I still need help.

[Guest]

Ok -- so I got my normal.dot template squared away -- all my macros are safe
and my lovely new toolbar configuration is all back to the way I built it.
But here is my issue:

I use Word 50% of the time for medical transcription and 50% of the time for
non-medical related word processing. Letters, articles, journal, stuff like
that. Until recently I had two machines; on one I did the transcription; the
other machine, which had a better processor, more space, and more RAM, I used
for my graphic work. On that machine I used Word, but not for transcription.
That Word was solely for the "regular" writing I do.

Now I've merged everything onto this new, way better machine, and I'm now
finding that I can't figure out how to easily switch from auto-correct soaked
documents to docs in which I want almost no auto-correct action.

I've been poking around in here and other places online, but I am growing
progressively more dismayed as I'm still unable to find a solution.

It seems to me that what I need is another "normal.dot" -- another base .dot
file for when I don't want or need all the auto stuff. I want there to be
some kind of toggle button in the UI somewhere, where I can just click and
switch, but I'm thinking now this might not exist.

I don't want to have to go in and uncheck all the auto-correct rules,
because I have to use them every day, throughout the day, and that would
just be insane.

I know I could use notepad to write in, and then just paste the text into
Word for pretty, and bypass the a/c that way. But that's an unattractive
option because I hate Notepad for anything other than code-building. It's
that thing where you have a favorite pen, and using some crappy, scratchy pen
just doesn't feel as good. It's uninspiring. Plus, it will make editing a
giant pain -- I'll have to (for example) paste the text into Word for
spellcheck, etc., and then paste it back into notepad if I want to make any
other changes before the final draft.

Is there a solution to this that doesn't involve a big waste of time and
effort, or using notepad as a word processing tool? Am I crazy to be
obsessing over this when there is a simple solution I've missed somehow?

Any advice will be welcome, and in the meantime I will keep hunting.

Thanks!

--Kate

 

[Guest]

I think I have a workaround, and I got the idea from a post here, from
someone who was having trouble *applying* autocorrect to certain docs. I
basically replicated exactly what it sounded like her problem was, and I now
have a macro that will temporarily turn off autocorrection in a new document,
without the user having to go in and change any of the settings.

I'm so in love with myself now it's pathetic.

Here is the macro:

Sub NoFormat()
'
' NoFormat Macro
' Macro recorded 12/24/2005 by kate
'
Selection.LanguageID = wdEnglishUK
Selection.NoProofing = False
Application.CheckLanguage = True
End Sub

Knock yourselves out.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

There is a single check box in the AutoCorrect Options dialog ("Replace text
as you type") that you can turn off when you don't want to use your medical
transcription AutoCorrect entries. Unfortunately, this will also make *all*
AutoCorrect entries unavailable.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

 

[Guest]

Hi Suzanne --

Yes, thank you -- I did know about that; it was my last-ditch solution if I
couldn't find a better one. I wasn't that fond of it for exactly the reason
you mention, below. That's why I'm digging the macro I built, which just
changes the "language" of the document to another version of English. There
are like 20 different versions in the dropdown list in Word for "English,"
but I chose the one most likely to be close enough for government work -- UK
English. Choosing any language other than US English turns off the a/c I
built myself, but choosing another version of English lets you keep (English)
spellcheck and grammar check. It won't help with whatever
slang/colloquialisms are associated (in Word) with US English, but that's
probably ok. I'm more concerned with spelling, anyhow; if I use an
unorthodox word, I'm on my own in more ways than Word not being able to help
me with it.

Most of you probably already know this; I'm posting my reasoning mostly for
people like me who use Word a lot but don't necessarily know many of its
quirks.

Choosing UK English to solve unwanted-a/c-application problems is an
off-label use. I cannot be held responsible for when UK spellcheck does not
prompt you to correct "arse."