Character italics

[Stephen]

Hello.

After discovering this forum a couple of months ago, and
having found it very helpful, I've begun using Word's
formatting power more extensively than I was.

Recently, I've run into a glitch I can't get around. It
concerns the use of character formatting.

Within paragraphs, I now use the italics character style
to italicize words or series of words, rather than using
the italics button. This works fine when applying the
italics, but problems arise when I try to take them out
and re-apply the paragraph style. I've found that when I
want to makes changes and de-italicize text I've applied
the italics format to, by re-applying the paragraph style
to the word or series of words, although the italics will
be removed, the style box in the toolbar indicates that
the italics style still applies to that text. When in
actual fact it doesn't, the text having taken on the
paragraph style.

Is this a known problem? Any help anyone might have would
be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Stephen

 

[Robert M. Franz (RMF)]

Hi Stephen,

Stephen wrote:
[..]

Within paragraphs, I now use the italics character style
to italicize words or series of words, rather than using
the italics button. This works fine when applying the
italics, but problems arise when I try to take them out
and re-apply the paragraph style. I've found that when I
want to makes changes and de-italicize text I've applied
the italics format to, by re-applying the paragraph style
to the word or series of words, although the italics will
be removed, the style box in the toolbar indicates that
the italics style still applies to that text. When in
actual fact it doesn't, the text having taken on the
paragraph style.

yes, that's a bugger (a real bug IMHO).

MVP Klaus Linke posted the following macro-code in a German NG to solve
this one:

<quote>
Sub ResetChar()

Dim myChar As Range
Dim myStyle As Style
Dim myParaStyle As Style

Application.ScreenUpdating = False

For Each myChar In Selection.Characters
Set myStyle = myChar.Style
Set myParaStyle = myChar.Paragraphs(1).Style
If myStyle <> myParaStyle Then
myChar.Style = myStyle
Else
myChar.Style = wdStyleDefaultParagraphFont
End If
Next myChar

Application.ScreenUpdating = True

End Sub
</quote>

Note that this cycles over every paragraph in the selection (which means
that, over a big selection, it will most probably take a lot of time!).
Dunno if anyone came up with something faster in the meantime ...

Good luck!
..bob
...Word-MVP

 

[Stephen]

Bob,

Thanks for your reply. I'm a total novice when it comes to
macros. But I'll try and figure it out. Are there any
pages you know of that might help with understanding
macros...quickly? Or any quicker fixes!?

Thanks again.

Stephen

-----Original Message-----
Hi Stephen,

Stephen wrote:
[..]

Within paragraphs, I now use the italics character style
to italicize words or series of words, rather than using
the italics button. This works fine when applying the
italics, but problems arise when I try to take them out
and re-apply the paragraph style. I've found that when I
want to makes changes and de-italicize text I've applied
the italics format to, by re-applying the paragraph style
to the word or series of words, although the italics will
be removed, the style box in the toolbar indicates that
the italics style still applies to that text. When in
actual fact it doesn't, the text having taken on the
paragraph style.

yes, that's a bugger (a real bug IMHO).

MVP Klaus Linke posted the following macro-code in a German NG to solve
this one:

<quote>
Sub ResetChar()

Dim myChar As Range
Dim myStyle As Style
Dim myParaStyle As Style

Application.ScreenUpdating = False

For Each myChar In Selection.Characters
Set myStyle = myChar.Style
Set myParaStyle = myChar.Paragraphs(1).Style
If myStyle <> myParaStyle Then
myChar.Style = myStyle
Else
myChar.Style = wdStyleDefaultParagraphFont
End If
Next myChar

Application.ScreenUpdating = True

End Sub
</quote>

Note that this cycles over every paragraph in the selection (which means
that, over a big selection, it will most probably take a lot of time!).
Dunno if anyone came up with something faster in the meantime ...

Good luck!
..bob
...Word-MVP
--
/"\ ASCII Ribbon Campaign
\ /
X Against HTML
/ \ in e-mail & news
.

 

[Dayo Mitchell]

I'm not entirely sure I'm answering your exact question, but...

I did the same thing--found the NG, learned about styles, changed all my
icons and shortcuts, realized I couldn't unapply italics so easily, said
hmmm....

So, I have added two icons to the toolbar--one to reset character format and
one to reapply normal style. I think resetting character format is what you
want here, it reapplies the default character format just like pressing
control-spacebar. In my MacWord 2001, the dropdown style box reacts
correctly with this setup. (Reset character formatting is an option in
Tools | Customize, I just had to design an icon).

But I have often found the dropdown style box to be a little sketchy and
prefer relying on the Style Width Area when really trying to confirm style
consistency.

DM

 

[Dayo Mitchell]

Hi Stephen,

See this article on what to do with macros posted in NGs:

http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/MacrosVBA/CreateAMacro.htm

And browse the general www.mvps.org/word page for more info.

DM

Bob,

Thanks for your reply. I'm a total novice when it comes to
macros. But I'll try and figure it out. Are there any
pages you know of that might help with understanding
macros...quickly? Or any quicker fixes!?

Thanks again.

Stephen

-----Original Message-----
Hi Stephen,

Stephen wrote:
[..]

Within paragraphs, I now use the italics character style
to italicize words or series of words, rather than using
the italics button. This works fine when applying the
italics, but problems arise when I try to take them out
and re-apply the paragraph style. I've found that when I
want to makes changes and de-italicize text I've applied
the italics format to, by re-applying the paragraph style
to the word or series of words, although the italics will
be removed, the style box in the toolbar indicates that
the italics style still applies to that text. When in
actual fact it doesn't, the text having taken on the
paragraph style.

yes, that's a bugger (a real bug IMHO).

MVP Klaus Linke posted the following macro-code in a German NG to solve
this one:

<quote>
Sub ResetChar()

Dim myChar As Range
Dim myStyle As Style
Dim myParaStyle As Style

Application.ScreenUpdating = False

For Each myChar In Selection.Characters
Set myStyle = myChar.Style
Set myParaStyle = myChar.Paragraphs(1).Style
If myStyle <> myParaStyle Then
myChar.Style = myStyle
Else
myChar.Style = wdStyleDefaultParagraphFont
End If
Next myChar

Application.ScreenUpdating = True

End Sub
</quote>

Note that this cycles over every paragraph in the selection (which means
that, over a big selection, it will most probably take a lot of time!).
Dunno if anyone came up with something faster in the meantime ...

Good luck!
..bob
...Word-MVP
--
/"\ ASCII Ribbon Campaign
\ /
X Against HTML
/ \ in e-mail & news
.

 

[Robert M. Franz (RMF)]

corrections:

Hi Stephen,

Stephen wrote:
[..]

but problems arise when I try to take them out
and re-apply the paragraph style. I've found that when I
want to makes changes and de-italicize text I've applied
the italics format to, by re-applying the paragraph style
to the word or series of words, although the italics will
be removed, the style box in the toolbar indicates that
the italics style still applies to that text. When in
actual fact it doesn't, the text having taken on the
paragraph style.

sorry, I read your text too quickly the first time: The Macro I posted
yesterday will reset a paragraph style and RETAIN a character style.

For your problem (getting rid of a char style): What happens when you
assign the "virtual char style" "Default paragraph font" to your
italicized text ...? Word should then get rid of the char style.

Greetinx
..bob
...Word-MVP

 

[Stephen]

Hello, Bob, and thanks for following up.

HipHipHooray! It works! (Or at least something like it
does). By choosing the Default Font style in the drop down
style toolbar menu, the italicised word(s) will
automatically take on the paragraph style. It seems
counter-intuitive, but there you go.

Thanks again,

Stephen

-----Original Message-----
corrections:

Hi Stephen,

Stephen wrote:
[..]

but problems arise when I try to take them out
and re-apply the paragraph style. I've found that when I
want to makes changes and de-italicize text I've applied
the italics format to, by re-applying the paragraph style
to the word or series of words, although the italics will
be removed, the style box in the toolbar indicates that
the italics style still applies to that text. When in
actual fact it doesn't, the text having taken on the
paragraph style.

sorry, I read your text too quickly the first time: The Macro I posted
yesterday will reset a paragraph style and RETAIN a character style.

For your problem (getting rid of a char style): What happens when you
assign the "virtual char style" "Default paragraph font" to your
italicized text ...? Word should then get rid of the char style.

Greetinx
..bob
...Word-MVP
--
/"\ ASCII Ribbon Campaign
\ /
X Against HTML
/ \ in e-mail & news
.

 

[Robert M. Franz (RMF)]

Hi Stephen,

Stephen wrote:
[..]

HipHipHooray! It works! (Or at least something like it
does). By choosing the Default Font style in the drop down
style toolbar menu, the italicised word(s) will
automatically take on the paragraph style. It seems
counter-intuitive, but there you go.

yeah, well, the default para font had to work real hard to find its way
into most of our brains I'm sure

There's an article in preparation (by Suzanne S. Barnhill) that deals
with it, I hope it will be up at the MVP-site this month or so.

Glad it worked!
..bob
...Word-MVP

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

The article, as is, is posted at
http://home.zebra.net/~sbarnhill/DefaultParagraphFont.htm. But Ctrl+Spacebar
accomplishes the same thing.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://www.mvps.org/word
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

Hi Stephen,

Stephen wrote:
[..]

HipHipHooray! It works! (Or at least something like it
does). By choosing the Default Font style in the drop down
style toolbar menu, the italicised word(s) will
automatically take on the paragraph style. It seems
counter-intuitive, but there you go.

yeah, well, the default para font had to work real hard to find its way
into most of our brains I'm sure

There's an article in preparation (by Suzanne S. Barnhill) that deals
with it, I hope it will be up at the MVP-site this month or so.

Glad it worked!
.bob
..Word-MVP
--
/"\ ASCII Ribbon Campaign
\ /
X Against HTML
/ \ in e-mail & news