Converting Text to Table

[Mary Lee]

I am working in Word 2002. I have a many-page list that goes into a manual.
The columns of the list have been set up by using spaces. I once ran across a
surprisingly simple key set for turning text into tables in Word - not the
usual Convert Text to Tables function - but I can't remember what it is, or
if it only works when tabs are in place.

Does anyone know of a more efficient way to get this into a table than a
row-by-row deleting of the extra spaces and putting tabs where I need them so
that I can convert this thing the usual way?

Thanks

 

[Mary Lee]

I just remembered that it was not converting text to tables that these
forgotten keystrokes could do - it was a key combination so that when you
select a portion of text on a line and then drag down, only that which is
directly below the selected text continues to be selected, rather than the
margin-to-margin selection that would normally happen. That would make the
task of eliminating all those unwanted spaces relatively simple.

 

[Luc]

Mary Lee,
Have you tried Alt+dragging which allows you to select text vertically?
Luc

 

[Mary Lee]

AHHH!!! Now I remember!! I have to find a way to temporarily disable
Answers.com (which I use all the time) because you have to Alt+Click to begin
Alt+drag. I use Alt+click a whole lot more, but when I need Alt+ drag I sure
need it! Thanks for the reminder, Luc!

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Alt+click will not kick in if you Alt first and then press the button
firmly; it's not till you let the button up that it registers as a click.
But a better way to get rid of extra spaces is to use a wildcard F&R to
search for two or more spaces and replace with a tab.

AHHH!!! Now I remember!! I have to find a way to temporarily disable
Answers.com (which I use all the time) because you have to Alt+Click to begin
Alt+drag. I use Alt+click a whole lot more, but when I need Alt+ drag I sure
need it! Thanks for the reminder, Luc!

 

[Mary Lee]

F&R wasn't working well because the space strings were so long in some
places. I tried replacing 5 spaces at a time with nothing but it started to
get skewed enough that I was losing sight of where I was going.

I will play with the Alt+Click thing - what you said makes sense.

 

[Mary Lee]

It's not working that way on my computer, Suzanne.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

You missed the important term "wildcard." Click on "more" to expand the F&R
dialog and check the "Use wildcards" box. Then use this as your search term:

<space>{2,}

(where "<space>" represents one press of the Spacebar)

and replace with ^t

For more, see http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/General/UsingWildcards.htm