Line spacing changes to double space

[Vince]

I often cut and paste text from the web to Word XP, and somehow in that
process the line spacing changes from single spacing to double, so that when
I then add my own comment and hit the Enter key, I get two line spaces. And
then it stays that way for the rest of the document. I find this quite
irritating, and if I go into Format/Paragraph it still shows it as single
space, so there is nothing I can do about it. If I highlight a portion of
the document (or the whole document) and go to Format/Paragraph/single
spacing, it still does not help the problem.

I know that when this happens I can do a Shift/Enter and get single spacing
for just that line, but it is troublesome to remember to do that on every
line as I am working more on the document.

I also use WordPad quite a bit, and it happens there too.

If you have any ideas, I would be very grateful.

Thank you.

 

[Graham Mayor]

Use edit > paste special > unformatted text to past the web stuff (or use
the following macro)

Sub PasteUnfText()
On Error GoTo Oops
Selection.PasteSpecial DataType:=wdPasteText, Placement:= _
wdInLine
End
Oops:
Beep
End Sub

http://www.gmayor.com/installing_macro.htm

--
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Graham Mayor - Word MVP


<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>

 

[Rae Drysdale]

Go to Format | Paragraph and check in the space before and space after
section. There is probably some extra space here. Set both to 0. Does this
solve your problem?

 

[Vince]

Thanks for the reply.
Spacing before and after are both set to 0 pts.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

See http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/styles/FormatOfTextChanges.html

 

[Luc]

Vince,
Have you tried Graham's suggestion?
Also see:
http://word.mvps.org/faqs/formatting/CleanWebText.htm

 

[Vince]

Thanks for all the replies. I generally do use Paste Special-Unformatted
Text, and I 've also used Paste Options-Keep Text Only, but I still
experience the behavior where it seems to default to double spacing, but does
not indicate it as such in Format-Paragraph, so I can't seem to change it
back to Single Spacing.

 

[Vince]

The problem just happened again.
I cut some text from a web page, I pasted it using Paste Special>Unformatted
Text, and when I go to type after it, it is now double spaced.
When I highlight that newly double spaced area and go to Format>Paragraph,
it does in fact show some odd results. Space Before and After show "Auto"
and Line Spacing shows "At Least 14.25".

I've confirmed that before the Paste Special, the Paragraph formatting was
Space Before/After "0" and single line spacing. Why would Pasting
Unformatted Text change those settings?

Thanks

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Was the spacing in your document applied as direct formatting, or is that
the spacing defined in the style? What happens if you select one of the
existing paragraphs and press Ctrl+Q?

 

[Vince]

I made no changes to the formatting, so I guess that means it is as defined
in the style.

If I select a single spaced paragraph and press Ctrl+Q, it remains
unchanged. If I select a double spaced paragraph and press Ctrl+Q, the
spacing changes slightly smaller, but it is still double spaced (if I place
the cursor there and press Enter, I get a double space).

Also, if I go to Format>Paragraph after pressing Ctrl+Q (the paragraph is
still selected) it shows Space Before/After as Auto, and Line Spacing as
Single. This is in both the paragraphs I referred to above, even the one
that is still clearly double spaced.

Thanks

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

And they are both displaying as the same paragraph style?

 

[Vince]

Yes, both show the same style in the formatting toolbar.

If I cut text from a webpage and use Paste Special>Unformatted text, that
pasted paragraph shows as Heading 2 + Arial (which is what the formatting
toolbar displayed before I pasted). Even though it pastes in as single
spaced, any typing after that is double spaced.

If I select the pasted single spaced paragraph (the toolbar says Heading 2 +
arial) and press CTRL +Q, the spacing changes slightly and it is still single
spaced, and it still says Heading 2 + arial.

If I select that newly typed double spaced paragraph (the toolbar says
Heading 2 + arial) and press CTRL +Q, the spacing changes slightly and it is
still double spaced, and it still says Heading 2 + arial.

As a test I created a new document, typed in it, and the style showed as
Normal. Selecting that text and pressing Ctrl+Q does not seem to change the
way it appears, and it still says Normal.
Also, text that I paste into this new document using Paste Special will
appear as Normal.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Note that Heading 2 + Arial is not a style but "formatting." If you want
your Heading 2s to be Arial, you need to modify the style rather than add
the font as direct formatting. I'm not sure what that might have to do with
the problem, however.

 

[Vince]

I don't really understand what you are saying in your last post, but I'm
concluding it is information, but not a solution to my problem.

Anyway, I've been experimenting to reproduce the problem in a new document,
and it seems like it only occurs if I forget to Paste as unformatted text.
Also the info you've given me has allowed me understand how to undo it when
it happens. I think I can control it now.

I'll post back if I have more problems.

Thanks for help.