Format Painter issues

[nocomicsans]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

I've figured out how the format painter is SUPPOSED to work, but it's not consistent for me. Why am I getting crosshairs?

Here's what I do:
- select text I want to copy the format from
- double click format painter button on the toolbar
--THEN, ONE OF 2 THINGS HAPPENS --
1) cursor changes to crosshairs, and selecting text only changes the indent to where I release the mouse button
2) cursor changes to crosshairs, and it actually works like it should, but after working twice, it changes to problem #1.

What's going on? PS-problems are similar if I don't double-click the painter button.

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

I've figured out how the format painter is SUPPOSED to work, but it's not consistent for me. Why am I getting crosshairs?

Here's what I do:
- select text I want to copy the format from
- double click format painter button on the toolbar
--THEN, ONE OF 2 THINGS HAPPENS --
1) cursor changes to crosshairs, and selecting text only changes the indent to where I release the mouse button
2) cursor changes to crosshairs, and it actually works like it should, but after working twice, it changes to problem #1.

What's going on? PS-problems are similar if I don't double-click the painter button.

Hi,

The format painter button has two operational modes: single click and
double-click.

Single click mode:
1. Select an object
2. Single-click format painter button
3. Click another object
The second object is reformatted to match the first object.

Double-click mode:
1. Select an object
2. Double-click format painter button
You can now format as many objects as you want by clicking on them
3. Click a different object
4. Click yet another object
5. Click as many other object as you want
6. Click the format painter button to turn off the painter.

-Jim

 

[CyberTaz]

I've noticed this too -- the pointer no longer looks like an I-Beam with the
paint brush when the Format Painter is used... Why, I have no idea. My guess
is that perhaps someone thought the cross-hair is more "precise". [In Word
the pointer appears as an I-Beam with a plus sign, in Excel it still looks
like the bold plus with a paint brush.]

As for the indentation: Is it actually an "indent"? What I've found is that
when you go to apply the copied formatting if you start anywhere near the
edge of the box you actually *move* the box.

Thanks to your message I've also noticed what may be a few other anomalies
with its behavior. I intend to make some inquiries & will reply when I get
some additional feedback -- which may take a while.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[CyberTaz]

Hi Jimmy;

Hi,

The format painter button has two operational modes: single click and
double-click.

Single click mode:
1. Select an object
2. Single-click format painter button
3. Click another object
The second object is reformatted to match the first object.

Double-click mode:
1. Select an object
2. Double-click format painter button
You can now format as many objects as you want by clicking on them
3. Click a different object
4. Click yet another object
5. Click as many other object as you want
6. Click the format painter button to turn off the painter.

-Jim

That's certainly how it's *supposed* to be, but have you tried it lately? I
can confirm that it isn't behaving like that any longer. I've repro'd most
of what the OP is reporting as well as a few other contradictions to the
expected behavior in Word as well as PPT. I'll write them up later on.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

Hi Jimmy;




That's certainly how it's *supposed* to be, but have you tried it lately? I
can confirm that it isn't behaving like that any longer. I've repro'd most
of what the OP is reporting as well as a few other contradictions to the
expected behavior in Word as well as PPT. I'll write them up later on.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

Hi Bob,

Yes, I tried it in PowerPoint 2008 (fully updated) right before posting
the message to make sure the behavior is as I expected it would be.

-Jim

 

[CyberTaz]

So let me get this straight

Hi Bob,

Yes, I tried it in PowerPoint 2008 (fully updated) right before posting
the message to make sure the behavior is as I expected it would be.

-Jim

You're saying that:

1- Your Format Painter mouse pointer still looks like the traditional I-Beam
with a paint brush attached to it rather than the black crosshair, and

2- That if you get anywhere near -- but still well inside -- the edge of the
text box your mouse pointer *doesn't* act like a Select Objects tool instead
of the Format Painter even though the pointer appearance doesn't change.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

So let me get this straight




You're saying that:

1- Your Format Painter mouse pointer still looks like the traditional I-Beam
with a paint brush attached to it rather than the black crosshair, and

2- That if you get anywhere near -- but still well inside -- the edge of the
text box your mouse pointer *doesn't* act like a Select Objects tool instead
of the Format Painter even though the pointer appearance doesn't change.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

Hi Bob,

1. I didn't say anything at all about the mouse pointer, but it changes
into a paintbrush when you single-click or double-click the format
painter. It's the same behavior for PowerPoint 2004 and PowerPoint 2008.

2. After clicking the format painter button, the mouse pointer stays a
paintbrush when moved over any object. BEFORE you click the format
painter button, the mouse cursor is an arrow, but changes to a selection
cursor when moved over selectable objects.

When working with text:
If the mouse cursor is in the boundaries of a placeholder textbox it
turns into an I-beam. Select text and then click the format painter
button and the mouse curssor turns into a plus sign. Drag over target
text and the text takes on the copied format.

-Jim

 

[CyberTaz]

Hey Jim;

<snip>

Hi Bob,

1. I didn't say anything at all about the mouse pointer, but it changes
into a paintbrush when you single-click or double-click the format
painter. It's the same behavior for PowerPoint 2004 and PowerPoint 2008.

I know you didn't, but both the OP and I did That's the point of the
conversation... It *isn't* working that way for *either* of us & I'm finding
the same thing on 2 different Macs. Both with 12.2.0/1 but one's an Intel
running 10.5.8 & the other is a G5 running 10.4.11 - regardless of whether I
single- or double-click the FP button the pointer becomes a crosshair, not
the expected I-beam with brush.

2. After clicking the format painter button, the mouse pointer stays a
paintbrush when moved over any object. BEFORE you click the format
painter button, the mouse cursor is an arrow, but changes to a selection
cursor when moved over selectable objects.

Granted, that's how it "should" be, but as above that is *not* what's
happening here. The pointer becomes a crosshair (plus sign with no brush) &
stays that way until you use it (single) or turn it off (double).

When working with text:
If the mouse cursor is in the boundaries of a placeholder textbox it
turns into an I-beam.

Really??? I never would have guessed ‹ thanks for the quote from "personal
computing 101" ;-)

Select text and then click the format painter
button and the mouse curssor turns into a plus sign.

"Plus sign"??? Doesn't that contradict what you wrote in #2 above? What
happened to the paint brush?

Seriously... I've been using FP in Office apps since day one & have been
training others to use it for nearly 15 years... I'm confident that I
understand how it's *supposed* to work & equally confident of my recognition
that it *isn't* working as it should. My interpretation of the OP's message
is that s/he knows how to use it as well ‹ the question wasn't "How do you
use the FP?", it was "Why is it not behaving as advertised?".

Drag over target
text and the text takes on the copied format.

That's also what's expected, but here's the new twist:

Unlike any other version - PC or Mac - and unlike 2008 prior to 12.2.0/1, if
you begin to drag anywhere near a bullet you wind up increasing the indent
[demoting the item] rather than applying the formatting. If the text isn't
bulleted & you start anywhere near the inside edge of the text box you wind
up dragging the box rather than applying the formatting. Neither of those
behaviors should happen when the FP is active. In fact, I've intentionally
tried to replicate those behaviors in 2004 as well as 2003 and both simply
*can't* be done while FP is turned on.

I honestly can't say *when* the problem started, but I don't remember
encountering it nor were there any reports of it prior to the 12.2.0 (SP2)
update. If you want screen shots just let me know. I can send them to you
directly or through the macoffice group.

-Jim

--
Jim Gordon
Mac MVP
Co-author of Office 2008 for Mac All-in-One For Dummies
http://tinyurl.com/Office-2008-for-Dummies

<snip>

I've done the following with no change in or correction to the problem:

Typical permission repair & restart,
Shift/LogIn,
Shift/Launch PPT,
Delete the PPT .plist file,
Reset the Toolbar,
Created a new toolbar with a separate instance of FP,
I even attempted to re-apply SP2 but couldn't because of having the 12.2.1
update installed... Can't reapply 12.2.1 either, of course.

If you have any suggestions on what to try next I'd sure appreciate it. I
certainly don't intend to do a complete re-install of Office for the sake of
a poor substitute for the lack of Styles support in this one version of the
program I seldom use in the first place.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

Hey Jim;

<snip>

Hi Bob,

1. I didn't say anything at all about the mouse pointer, but it changes
into a paintbrush when you single-click or double-click the format
painter. It's the same behavior for PowerPoint 2004 and PowerPoint 2008.

I know you didn't, but both the OP and I did That's the point of the
conversation... It *isn't* working that way for *either* of us & I'm finding
the same thing on 2 different Macs. Both with 12.2.0/1 but one's an Intel
running 10.5.8 & the other is a G5 running 10.4.11 - regardless of whether I
single- or double-click the FP button the pointer becomes a crosshair, not
the expected I-beam with brush.

2. After clicking the format painter button, the mouse pointer stays a
paintbrush when moved over any object. BEFORE you click the format
painter button, the mouse cursor is an arrow, but changes to a selection
cursor when moved over selectable objects.

Granted, that's how it "should" be, but as above that is *not* what's
happening here. The pointer becomes a crosshair (plus sign with no brush) &
stays that way until you use it (single) or turn it off (double).

When working with text:
If the mouse cursor is in the boundaries of a placeholder textbox it
turns into an I-beam.

Really??? I never would have guessed ‹ thanks for the quote from "personal
computing 101" ;-)

Select text and then click the format painter
button and the mouse curssor turns into a plus sign.

"Plus sign"??? Doesn't that contradict what you wrote in #2 above? What
happened to the paint brush?

Seriously... I've been using FP in Office apps since day one & have been
training others to use it for nearly 15 years... I'm confident that I
understand how it's *supposed* to work & equally confident of my recognition
that it *isn't* working as it should. My interpretation of the OP's message
is that s/he knows how to use it as well ‹ the question wasn't "How do you
use the FP?", it was "Why is it not behaving as advertised?".

Drag over target
text and the text takes on the copied format.

That's also what's expected, but here's the new twist:

Unlike any other version - PC or Mac - and unlike 2008 prior to 12.2.0/1, if
you begin to drag anywhere near a bullet you wind up increasing the indent
[demoting the item] rather than applying the formatting. If the text isn't
bulleted & you start anywhere near the inside edge of the text box you wind
up dragging the box rather than applying the formatting. Neither of those
behaviors should happen when the FP is active. In fact, I've intentionally
tried to replicate those behaviors in 2004 as well as 2003 and both simply
*can't* be done while FP is turned on.

I honestly can't say *when* the problem started, but I don't remember
encountering it nor were there any reports of it prior to the 12.2.0 (SP2)
update. If you want screen shots just let me know. I can send them to you
directly or through the macoffice group.

-Jim

--
Jim Gordon
Mac MVP
Co-author of Office 2008 for Mac All-in-One For Dummies
http://tinyurl.com/Office-2008-for-Dummies

<snip>

I've done the following with no change in or correction to the problem:

Typical permission repair & restart,
Shift/LogIn,
Shift/Launch PPT,
Delete the PPT .plist file,
Reset the Toolbar,
Created a new toolbar with a separate instance of FP,
I even attempted to re-apply SP2 but couldn't because of having the 12.2.1
update installed... Can't reapply 12.2.1 either, of course.

If you have any suggestions on what to try next I'd sure appreciate it. I
certainly don't intend to do a complete re-install of Office for the sake of
a poor substitute for the lack of Styles support in this one version of the
program I seldom use in the first place.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

So the question now is, how come my PowerPoint works as it is supposed
to and yours doesn't? I can't reproduce the problems you describe. I
copy a bunch of formatted text, go to another text box and drag over the
text, and the text style (but not the bullet style) is applied. But
nothing bad happens to the bullets - no demoting or anything like that.

If I were in your shoes I'd start deleting any plist file that might
remotely be involved and then keep Time Machine handy in the event that
the deletion does something bad:
com.microsoft.office_pg.plist
com.microsoft.office.plist
com.microsoft.Powerpoint.plist
com.microsoft.Word.plist

What is the date of your framework files? Applications:Microsoft Office
2008: Office:Add-ins: [various].framework
Most of mine are Aug 12,2009.
MicrosoftOffice.framework
MicrosoftComponentPlugin.framework
MicrosoftOleo.framework
MSLS3.framework

I like the name of this one:
MicrosoftCloudServices.framework

-Jim