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Secret #5—Taming AutoCorrect and AutoFormat
Taming AutoCorrect
Word 2003 features many pre-designed AutoCorrect entries. Some of these are desirable most of the time, i.e., teh becoming the. Some, however, may not be desirable; if this is the case, you have two options:
- Remove the AutoCorrect entry to permanently do away with it.
- Undo the AutoCorrect change to ignore it on a case-by-case basis.
Removing an AutoCorrect Entry
Let’s say you type (c) and it turns into ©. You really want (c) not the © symbol. To remove this AutoCorrect entry, follow these steps:
Select Tools > AutoCorrect Options.... You have accessed the AutoCorrect dialog box.
Locate and select the entry in the list of AutoCorrect entries.
Click the Delete command button in the AutoCorrect dialog box.
Click the OK button.
Ignoring an AutoCorrect Entry
Let’s say you type (r) and it turns into ®. You really want (r) not the ® symbol. To ignore this AutoCorrect entry, follow this step:
Type (r) and as soon as the ® symbol appears click undo (or press Ctrl + Z to undo). That’s it you don’t have to backspace and retype (r) it’s that simple.
Taming AutoFormat
AutoFormat As You Type is a feature introduced in Word 97 and causes a lot of strange things to happen as you type. Access the AutoCorrect dialog box by choosing the Tools menu to AutoCorrect. Choose the AutoFormat as You Type tab.
If you look at the information under the AutoFormat tab, it is mostly the same as the information contained in the AutoFormat As You Type tab. The difference is that the information under the AutoFormat tab is applied if you choose the Format menu to AutoFormat to format your document. The AutoFormat As You Type choices are applied while you are typing. If you are typing and any type of formatting automatically occurs, it is because one of these options is selected. Again, as with AutoCorrect, you have two options:
- De-activate the AutoFormat choice to permanently do away with it.
- Undo the AutoFormat change to ignore it on a case-by-case basis.
De-activating an AutoFormat Entry
Let’s say you type 1/2 and it turns into ½. To remove this AutoFormat entry, follow these steps:
Choose the Tools > AutoCorrect Options.... Choose the AutoFormat As You Type tab.
Click to remove the checkmark from the checkbox in front of Fractions (1/2) with fraction character (½).
Ignoring an AutoFormat Entry
Let’s say you type 1st and it turns into 1st. You really want 1st without the superscript. To ignore this AutoFormat entry, follow this step:
Type 1st and press the space bar; now you see 1st with a superscript. Click undo (or press Ctrl + Z to undo). That’s it you don’t have to backspace and retype 1st it’s that simple.
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