AutoComplete Hit or Miss?

[jimwashere]

Alright Already, Microsoft! The Game is over! You Win! So how do we win?

I know most of us want to find a solution why AutoComplete for Day and Month
names in Word 2007 works on only some machines.

Many of us love to solve problems. But AutoComplete in Word 2007 is so much
a hit or miss phenomenon--no rhyme or reason. I have been trying to figure
out the missing links as to when AutoComplete will work or not. I have even
found AutoComplete to work only when Norton SystemWorks is opening. Go figure.

Has anyone found the right set of circumstances (or Easter Egg) to assure
AutoComplete will work on any given install of Word/Office 2007?

I give up!!!

Jimwashere

 

[Graham Mayor]

If it is available on some 2007 equipped PCs and not others, then on those
that it doesn't work


1. Press Alt+F11 to open the Visual Basic Editor (VBE).

2. Press Ctrl+G to activate/open the Immediate window (bottom of VBE
window).

3. Enter the following (or copy from below and paste):

Application.DisplayAutoCompleteTips = True

4. Press Return at the end of the line.

5. You can now close the VBE window (Alt+Q or File > Close and Return to
Microsoft Word).


--
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Graham Mayor - Word MVP


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[jimwashere]

Hi Graham,

Thanks for your advice. I tried what you suggested. On the computers that
AutoComplete worked, it remained working. On the computers where AutoComplete
did not work before, nothing happened.

I thought I could FLIP the AutoComplete switch on the non-working computers.
I tried using False, then using True, but still nothing happened. I did find
that AutoComplete DOES WORK in Draft View, but not in Print Layout View on
the non-working computers.

We use Office 2007 in a computer lab. The teachers want AutoComplete to work
the same on all computers for the students. Our students dont use Outlook,
but Outlook and Autocomplete work fine on all the computers.

Why AutoComplete works or does not work is very confusing and why I needed
to ask for help. Your suggestion was good, but now I need to find what
settings/options in Word could possibly affect the working of AutoComplete in
Draft View but not in Print Layout View? Argh!

Jimwashere

 

[Graham Mayor]

Frankly I have no idea, however the setting is stored in the Word Data key
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Word\Data
and this key is known to corrupt under certain circumstances eg when
automatic updates are applied with Word open so you could try renaming the
Data key to see if that fixes it.

--
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Graham Mayor - Word MVP


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[jimwashere]

Hi Graham,

Thanks again for your help.

I looked in Regedit at the
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Word\Data key as you
suggested. This key has no sub-keys. Just a few DWords--Settings and
Toolbars--with binary data in them. I renamed the Word\Data key to Data-old,
opened Word, and tried AutoComplete.

DRAT!!! AutoComplete of Day and Month names still doesnt work in Print
Layout View. However, they still work in Draft View like before.

After exiting Word, a new Word\Data key was generated.

* If the AutoComplete is stored in the Word\Data Key, what program can read
or set its binary data besides Word?

* Is there a sub-Key or other Data Value that I can add into the Word or
Word\Data Key?

* Do you know of any other Windows/Word file that contains options/settings
for Word?

I have tried working with Word's Group Policy. I would presume that the
options set in Group Policy for Word are also stored in the Data Key. I
noticed that not all Word Options were available in the word12.adm policy
file dated 9/28/07.

I noticed that the Excel gpo template had some settings missing from the the
Word gpo settings. However, Word uses numbered suffixes to the object names.
I tried creating some missing-settings, but did not have the correct names
and/or numbers (Excel uses the basic setting name without appending numbers).

* Do you know of a current word12.adm file (newer than 9/28/07) or other
Word/Office gpo template where all Word's options may/can be specified?


I am sorry for so many questions, but as I said in my posting, i have
reached my end of options. I sort of give up. But I know there is an answer.

* Who else could I address these questions to?

Thanks so much for your continued help to me and all the other struggling
Word users.

Jimwashere

 

[Graham Mayor]

Renaming the Data key causes Word to rebuild a new data key with default
settings.
I know of no tools to interrogate the binary data beyond using Word Options.
The only other trouble shooting tips I can suggest are at
http://www.gmayor.com/what_to_do_when_word_crashes.htm then
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/AppErrors/ProblemsStartingWord.htm. Failing those
suggestions, I guess you are going to have to ask Microsoft (this is a user
peer group), or forget all about auto date completion (I find it very
irritating) and use a macro attached to a keyboard shortcut or QAT (Quick
Access Toolbar) button or even a ribbon button to insert the date in the
format you require.

--
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Graham Mayor - Word MVP


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[jimwashere]

Thanks again Graham,

In our computer lab at school, the teacher wants AutoComplete to be used by
the students. We have many foreign students that need the extra help.

I tried the tips on the referenced web pages. I was able to delete many
temporary files and startup Word in Safe Mode, but no technique allowed
AutoComplete to work in Print Layout view.

AutoComplete did not work either when I tried the following:
* Renaming/Creating a new HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\...Office\12.0\Word key.
* Renaming/Creating a new (ditto)...Office\12.0\Common key. !
* Renaming/Creating a new (ditto)...Office\12.0 key. !
* Renaming/Creating a new (ditto)...Office key. !!

NOTES:
! I did notice that AutoComplete did not work also in Draft View until I
clicked on the Microsoft Office Button (which was flashing slowly after
opening Word).
!! Windows Installer opened to configure Office; entered Office product key;
and completed a short Office install.

I tried the same Renaming/Creating new Keys on a computer where AutoComplete
WORKS OK and it stills works after modification. It wouldn't stop working !!!

Since still nothing seems to tell us when AutoComplete will work or not on
any given install of Word/Office 2007, where would I send my problems to
Microsoft?

Thanks again for all your dedicated help. I just wish we could have found a
solution.

Jimwashere