adding autotext

[cayce]

I must not understand how to create a new autotext entry. I'm in W97.

I want to have two lower case letters that I type automatically bring up an
autotext entry. I chose insert>autotext>. Since I had stored the content for
the autotext entry in the clipboard, it does appear in the preview box. I
have AutoComplete checked in the autotext dialog box. I named and saved the
autotext entry with the two letters I plan to type to bring it up. When I
now type these two letters, the ScreenTip does not appear, nor does the entry
occur.

Can someone please explain how I should be doing this?

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

The AutoComplete tip requires four unique characters to fire, so your
autotext entry name needs to be at least four characters long, and these
first four characters have to be different from the first four characters of
any other AutoText entry name.

If you want the insertion to be triggered by just two letters, perhaps you'd
be better off with AutoCorrect?

 

[cayce]

Thanks Suzanne but I am still unsuccessful.

I left ScreenTip selected and changed the autotext entry to 4 characters
in length, 1st with a number in it (ems1) , then with all letters in it
(emsh). No automatic insertion.

I then deselected the ScreenTip, and still no automatic entry.

I then changed it from looking in all active templates to normal.dot (my
documents mostly use normal.dot). Still no luck.

I cannot use AutoCorrect since the text formatting I need in the
automatically inserted entry isn't retained by Word (first 2 letters are
roman, the next 3 letter are italicized and 2 points smaller font size then
the first 2 letters).

It is this putsy arrangement that is making me look for a quicker way to
make this happen, for myself and my coworkers who are rightfully grumbling
about this company product name construction.

This isn't rocket science, but it feels like it. I thought I was following
the Word help instructions. Is there something wrong with my process?

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

You should be able to use an AutoCorrect entry. If you select the text
formatted as described, and go to Tools | AutoCorrect Options, you should
see the text inserted and the "Formatted text" radio button selected.

But you are saying that you don't get an AutoComplete tip? Make sure you
have "Show AutoComplete suggestions" checked in the AutoText dialog. Note
that there is no "automatic insertion." When you get the AutoComplete tip,
you have to press Enter or Tab.

 

[cayce]

Thanks Suzanne! I didn't notice that radio button before AND I discovered I
had a different AutoCorrect entry whose letters were bumping heads with my
new choice (a duh! moment).

AutoCorrect now has my entry and it is occurring when I type the two new
letters I have assigned to it. This works great for new documents that will
contain this product name.

Now I am wondering if there is a quick way to replace the old product
wording in existing documents to the new formatted construction. Find/replace
doesn’t recognize the formatting in the "Replace with" box.

Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Copy your formatted entry to the Clipboard and use ^c as your "Replace with"
term; it inserts the contents of the Clipboard.

 

[cayce]

yahoo..this is a very useful thing to know. THANKS!