Paste button works but ctrl+v doesn't always

[Martin]

After first highlighting text in an e-mail and then pressing ctrl+c to copy
it, a friend finds that she cannot paste it into Word 2003 using ctrl+v.
It will, however, paste into Notepad using ctrl+v without any problem but
not into Word. I had a go at it today and found that, whilst I, too,
could not get ctrl+v to work, I could get the text to paste in if I either
pressed the Paste button on the toolbar, or if I selected Paste from the
Edit menu.

On another attempt, it appeared that provided Word had been opened BEFORE
the e-mail text was copied, ctrl+v would indeed work, whereas if Word was
opened AFTER the text was copied, ctrl+v would not work yet the paste button
or the Edit menu Paste would. Of course, if it turns out that ctrl+v
will always work provided Word is opened before copying the text, then the
problem is part solved by always remembering to do that.

I'll be going to have another look at it in a couple of days when I have a
bit more time to do some methodical troubleshooting, but in the meantime I'd
be grateful to hear if these symptoms ring any bells with anyone or if there
are any suggestions for narrowing down the problem. I've done a search
of the newsgroups for these symptoms and not come up with much.

 

[Pat Garard]

g'Day Martin,

There are a number of Word AddIns that clear the Windows
clipboard as they are loaded by Word (including the MS Works
AddIn, I believe). Word by itself does NOT clear the clipboard.

Anything you copy BEFORE Word starts is lost, anything copied
afterwards will paste ok.

The same thing applies if you try to copy something from (say) the
Internet, then start Word and try to Paste - don't work.

Start Word first, then copy and paste all you like
OR
identify the offending AddIn and remove it.

 

[Martin]

Many thanks, Pat, for that. The user in question is blind and relies
on hotkeys rather than a mouse to navigate. At least this will set her
mind at rest that there isn't a fault in Word.

Thanks very much,

Martin

 

[Martin]

By the way, Pat, is there a menu giving access to these addins?

I looked in the Help of my Word 2000 under "addin" and found nothing listed.
Do they go under another name?

Thanks

Martin

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

See http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customization/CheckIfAddinsInstalled.htm. The
most common cause of this problem is the Microsoft Works Suite Add-in for
Word, but that can't be an issue in Word 2003 because the latest version of
Word that comes with Works Suite is Word 2002. Moreover, Ctrl+V and the
Paste button run exactly the same command, so if the button works, then an
add-in clearing the Clipboard is not the issue. My guess is that the
keyboard shortcut has been unassigned or reassigned.

 

[Martin]

Thanks. Yes, I half-wondered why the Paste button shold work when Crtl+V
didn't. Yet I told the user that I have too had the same thing
occasionally happen to me on Word 2000, when, if, on the very odd occasion
using Ctrl+C & Ctrl+V failed, I'd simply go back and repeat the process
using the Copy and Paste buttons instead and I'd never give it a second
thought. It was only because this user cannot see to use the buttons
that forced me to give some thought to it.

Nevertheless, I have asked her to continue trying the process if only to
confirm the consistency of the symptoms and to be sure that it will work
provided Word is opened beforehand. All being well, I will return for
another look at it in slow time this week and then, if I get to the bottom
of it, post back for future reference. At the very worst, she will
simply ensure Word is open before she starts to select and copy text.

Thanks again

Martin

 

[Martin]

Further info: I asked the user to select and copy some text. I then got
her to open Clipboard and see if there was anything in there. It appears
there wasn't. So it looks as if the problem is at the Ctrl+C stage and is
nothing to do with Word as such.

I should have done this simple check at the start. I'll have a search
through Google to see what I can turn up and, if nothing, I'll post the
problem to an XP newsgroup.

Many thanks for the replies and apologies for wasting people's time.

 

[Martin]

Final posting on this topic:

The user has found that by first opening Word and then saving the blank new
document, she can then Control C on whatever she wishes and then Control P
into Word; it works every time and has solved her copy/paste problem, so
further troubleshooting has been abandoned.