How to get rid of a "line" in Word

[Les Desser]

If I type a number of dashes in Word and press Return it automatically
gets changed into a continuous line.

How do I later remove such a line?

Sometimes if I delete the text line above it then the line also goes but
often I just can't get rid of it. I have to resort to creating a new
document and then copy/paste the god bits over and then delete the old
document.

Thanks.

 

[Twayne]

In

If I type a number of dashes in Word and press Return it
automatically gets changed into a continuous line.

How do I later remove such a line?

Sometimes if I delete the text line above it then the line
also goes but often I just can't get rid of it. I have to
resort to creating a new document and then copy/paste the
god bits over and then delete the old document.

Thanks.

I've found that if I select the line above, the line the line
is on, and the following line, it always gets rid of it.
Sometimes I have to add a line feed to get the space to
select, but it works for me

HTH,

Twayne`

 

[JoAnn Paules [MVP]]

It's a paragraph border. Put your cursor in the paragraph directly above it
and then look at the Borders and Shadings settings. You haven't said which
version of Word you use so I can't tell you how to get there.

 

[Les Desser]

I've found that if I select the line above, the line the line is on,
and the following line, it always gets rid of it. Sometimes I have to
add a line feed to get the space to select, but it works for me

However, often the paragraph in question contains valid text that I do
not want to lose. So simple deletion is not an option.

 

[Les Desser]

It's a paragraph border. Put your cursor in the paragraph directly
above it and then look at the Borders and Shadings settings. You
haven't said which version of Word
2003

you use so I can't tell you how to get there.

Format > Borders and Shading.

Thank! Indeed that worked - selecting None.

Someone else has this problem using 2007. What is the appropriate steps
there?

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

In Word 2007, you use the Border dropdown tool in the Paragraph section of
the Home ribbon tab.

The lines are created by Word's AutoFormat as you Type feature, which
converts dashes into lines, asterisks into bullets, and numbering into
automatic numbered lists, among other things. You can control these. In Word
2007, click the Office button, Word Options, Proofing tab, AutoCorrect
Options, AutoFormat As You Type tab, and note the "Apply as you type"
options.

I *think* these are located in Tools - AutoCorrect Options in Word 2003
(it's been a while since I've used 2003...).

--
Herb Tyson MS MVP
Author of the Word Bible
Blog: http://word.herbtyson.com
Web: http://www.herbtyson.com

 

[Les Desser]

In Word 2007, you use the Border dropdown tool in the Paragraph section
of the Home ribbon tab.

The lines are created by Word's AutoFormat as you Type feature, which
converts dashes into lines, asterisks into bullets, and numbering into
automatic numbered lists, among other things. You can control these. In
Word 2007, click the Office button, Word Options, Proofing tab,
AutoCorrect Options, AutoFormat As You Type tab, and note the "Apply as
you type" options.

I *think* these are located in Tools - AutoCorrect Options in Word 2003
(it's been a while since I've used 2003...).

Exactly right.

Thank again.

 

[Twayne]

In

However, often the paragraph in question contains valid
text that I do not want to lose. So simple deletion is not
an option.

So, move it down out of the way where it won't get deleted!

 

[Les Desser]

So, move it down out of the way where it won't get deleted!

That is what I have done but often the task became a game as newly
created paragraphs inherit the properties of the one above so lines
reappear faster than you can get rid of them.

Now that I know the line is a border its gone in a trice.