AutoCorrect Options

[Lynn W]

On exploring this, I presumed that if when in Tools - Autocorrect - Auto
Text I typed in Hello and clicked Add that when I started typing Hello
in my document it would come up with the word for me to just press
Return to insert it. That doesn't happen though. How do I add words
then to this option please.

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

What you're describing is a feature for AutoText, but not for AutoCorrect.
The latter can convert an abbreviation or incorrect spelling into a full
form or correct form, but only after a word separator is typed. The former
(AutoText) can perform autocompletion (which is what you're talking about),
and can also be forced to complete a partially entered item by pressing the
InsertAutoText keystroke (F3).

 

[Lynn W]

Agreed. I was actually just quoting the path I took to get to Auto
Text. It is in the Auto text section that I am 'adding' a phrase but
unlike the phrases that are already there, when I start typing my phrase
it doesn't give the option to autocomplete. I presumed I would be able
to add my own phrases for auto completion. I have just been
experimenting and I think the problem is that it can't perform the Auto
Complete for Dear Sir as there is also a Dear Sir or Madam so obviously
I have already typed Dear Sir before it gets to the point where it would
Autocomplete.

 

[Lynn W]

Perhaps you could point me in the direction of where the 'dates' are
stored so that I could 'add' the one I want. Thanks

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

Yes. That's correct. When two items begin with the same letters,
autocomplete is deferred until it "knows" enough letters to unambiguously
provide the autocompletion. If your intended item is shorter than the longer
one, then it won't be able to do it at all. T'would be nice if it'd give you
a little popup list of all matches, but, it doesn't as yet.

A typical work-around would be to create a different form (e.g., type Dear
Sir, select it, and use something like dsir as its name). Then, you could
type dsir, and Word would offer Dear Sir the moment you type the "r". Of
course, this then makes is a shortcut substition rather than autocomplete.

Unfortunatley, we have to work with the AutoComplete feature we have, not
the AutoComplete feature we'd LIKE to have. ;-)

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

As far as I can tell, that particular feature is built-in and not stored
anywhere. Using Word 2002 and 2003 here, at least, when I start typing a
date, Word offers to complete the date in whatever format I start typing.
For example, if I type "March" it offers "March 5, 2005" (today, at least).
If I type "5 March", it offers "5 March 2005", and so on. The only time it
offers something I *don't* want is when I type "3/5". At that, it offers
"3/5/05" which I aggressively DON'T want. Isn't that precisely the kind of
short-sighted date format that gave us the Y2K problem?

What version of Word are you using? What are you trying to type? And, what
does Word propose as the autocompletion? In Word 2000 (haven't seen it in
2002-3, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen), a registry glitch would
sometimes cause Word to propose the wrong date. I wonder if that's what's
happening to you, in which case you might need to delete or rename Word's
Data key in the registry.

 

[Lynn W]

Hi Herb
Thanks for all your help. I am using Word that came with Office XP
Professional. When I am typing in 6th March 2005 as I typed in the 5 of
2005 the pop up would come up offering 2205-03-06 and it will insert
when that along with what I have type when I hit Return. The problem is
as well that of course I would be hitting Return automatically and then
I have to delete what it has added. Will need to try to make myself hit
'space' after typing date to get rid of the option!!

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

When I type 6th March, it ignores the "6th" part since that's not a date
format it recognizes. It then recognizes "March" and proposes "March 6,
2005". If I keep on typing until I have 6th March 2005, it doesn't have ANY
AutoComplete suggestions, and just leaves the date as is when I press Enter.

This is using Word 2002/XP and Word 2003 with the regional settings set to
English (United States).

*Does some research/experimentation*

Aha! I get your behavior if I set the language to English (South Africa)!
Only then does it propose 2005-03-06 and AutoComplete that when I press
Enter in the situation you're describing.

Assuming you're using English (South Africa), one solution would be to
change it to a different English. I suspect, however, that you're using
South Africa for a variety of reasons, and switching would cause more
problems than it would solve.

Of course, you could turn off Tools - AutoCorrect Options - AutoText tab -
Show AutoComplete Suggestions, which would turn off all AutoComplete
suggestions. In my case, it's an improvement because more often than not,
Word proposes the wrong AutoComplete suggestion, and paying it heed just
slows me down.

Or... you could press Esc (or Ctrl+Z) when the suggestion appears, before
pressing Enter. This keeps you from having to type/delete a space.

Good luck!

 

[Lynn W]

Hi
I'm actually using English UK, well I thought I was, where would I check
to make sure!!

 

[Lynn W]

Had another play around went to Tools - Options Spelling and
Grammar - Custom Dictionaries - Modify it has CUSTOM.DIC
(default) if I click on Modify under Language it shows All Languages.
I altered that to English (UK) and then tried typing the date but still
got the same result.
I presume that I don't have to Change Default or do I? It showed the
same CUSTOM.DIC (default) and had it ticked but above that it showed
English (UK) but there was no check box to be able to tick that.