gray "}" symbol appears next to page number in footers

[MGregory]

I work on the help desk and we occasionally have documents that have somehow
gotten a gray brace "}" in the footer that does not easily delete. It looks
like a field code, but pressing ALT+F9 to expand the field code has no effect
on it. It doesn't delete easily either; the only way I've been able to
delete it is to add another hard return and then you can backspace over it.
Is there something specific that causes this } to appear?

Thanks

 

[little_creature]

This reminds me also fields codes. Sometimes it happens that they do broke
(they are not clsed from both side) - so the whole documment is wrongly
highlighted as field. Easy way how to see where the fields starts and ends
is to enable field shading in Preferences.

Try to highlight the field codes and see if your whole documment is thought
by word to be a contend of field.
For more we need more information, when you said it is in footer I would
guess you have page number insterted, that is also field and than you might
try to select your document and do toggle fields code which will replace {}
by the actual text.

 

[Tine202]

I am an Applications Analyst and I have the same issue right now. Can anyone
help with this - it is URGENT!!! I cannot even add the extra return to
backspace over it.

 

[John McGhie]

I would say you have a mangled field code there, which means you probably
have a corrupted section break, which means you likely have a pooched
document

The first thing I would try is to delete the entire page number string then
re-insert simply the { PAGE } field as described in the Help. You're right,
you won't be able to backspace over it, it's a protected character: you will
have to select and Cut.

If that doesn't bring it right, then Maggie the document:
1) Carefully copy everything except the final paragraph mark in the
document and Copy,

2) Create a new blank document and Paste.

That new document should be good to go. Make sure you delete the old one.

Headers and footers are relatively fragile structures. Users who insist on
filling them with tables and pictures etc are asking for trouble, and it's
likely they will get it

If this DOESN'T bring it right, get back to us: I have massively simplified
things here, hoping you will it it with your first or second shot. If not,
we'll have to get serious with it

Cheers

I am an Applications Analyst and I have the same issue right now. Can anyone
help with this - it is URGENT!!! I cannot even add the extra return to
backspace over it.

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John McGhie, Consultant Technical Writer
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
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