFormatting .Replacement.Font.Italic = True .Execute findText:="QQQQ(*)QQQQ", _ MatchWildcards:=True, _ replacewith:="\1", _ Replace:=wdReplaceAll End With End Sub Wildcards are explained at http://www.gmayor.com/replace_using_wildcards.htm -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org |
#10
Posted to microsoft.public.word.docmanagement
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Head-scratcher concerning wildcards and Word 2007
On the problem laptop, is "Use wildcards" checked?
-- Suzanne S. Barnhill Microsoft MVP (Word) Words into Type Fairhope, Alabama USA http://word.mvps.org "emporter" wrote in message ... On desktop: After step 1, all the Q's and everything in between are italicized. After step 2, the Q's are gone, leaving just the italicized text. On laptop: After step 1, only the Q's are italicized. The text between them is not. If they continue on to step 2, the Q's may or may not disappear. There was one 2007 laptopper for whom the Q's stayed. For the two other laptoppers, the Q's disappear as intended. "Tony Jollans" wrote: 1) Find: QQQQ*QQQQ Replace: (format: Italics) 2) Find: QQQQ Replace: (nothing) It works perfectly for everyone except laptop 2007. What does happen? After step 1? After step 2? -- Enjoy, Tony www.WordArticles.com |
#11
Posted to microsoft.public.word.docmanagement
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Head-scratcher concerning wildcards and Word 2007
Hi, everybody --
Thank you very much for your attention on this matter. I'm working toward gathering as much data as possible on Word versions and "what happens when...". I'll pass it along as soon as everyone chimes in and I can organize it into something less resembling a mess. Thanks again. "Jay Freedman" wrote: As part of the information-gathering, get the _exact_ version information for each copy of Word: Ask them to go to Office button Word Options Resources and copy the line under the "about Microsoft Word 2007" heading (by hand -- unfortunately it isn't possible to highlight and copy it). That will tell you whether it's the original (release to manufacturing or RTM) version, Service Pack 1, or Service Pack 2. It's more likely that the laptops have an older release than the desktops do. -- Regards, Jay Freedman Microsoft Word MVP FAQ: http://word.mvps.org Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so all may benefit. On Mon, 1 Jun 2009 20:26:03 +1000, "Doug Robbins - Word MVP" wrote: Graham's macro certainly does what it is intended to on a laptop running Word 2007 under Vista and also on one running Word 2007 under Windows XP. -- Hope this helps. Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my services on a paid consulting basis. Doug Robbins - Word MVP, originally posted via msnews.microsoft.com "emporter" wrote in message ... Hi Graham -- Ironically, the page you linked me to (and what a page it is) is what laid the foundation for this trick. Currently, we don't allow use of macros due to security and technical concerns. (Our poor crew has a steep enough learning curve already without introducing macros to the list). Anyway, I really am stumped by all this. I've just sent out an email to poll the whole crew for more information on what's working, what's not, confirmation of OS, Word Version, laptop vs desktop, etc, to see if I can't find other conflicts a/o constants to work with. (also to make sure they can reproduce the error every single time) I will no doubt come crying again as soon as more ducks have been aligned. Thanks for all your help. "Graham Mayor" wrote: Like Tony I can see no reason why the replace should not work on a laptop. Does the following macro work for you? Sub ReplaceQ() With ActiveDocument.Range.Find .ClearFormatting .Replacement.ClearFormatting .Replacement.Font.Italic = True .Execute findText:="QQQQ(*)QQQQ", _ MatchWildcards:=True, _ replacewith:="\1", _ Replace:=wdReplaceAll End With End Sub Wildcards are explained at http://www.gmayor.com/replace_using_wildcards.htm -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org |
#12
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Head-scratcher concerning wildcards and Word 2007
Two suggestions:
a. are the video cards/drivers on the laptops different from the ones on the desktops? b. there is one documented difference in behaviour between tablet PCs and non-tablet PCs. It isn't in the area you describe, so I have no particular reason to believe it would cause the differnece you are seeing. But if you happen to have tablet PCs versus desktops, or perhaps Vista PCs with some tablet functionality versus non-Vista, non-tablet PCs, perhaps the behaviour you are seeing is a manifestation of the same underlying problem. Peter Jamieson http://tips.pjmsn.me.uk emporter wrote: Hi everybody -- I've run into a problem concerning Word 2007's find/replace feature involving wildcards. To keep this very brief, we use a trick to duplicate italics from one version of a file into a new, cleaned up version. All text in need of italicization is "bookmarked" by Q's so it would look like: QQQQI need italicsQQQQ. We use find and replace with a simple wildcard: Find: QQQQ*QQQQ Replace: (format: Italics) Then we remove the Q's, and voila, MOST of us end up with everything italicized as intended. However, we've just discovered that only those Word 2007 users on desktops get the Q's and the text between them italicized. Word 2007 users on laptop end up with only the Q's italicized. Granted, our wildcard trick is pretty jerry-rigged, but does anyone know of a specific bug or keystroke conflict that would make Word stop treating QQQQ*QQQQ as a single string on laptop? Or is there some other flavor of evil afoot? This simple trick saves people hours of work duplicating those italics, so an answer/solution/workaround is desperately needed. Help, please? |
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