generate automatic text

[Guest]

When teaching a Word class, I have found it helpful to use the keyboard
command =rand(8,9). This gave the class text to play with.

I'm unable to find a way to do this in 2007. Thank you. Wynne

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

Using =rand(n), where n is an integer, will give you something similar.

--
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

 

[Jay Freedman]

When teaching a Word class, I have found it helpful to use the keyboard
command =rand(8,9). This gave the class text to play with.

I'm unable to find a way to do this in 2007. Thank you. Wynne

It should still work, at least the version without the numbers. Note
that the =rand() must be the only text at the beginning of the
paragraph, and you must press Enter at the end of it. The text it
creates in Word 2007 is several paragraphs of advertising blurb about
new features in Word, instead of the "quick brown fox".

Also see http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/Formatting/DummyText.htm,
especially the "Better Method" section.

--
Regards,
Jay Freedman
Microsoft Word MVP
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
newsgroup so all may benefit.

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

It still works fine in Word 2007, but it has to be the only thing on a line
(as was the case in earlier versions of Word):

=rand(x,y)<press enter>

where x = the number of paragraphs, and y = the number of sentences per
paragraph

The text you get in Word 2007 is different and a bit more "interesting" and
varied than what you got in previous versions. Here's the result of:

=rand(3,3)

On the Insert tab, the galleries include items that are designed to
coordinate with the overall look of your document. You can use these
galleries to insert tables, headers, footers, lists, cover pages, and other
document building blocks. When you create pictures, charts, or diagrams,
they also coordinate with your current document look.

You can easily change the formatting of selected text in the document text
by choosing a look for the selected text from the Quick Styles gallery on
the Home tab. You can also format text directly by using the other controls
on the Home tab. Most controls offer a choice of using the look from the
current theme or using a format that you specify directly.

To change the overall look of your document, choose new Theme elements on
the Page Layout tab. To change the looks available in the Quick Style
gallery, use the Change Current Quick Style Set command. Both the Themes
gallery and the Quick Styles gallery provide reset commands so that you can
always restore the look of your document to the original contained in your
current template.

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

Hi Herb,

=rand(3, 3) produces the same result as =rand().

It appears that in 2007, the second digit is ignored.

= rand(1) gives the first of the three paragraphs; =rand(2) gives the first
two paragraphs; =rand(3) gives the three paragraphs (same as =rand());
=rand(4) gives four paragraphs, the fourth one being the same as the first;
and so on.

--
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

 

[Beth Melton]

It's not ignored for me. If I use =rand(2,10) then I end up with two
paragraphs with 10 sentences in each paragraph.

Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for
assistance by email cannot be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

Coauthor of Word 2007 Inside Out:
http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/books/9801.aspx#AboutTheBook

Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word
TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/
MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

Ditto. I think that 3,3 just happens to be is the default, but the
parameters work fine for me, regardless of what I use.

--
Herb Tyson MS MVP
Author of the Word 2007 Bible
Blog: http://word2007bible.herbtyson.com
Web: http://www.herbtyson.com

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

You are correct. I did not look at the text that closely and it is not as
obvious what is going on as with The quick brown fox.

--
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