How to set specific regions and maintain running word count?

[Michael Levin]

I'm writing a paper for a journal that wants to keep the total word count in
some of the sections (but not others) below a certain number. Can I ask Word
to keep (and display - in a header perhaps or a separate window or in the
bar at the bottom of the document window) a word count of the total for the
specific sections that I mark off?

Mike

 

[CyberTaz]

In case you're not aware of it there are 2 ways if you merely need to 'check
on' the count periodically.

One options is in Word> Preferences> View, tick the checkbox for Live Word
Count. This feature displays the number of words in the Status Bar. By
default it is the total for the document but you can select any portion of
the text to have it provide the count for the selected range.

The second option is preferable because Live Word Count has a tendency to
slow the program somewhat. The Word Count command in the Tools menu can be
called at any time. It produces a dialog box containing a count of
characters, sentences, pages, & more as well as words. Again, if a passage
is selected it counts for the selected passage, otherwise it counts for the
entire document.

Although there is a NUMWORDS field that can be inserted in the document
Header/Footer, it counts the entire document & does not update
automatically. There is no similar field for a per section count, nor do I
know of any switch for that purpose that can be added to NumWords.

Long story short, if there is a way to do what you want it would have to be
provided programmatically. Either VBA or Apple Script should be able to do
something acceptable, but I'm afraid that's out of my realm. Perhaps one of
the others here can offer more on that approach as it may vary depending on
what version of Word you're using... You didn't even specify Mac or PC

Have you considered creating each 'section' as a separate document (based on
the same template) then combining them into a single document once they're
completed (Insert> File)?

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

 

[Michael Levin]

Thanks! I'm on a Mac running Word 2008. The separate files thing won't work
for me because I'm using Endnote (it'll make separate bibliographies). If
anyone knows of a way to use VBA to let me select specific regions (once,
not keep selecting them!) and word-count them, please share.

Thanks!

Mike

 

[Michel Bintener]

Hi Mike,

Word 2008 does not have VBA support (it is supposed to return in the
next version). In Word 2008, you can only use AppleScript, and I do not
know enough about AppleScript to tell you if it can achieve what you want.