Keyboard shortcut not working

[Emma Thornett]

When I want to insert an em dash in a Word doc, I usually press
option+command+numpad-
This is the keyboard shortcut as defined by Word. But it suddenly
stopped working a few days ago. When I press that combination of
keys, nothing happens. I checked to see if the shortcut had been
deleted, and it has not. Has anyone else ever experienced this
problem?

 

[Dayo Mitchell]

Have never seen it.
However, I have made an AutoCorrect entry to replace two hyphens with an em
dash, which may be an acceptable workaround for you.

Do number keypads have a NumLock which could be affecting it? (sorry, on a
laptop, can't test that) Isn't there a way to switch the numberpad to
directional arrows?

DM

 

[Beth Rosengard]

Number keypads *do* have a NumLock key so that's worth checking out. But I
use an entirely different keyboard shortcut for an em dash. It's Option+
Shift+ - (that's the hyphen key). Don't know if this could be a 2001 vs X
difference (but then we don't know what version Emma is in since she didn't
bother to tell us).

--
Beth Rosengard
Mac MVP

Mac Word FAQ: <http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/WordMac/index.htm>
Entourage Help Page: <http://www.entourage.mvps.org/toc.html>

 

[Dayo Mitchell]

Mine (in 2001) is command-option-numpad hyphen, as Emma said. I don't
remember changing it, but by this point, I don't remember what I've
customized or not.

Dayo

 

[Clive Huggan]

The two numpad commands are defaults in Word, originating from Windows,
which does not have the easy, system-wide commands that the Mac does:
Option-hyphen for en dash, Shift-Option-hyphen for em dash.

I customized for AutoCorrect to replace two hyphens with an en dash and -=
(chosen because they are adjacent keys) with an em dash. I vaguely recall
the former may be the default, but that's lost in the mists of time for me.

Clive Huggan
Canberra, Australia
============================================================
* If anyone is still reading down this far, here's a question: if your
settings files were corrupted right now, would you have an up-to-date
back-up? It's best to back up your Normal template and all your Word
settings files on a medium other than the internal hard drive and, if you
also want to protect against theft and fire, to stored them in a different
building.
============================================================



Mitchell at (e-mail address removed) wrote on 24/4/04
12:13 AM:

 

[Emma Thornett]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. This is the first time I've used a
community group like this. Sorry for neglecting to say which version I
use. I use Word X for Mac, Release 1.

I tried Beth's shortcut (option+shift+hypen key) and that works. Thanks
Beth.

My mac keyboard number pad does not have a Numlock key so I don't
think that is the problem.

Command+option+numpad hyphen is definitely the Mac Word X
default, and it is still set to that in my Word settings. I am still mystified
why it is suddenly not working. Think I'll go with the autocorrect option
(less keys to press) but the sudden loss of the short cut bugs me. So to
speak.

Thanks everyone. I appreciate it.

Emma

-----Original Message-----
The two numpad commands are defaults in Word, originating from Windows,
which does not have the easy, system-wide commands that the Mac does:
Option-hyphen for en dash, Shift-Option-hyphen for em dash.

I customized for AutoCorrect to replace two hyphens with an en dash and -=
(chosen because they are adjacent keys) with an em dash. I vaguely recall
the former may be the default, but that's lost in the mists of time for me.

Clive Huggan
Canberra, Australia
========================================== ==================
* If anyone is still reading down this far, here's a question: if your
settings files were corrupted right now, would you have an up-to- date
back-up? It's best to back up your Normal template and all your Word
settings files on a medium other than the internal hard drive and, if you
also want to protect against theft and fire, to stored them in a different

building.
==========================================

==================



BCAE36C6.2933A%[email protected],
Dayo

 

[Clive Huggan]

[Comments inline]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. This is the first time I've used a
community group like this.

Keep coming back, then, Emma! You'll pick up all sorts of tricks here! (if
you connect directly to the Microsoft news server (msnews.microsoft.com),
you will see your replies within minutes; going through your ISP's news
server could take much longer, and web-based access can also be slow -- up
to several days. For info on settings to do this, see the notes at
http://entourage.mvps.org/help/start.html#Anchor-newsgroup).

Sorry for neglecting to say which version I
use. I use Word X for Mac, Release 1.

I tried Beth's shortcut (option+shift+hypen key) and that works. Thanks
Beth.

My mac keyboard number pad does not have a Numlock key so I don't
think that is the problem.

Command+option+numpad hyphen is definitely the Mac Word X
default, and it is still set to that in my Word settings. I am still mystified
why it is suddenly not working.

Sorry I can't help you further ...

Think I'll go with the autocorrect option
(less keys to press)

.... you'll end up doing them without a second thought

but the sudden loss of the short cut bugs me.

We know the feeling!

Cheers,

Clive

 

[Beth Rosengard]

Hi Emma,

You could try deleting that shortcut and then recreating it. That might get
it back for you.

Also, since keyboard shortcuts are stored in the Normal template, perhaps
you have some corruption there. You can try testing the Normal template to
find out. Here's how:

Quit Word and navigate to your Normal template which should be in
/Applications/Microsoft Office X/Templates/. Rename Normal to something else
(like OldNormal), then relaunch Word. If this fixes the problem but you
have customizations, etc, in OldNormal that you want to maintain, you can
use Organizer to transfer those from OldNormal to the newly-created Normal
template. Then you can trash the old renamed file. To learn how to use
Organizer, see here (use IE not Safari to view this site):
<http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/WordMac/MacWordNormalTemplate.htm>

If this doesn't fix the problem, quit Word again, trash the new Normal and
rename OldNormal back to Normal.

Hope this helps.

--
Beth Rosengard
Mac MVP

Mac Word FAQ: <http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/WordMac/index.htm>
Entourage Help Page: <http://www.entourage.mvps.org/toc.html>

 

[Emma Thornett]

Just a quick note to say that I tried all Beth's suggestions, and nothing
worked. How completely ridiculous.

I could reinstall Word, but I can't be bothered. I'll just use the shortcut
I've created.

Thanks all.

Emma

-----Original Message-----
[Comments inline]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. This is the first time I've used a
community group like this.

Keep coming back, then, Emma! You'll pick up all sorts of tricks here! (if
you connect directly to the Microsoft news server (msnews.microsoft.com),
you will see your replies within minutes; going through your ISP's news
server could take much longer, and web-based access can also be slow -- up
to several days. For info on settings to do this, see the notes at
http://entourage.mvps.org/help/start.html#Anchor-newsgroup).

Sorry for neglecting to say which version I
use. I use Word X for Mac, Release 1.

I tried Beth's shortcut (option+shift+hypen key) and that works. Thanks
Beth.

My mac keyboard number pad does not have a Numlock key so I don't
think that is the problem.

Command+option+numpad hyphen is definitely the Mac Word X
default, and it is still set to that in my Word settings. I am still mystified
why it is suddenly not working.

Sorry I can't help you further ...

Think I'll go with the autocorrect option
(less keys to press)

.... you'll end up doing them without a second thought

but the sudden loss of the short cut bugs me.

We know the feeling!

Cheers,

Clive