What is the space formatting that looks like a degree symbol?

[Guest]

Document contains a symbol that looks like the degree symbol between spaces
instead of the usual dot. How do I get rid of it?

 

[Jay Freedman]

Document contains a symbol that looks like the degree symbol between
spaces instead of the usual dot. How do I get rid of it?

That's a nonbreaking space (see
http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/Formatting/NonPrintChars.htm). Its shortcut is
Ctrl+Shift+spacebar.

You can use Edit > Replace to remove them. Put the cursor in the Find box
and press Ctrl+Shift+spacebar. Put the cursor in the Replace box and press
just the spacebar. Click the Replace All button.

You may not want to remove all of them, as they do have a use -- they let
you have a phrase that looks like two or more words but won't break across a
line ending. They're also useful in text that will be sorted, such as family
names with multiple parts (e.g., Ludwig von Beethoven).

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

 

[Guest]

This called "Nonbreaking Space" a non-printing caharacter. Usually used to
hold two words together so they don't separate when text-wrapping occurs at
the margins.

These are typed in by Ctrl+Shift+SpaceBar.
If you have lots of them and want to delete them, you can find them in the
Find | More | Special listing (^s)
Hope this is helpful.
All the best.
DeanH