Problem with styles (Word 2003)

[Eric]

I don't know exactly what's happening.

I select a paragraph, including the paragraph mark at the end. I apply a
style, which is the same as the paragraph already has. I get the familiar
message "Do you want to update the style to reflect recent changes, or
Reapply the formatting of theh style to the selection?" I select "Reapply".

Then I do exactly the same thing, and I get the same update/reapply message.
Why does Word keep asking me?

Thanks.

 

[grammatim]

Doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results is a
definition of insanity ...

Are you maybe trying to remove non-Style formatting from a paragraph?
Ctrl-Q and Ctrl-space are two of the ways for doing that.

 

[Eric]

I've had a lot of problems with styles and templates. Things that should have
worked seem not to be working.

I've already removed non-style formatting. (Highlight the whole paragraph,
including paragraph mark, and hit control-space and also control-Q.) Then
explicitly reapply the style of the paragraph. I get the update/reapply
message.

Why would I get the update/reapply message, when I've already removed
non-style formatting - or so I intended?

I've tried repeatedly to remove the non-style formatting, and to explicitly
reapply the style. Why would I get the update/reapply message, unless Word
thinks that there's non-style formatting remaining?

 

[grammatim]

Could it be one of those WordPerfect compatibility settings? WP seems
especially paranoid about asking if you _really_ want to do something.

 

[Klaus Linke]

Could it be one of those WordPerfect compatibility settings? [...]

I think it's the option "Tools > Options > Edit > Prompt to update style".

Regards,
Klaus

 

[Eric]

I don't understand how this is applicable.

In the case I'm describing, I've already applied the style to the paragraph.
When I apply the style again, Word asks me if I want to update the style to
reflect the selection. But Word only asks this question if the selection
*differs* from the style. But how can that be, if I have just reapplied the
style? I'm trying to figure out why Word thinks the paragraph is different
from the style after I've reapplied the style.

Could it be one of those WordPerfect compatibility settings? [...]

I think it's the option "Tools > Options > Edit > Prompt to update style".

Regards,
Klaus

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

I guess the question we should be asking is why you are reapplying the style
in the first place. If you just want to reset the paragraph to the style
formatting, Ctrl+Q will do this without any questions.

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

I don't understand how this is applicable.

In the case I'm describing, I've already applied the style to the
paragraph.
When I apply the style again, Word asks me if I want to update the style
to
reflect the selection. But Word only asks this question if the selection
*differs* from the style. But how can that be, if I have just reapplied
the
style? I'm trying to figure out why Word thinks the paragraph is different
from the style after I've reapplied the style.

Could it be one of those WordPerfect compatibility settings? [...]

I think it's the option "Tools > Options > Edit > Prompt to update
style".

Regards,
Klaus

 

[Klaus Linke]

I think it's the option "Tools > Options > Edit > Prompt to update

I don't understand how this is applicable.

You wouldn't get the dialog any more... which seemed to be what you're
after.

In the case I'm describing, I've already applied the style to the
paragraph.
When I apply the style again, Word asks me if I want to update the style
to
reflect the selection. But Word only asks this question if the selection
*differs* from the style. But how can that be, if I have just reapplied
the
style? I'm trying to figure out why Word thinks the paragraph is different
from the style after I've reapplied the style.

I see your point.
Sure, Word should in principle be able to tell that the paragraph already
matches the style, and do nothing.

OTOH, many of the issues I have with Word result from the program trying to
be too clever by half.

The dialog is so annoying that most users will either decide to always
reapply the style (using the option I mentioned) or to always update the
style to match the selection. Only those that can't decide on either are
stuck with the behaviour that annoys you.

Klaus