Selected text not replaced when typing

[Guest]

Word XP; 10.6826.6825 SP3.

When i select text in a document and type, the selected text is not
replaced. Example:

-The text "For suggestion submissions, we can't..." is on the page
-I select the the word "suggestion" by double-clicking or click-dragging the
word.
-I type the word "new" and the line will read "For newsuggestion
submissions, e can't..."

What is going on here? I've tryed using the Insert toggle (OVR) but in the
example above, I get "For newgestion submissions, we can't..."

This type of text replacement works in every other application but Word.

Please help! It's driving me NUTS!

 

[Guest]

I forgot to mention; the Backspace key will not delete the text that is
slected, either, but the Delete key will.

In the above example, pressing backspace will do nothing. The cursor is
placed at the beginning of the selection. Pressing delete will delete the
selected text.

Thanks!

 

[Jay Freedman]

In Tools > Options > Edit, check the box "Typing replaces selection".

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

 

[Guest]

How on earth did that get unchecked? (Why does that check box even exist?)

Thank you so much, Jay.

-Brian

 

[Jay Freedman]

How on earth did that get unchecked?

Gremlins. I'm sure they exist.

(Why does that check box even exist?)

Beats me. I can't think of a reasonable use for it.

Thank you so much, Jay.

You're welcome.

 

[Opinicus]

Gremlins. I'm sure they exist.
Beats me. I can't think of a reasonable use for it.

Protecting someone who accidentally hits control-A instead of shift-A and
then having inadvertently defined a 4,000 word document replaces everything
with a single space, does a save, closes the file, and reopens it to
discover that all 4,000 words have vanished qualifies as "reasonable use" in
our house. (I've also had to disable overstrike mode on her machine as
well.)

 

[Jay Freedman]

Protecting someone who accidentally hits control-A instead of shift-A and
then having inadvertently defined a 4,000 word document replaces everything
with a single space, does a save, closes the file, and reopens it to
discover that all 4,000 words have vanished qualifies as "reasonable use" in
our house. (I've also had to disable overstrike mode on her machine as
well.)

My condolences.

Replacing an entire document with a space is something I can
understand, but then saving and closing -- well, that would only
happen once. The lesson is often learned the hard way: Look at the
document before you do close, and hit Undo if necessary.

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